President's doctorate might be misunderstood
Dec 15, 2010
EDITOR: I join other Ugandans to congratulate President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on his latest achievement—getting an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from our public-private university, Makerere.
EDITOR: I join other Ugandans to congratulate President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on his latest achievement—getting an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from our public-private university, Makerere.
I remember Museveni was awarded the same degree by a foreign university but he declined being addressed as Dr Museveni. I hope this time round he will allow us to address him so. It is not so common that universities offer such degrees to presidents.
In Uganda the other president to achieve this feat was Museveni's nemesis, Milton Obote who got his from an American university.
My concern, however, is the timing of the doctorate offer by Makerere. It is election time.
By the time I retired from Makerere in September last year, word was already rife that the university was to confer this academic title on the President. Somehow, the ceremony was postponed to last Sunday. I fear the timing might send a wrong message to our mostly illiterate voters that Dr Museveni is the greatest of the greatest and thereby influence the voting pattern.
Won't some politicians interpret it as academic corruption of the current political process?
Oweyegha-Afunaduula
afunaduula2000@yahoo.co.uk
I remember Museveni was awarded the same degree by a foreign university but he declined being addressed as Dr Museveni. I hope this time round he will allow us to address him so. It is not so common that universities offer such degrees to presidents.
In Uganda the other president to achieve this feat was Museveni's nemesis, Milton Obote who got his from an American university.
My concern, however, is the timing of the doctorate offer by Makerere. It is election time.
By the time I retired from Makerere in September last year, word was already rife that the university was to confer this academic title on the President. Somehow, the ceremony was postponed to last Sunday. I fear the timing might send a wrong message to our mostly illiterate voters that Dr Museveni is the greatest of the greatest and thereby influence the voting pattern.
Won't some politicians interpret it as academic corruption of the current political process?
Oweyegha-Afunaduula
afunaduula2000@yahoo.co.uk