Kampala – Concern is growing among academics and Catholic faithful over allegations that Makerere University is pushing out Prof. Sr. Dominic Dipio, a celebrated scholar, community leader, and inspiration to many young Christian women.
Prof. Dipio, 63, has served for decades at the Department of Literature, earning a reputation as one of the most productive and respected academics of her generation. Her admirers note that university regulations allow professors to continue serving up to the age of 80, making her removal premature.
Despite her official retirement, Prof. Dipio had continued to teach without pay, driven by a deep commitment to students and the institution. However, sources allege that Makerere’s administration has been pressuring the Literature Department not to include her in teaching timetables, citing “embarrassment” to the university.
Supporters argue that her departure would be a blow to an already understaffed faculty, depriving students of an exceptional mentor and role model. “You can be a devoted Christian and still excel as a scholar and community organizer. Prof. Dipio embodies that truth,” said one colleague.
The Catholic community is being urged to intervene, with prominent voices calling on the Church to stand by the nun-scholar. “This is a woman of service,” said one supporter. “There is no reason to push out a committed and excellent academic in a time of staff shortages.”
