The lawyer of sacked Makerere University researcher, Dr Stella Nyanzi, has informed court that she recently suffered a miscarriage and hence failed to swear affidavits in the support of her case against the university.
Yesterday, court was slated to start hearing the case, but Nyanzi’s lawyer, Isaac Ssemakadde, told the presiding judge, Lydia Mugambe, that she has been unwell.
“My lord, we are unable to proceed because my client suffered a miscarriage while in prison and I was unable to get in touch with her to affirm the required affidavits,” said Ssemakadde.
Nyanzi who appeared dismayed in court also confirmed the development, although we could not independently establish the same, since no document was tendered in court. An affidavit is a formal written statement setting out the facts of the case particularly in the civil matters.
Following, the development the judge adjourned the matter until February 13. During a brief interaction with friends, Nyanzi, who has since cut off her dreadlocks, said she was still in pain and her head was hurting. Nyanzi is currently behind bars for allegedly using indecent communication against President Yoweri Museveni.
She is charged with two counts of cyber harassment and offensive communication, contrary to the Computer Misuse Act, 2012. She is scheduled to appear in court on January 10. Before the adjournment, Mugambe blasted the university’s appointment’s board over failure to implement the staff tribunal orders, which she said was unfortunate.
“Why didn’t you first enforce the tribunal orders and then get a mechanism of handling her dispute?” Mugambe asked.
She then tasked the university’s director human resource, Andrew Abunyang, who was in court, with explaining whether Nyanzi is still regarded as an employee of the university.
In reply, Abunyang told court that Nyanzi has never been interdicted or sacked, but her contract was not renewed after it expired.
Last year, Nyanzi dragged Makerere University to court, accusing its appointments board of failure to implement the staff tribunal directives which ordered for her immediate reinstatement and promotion.