FIRED FOR SAYING 'NO'

The campaign for or against the Proposed Constitution is gaining momentum, and will probably hit a crescendo in slightly under two months when the referendum is held.

But the process appears to have claimed its first academic casualty – in the form of a lecturer who has been fired, apparently for questioning the Church’s stand in Press commentaries.

Gagged: Lecturer Joseph Omole. He claims he was fired for publishing Press articles that went against Church stand on the Proposed Constitution. [PHOTOS: COURTESY]


Joseph Omole, 46, had taught philosophy, ethics and social justice at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) for nine years until last month when his services were terminated.

This was preceded by a meeting at which CUEA officials specifically sought to know why Omole had contradicted the Church through articles published in the local dailies, including The Standard.

Consistent Pattern

The dismissal letter, dated May 21, and signed by CUEA Vice Chancellor, the Reverend Prof John C Maviiri, said Omole’s sacking "is directly and solely the result of a specific and consistent pattern of misconduct."

No specific instances of misconduct are enumerated in the letter, although it spells out the formal guidelines that the lecturer had violated, and refers to verbal warnings that had been communicated to him earlier.

The letter also refers to a "consultative meeting" held by CUEA representatives three days before his sacking, and where Omole is blamed for not displaying remorse for his alleged, if unspecified, "transgressions."

Omole denies any warning had been communicated to him verbally or in writing by CUEA.

He says when he was summoned to an "urgent disciplinary committee meeting" on May 18, he sought to know from his Head of Department, Reverend Dr Peter Mbaro, what the meeting was about but Mbaro claimed he was not familiar with matter.

Omole said the letter summoning him to the said meeting indicated the meeting was to "... discuss important matters connected with your teaching responsibilities..."

Newspaper cuttings

Omole said he was surprised to find copies of newspaper cuttings that he has authored over time displayed at the meeting attended by top CUEA academic and administration staff.

The group, Omole alleges, wasted no time in stating their case, which sought to know why the lecturer was embarrassing the Church by questioning the validity of its position on the Proposed Constitution.

"Christians have no basis for rejecting Kadhis’ courts," Omole wrote in an article published in The Standard last month. "Religious leaders are hypocritical," Omole charged in another article.

"While the Church outlaws direct abortion," Omole argued in the article, "It has never shown any opposition to indirect abortion which is not different from what is found in the Committee of Experts’ draft."

Omole claims a senior CUEA administrator put the question bluntly: "Why do you support ‘Yes’ campaign when the Church is saying ‘No’?"

Omole says his responses explaining constitutions are not church documents on faith and morality appeared to worsen a bad situation.

The sack letter came three days later asking Omole immediately to vacate campus and surrender all university property.

Omole says the handling of the matter displayed open violation of CUEA’s own statutes since there were no warning letter(s) in accordance with the CAP 3 on Staff Disciplinary Procedures.

But the sacking, if prompted by the Press articles that CUEA found offensive, confirms the diminishing freedom of expression in the country’s burgeoning institutions of higher learning.

Speaking on phone Prof Mbae, who chaired the meeting that decided Omole’s fate, denied that the lecturer had been sacked.

"Who said he (Omole) has been sacked? It is not true and I don’t think I want to continue with this discussion," Mbae said before disconnecting the phone.

Other CUEA officials who attended the meeting did not return calls, emails or SMSs.