Top African scholars speak out political interference at varsities

They tackled critical questions: Who governs African universities? Where should the line be drawn between state involvement and university autonomy? And how can institutions reclaim their voice?

The conference comes just a day after the Speaker of Tanzania’s National Assembly, Dr Tulia Ackson, pledged the government’s willingness to amend laws or practices that hinder academic freedom—urging scholars to speak openly about the challenges they face.

Veteran Tanzanian academic Prof Issa Shivji said the suppression of intellectual debate is a key factor stalling Africa’s development.

“Development is guided by vision, ideology, and clarity of purpose—all born out of open debate,” he said. “Universities are the natural homes for such discourse. That is their core mandate.”

Prof Shivji noted that a 2000 policy shift in Tanzania, which classified academics as public servants, opened the door for increased government involvement in university operations.

“If the government is interfering, will academics have the courage to speak out?” he asked. “University leadership must defend institutional autonomy.”

Scholars also decried the growing political control over appointments of university leaders and the silencing of dissenting voices through restrictive research policies, curriculum control, and funding conditions.

“In many countries, vice chancellors are appointed by presidents or ministers, not through democratic university processes. This creates loyalty to political power, not academic excellence,” said Dr Peter Wekesa from Kenya.

Delegates from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Uganda, Mali and other nations echoed similar experiences. Beullah Matinhira from Zimbabwe described it as “a dangerous pattern of governments capturing universities by appointing loyalists into leadership.”

UDSM Law professor, Chris Maina, warned that political appointments have dulled academic boldness, with scholars opting for silence in pursuit of government favour.

“If academics are afraid to speak the truth because of political appointments, it means those appointments are valued more than the universities themselves,” said Prof Maina. “We must respect universities and give them their rightful place if we are to achieve true academic freedom.”

He also criticised donor influence, saying that funding often comes with predetermined research outcomes.

“Donors fund the research and dictate the answers. That compromises the integrity of academic inquiry,” he said.

Panelists highlighted that beyond politics, economic tactics are also being used to suppress academic freedom. In Nigeria, universities have faced budget cuts and delayed salaries.

“A hungry scholar is not a free scholar,” said one Nigerian delegate, John Obi Chekwu. “If you control the purse, you control the voice.”

He shared examples of lecturers being suspended or intimidated for criticising the government, citing the 2020 arrest of Dr Stella Nyanzi as a chilling example.

In Uganda, reports were shared about lecturers being intimidated or suspended for criticizing political elites. The 2020 arrest of Dr Stella Nyanzi, a former Makerere University researcher, was cited as a chilling example.

Meanwhile, some governments are using curriculum guidelines and new regulations to shape what is taught. In Mali, for example, historian Luca Pes warned of top-down curriculum revision processes.

Mr Luca Pes warned of top-down curriculum revisions, stating, “We are losing the soul of the university. We’re becoming service providers for political regimes.”

Still, hope remains. Delegates explored strategies to reclaim academic spaces—among them, stronger laws limiting state overreach, peer accountability across borders, and better internal governance.

Yet, it is not all gloom. Delegates also explored ways to protect academic freedom and improve governance. Several speakers emphasised the need for regional collaboration, peer accountability, and stronger laws to limit state overreach.

An education advocate from Côte d’Ivoire, Kouassi Touffouo Frédéric Pira, argued for clear legal protections for universities.

 “The law must define where the government’s role ends,” he said.

Others emphasised the need for reform within universities themselves, arguing that weak internal systems open doors for outside interference.

“Sometimes, the state fills a governance vacuum that already exists in the institution,” noted one Ugandan participant.

The conference concluded with a united call: for African governments to respect the independence of higher learning institutions and for university leaders to safeguard their campuses from becoming political tools.

“The university should be a mirror of society, not a mouthpiece for the powerful,” said Dr Wekesa.