“Is there anyone who can volunteer his story in Makerere that led to his ascent to the guild leadership?”
Oyam – June 26, 2022: Twenty-seven years after being expelled from Makerere University for leading a students’ strike, the former Guild President (GP) continues to tell his story.
Galogitho Stephen Renny has told dozens of his emotional stories since returning to social life, and those who knew him more than two decades ago are also telling.
Galo, as fondly known, lived in his rural home in Tororo from the time he, unfortunately, left Makerere University.
The former Makerere University’s GP, sources said had lost hope and could not imagine coming back stronger like he’s now. From his rural home, Galo had made friends with villagers and few of his fellow Makerere colleagues would trace him. He was remote–downhearted – a source told TND News last year.
However, in 2021, Galo emerged from the isolation and became socially found – via social media platforms and the media. For example, the former GP’s friend and brother, James William Mugeni who is living in the diaspora decided to buy a smartphone for Galo.
A few weeks after fire gutted the famous Ivory Tower at the prestigious university, Galo was named a “short tower” and quick plans were made to restore him. His friends and well-wishers, and among others, agreed that Galo is constructed a decent house; resume his education, among others.
“I am trying to challenge those who went to Makerere: what went wrong with Galogitho Renny Stephen that made him live the life of squalor that I discovered after the burning of the ivory tower? What happened to the priests who detached a village boy from us that it appears led to his eventual demise?” Mugeni wrote in one of his many articles about Galo.
“Was Galo Githo Stephen a genius in the wrong place? Is there anyone who can volunteer his story in Makerere that led to his ascent to the guild leadership of Makerere? Was his ascent to the guild presidency an unnecessary exposure that finally created an atmosphere where he was regarded as a threat?” he added.
According to Mugeni, when he saw Makerere burning from his room in the USA, his mind raced straight to Galogitho Renny Stephen. “And straight away I made a social media post that Makerere burning is equivalent to expelling Galogitho Renny Stephan. I launched a search for him; you do not want to see the pictures of Galo Githo I found.”
Through Mugeni and friends, Galo has recently graduated from Drake University in the United States of America with honours in the Certified Public Manager’s course.
In an exclusive interview with TND News in April 2021, Galo said he was “agog” with excitement going back to class. “But it’s also a sad reminder of the decades of precious peasant years I was forced to waste,” Galo added. Read that interview here.
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Story continues
On Friday, June 24, 2022, Galogitho was invited to speak at an online platform organized by Makerere University students of mass communication. The meeting was to be held via Zoom – and he was expected to tell his ‘story’.
Somehow, the meeting was disrupted by those some described as “hackers”. On June 25, Galo had this to write – [partly edited]:
Let the stories be told
Yesterday, Makerere University Students of Mass Communication through their online platform THE MAK BENCH asked me to attend their discussions and also address the issues of my expulsion from the University 27 Mandela Years ago. Our interaction commenced at 20.00 hours East African time with many listeners logged on.
The space however got disrupted during my presentation, meaning that some people somewhere never wanted my story to be told!
But let the stories be told, a story suppressed for 27 years,
Here in Uganda and abroad let the stories be told,
In the Churches, Prayer Places, and Shrines,
Day and night let the stories be told,
In the low places and high places.
In the lowlands and high lands let the stories be told,
From the plains of Amuru to the Mountain tops of the Rwenzori,
To freemen and those shackled by poverty and want, let the stories be told.
Let the stories be told in the Cities and Shanty towns,
In every village and every polluted dwelling,
let the stories be told of the sacrificing of a promising Medical Career at the altar of neoliberal inhumanity and greed.
Let the stories be told that the train of Truth and Freedom will soon leave the station of despair in the graveyards of Social Injustice and head for destiny and fulfilment
Let the stories be told from the polluted shorelines of Lake Victoria to the luxuriating sugarcane plantations of Busoga.
Let the stories be told until the liberating power of resilience and patience breaks the silence and frees the children of God from the debilitating sickness of hatred and oppression caused by Neoliberalism.
Let the stories be told until the ghosts of Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman, and Karl Popper, the originators of Neoliberalism turn uncomfortably in their graves due to the havoc their thought has wrecked in the world.
Let the stories be told until the authors of this suffering wake up and own up to the destitution they have caused to humanity.
For when and only when these stories have been told in all their dimensions, shall we truly be able to celebrate the 100 years of Makerere University with body and soul not blighted.