When Makerere University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe publicly shared his academic records to silence critics questioning his qualifications, he likely did not anticipate the internet’s sharp focus on one glaring detail—his F9 in Chemistry at A-Level.
The release of his results, spanning from primary school to his PhD, was meant to show his academic journey and address allegations regarding his credentials.
In his statement, he firmly responded to critics, saying, “Following weeks of speculation by street preachers and foreign-funded agents regarding my academic qualifications, I have found it necessary to make public my academic credentials.”
However, instead of putting an end to the debate, the internet erupted with jokes, memes, and witty remarks, with many users fixating on his Chemistry grade.
One user quipped, “No wonder he’s been cooking things at Makerere! The chemistry just isn’t chemisting!”
Another joked, “Prof. Nawangwe is proof that you don’t need Chemistry to engineer controversy.”
Despite the online banter, his results also highlighted his academic excellence—being the top student in Uganda in his Primary Leaving Examinations in 1969 and Senior Four in 1973.
Despite failing chemistry, he secured principal passes in Mathematics and Physics, earning him admission to Makerere University for a degree in Civil Engineering.
Political circumstances led him to leave Makerere in 1976 for the Kiev Institute of Civil Engineering, where he later obtained a Master of Science in Architecture with distinction in 1983, topping his class. He went on to earn a PhD in Architecture in 1989 from the same institution.
His decision to share his academic credentials came in response to allegations that he lacked the required number of peer-reviewed publications to qualify as a Professor and Vice-Chancellor of Makerere University.
He clarified that he had submitted five peer-reviewed publications for his promotion to Professor, which were externally vetted and deemed credible.
Below are some of the memes, jokes and banter;
