Frank Gashumba: Why Uganda Should Value Results Over Academic Rituals

Frank Gashumba has stirred fresh debate in Uganda over who deserves the title “Doctor,” criticizing what he sees as a rigid and outdated view of academic recognition.

Speaking after Prof. Mondo Kagonyera’s remarks at the vigil of the late Prof. George Kanyeihamba, Gashumba dismissed the idea that only those with formal PhDs should use the title.

Kagonyera had argued that honorary doctorates were unearned and lacked academic merit, a claim Gashumba openly challenged.

“Is a title only valid if it comes from a lecture hall?” Gashumba asked in a post on X, defending honorary degrees as legitimate recognition for people who have made a real difference through action and leadership, not just academic work.

He pointed to business figures like Sudhir Ruparelia and Gordon Wavamuno, and even President Museveni, as individuals whose achievements far outweigh academic credentials.

“Isn’t that worth more than publishing a paper no one reads?” he wrote.

Gashumba also turned his focus on the education system, accusing universities of producing graduates without practical skills.

He cited issues such as corruption, outdated teaching methods, and scandals involving lecturers.

“Some professors teach leadership but can’t manage their own departments,” he noted.

He argued that the country must shift from valuing titles to valuing results, insisting that those who create jobs, build businesses, or lead effectively deserve equal or even greater recognition than those with academic qualifications.

“True education is not about how many books you’ve read, but how much you’ve changed the world," he wrote