By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
African governments have been challenged to invest in science and integrate it with traditional knowledge to address local health challenges effectively.
The call was made by Prof. Pontiano Kaleebu, Executive Director of the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), while officiating the launch of Decolonization Pathways by Dr. David Ngendo Tshimba at Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), Lubaga Campus, on Thursday.
Prof. Kaleebu emphasized that the perception of science as a Western concept hinders Africa’s capacity for research and innovation. He urged governments to fund local researchers and incorporate scientific methods into traditional medicine to reduce dependence on foreign aid in the health sector.
“Invest in science, allocate funds, and address our challenges locally. We must stop thinking that science belongs to the Global North while we rely solely on traditional methods. No, science is universal,” he stated.
He argued that Europeans historically adopted non-scientific and traditional approaches from Africa to advance their own knowledge systems, encouraging African governments to blend scientific principles with traditional practices for more effective innovations.
“Even with our traditional medicine, we need to add science. If something seems to work, then put it to a test, a very good test. We want to really ensure that science is with us. Science and tradition are not in opposition; rather, we should introduce science into our traditional thinking,” he added.
The book explores coloniality and African responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was authored by Dr. David Ngendo Tshimba, a senior researcher at UMU’s Directorate of Graduate Studies, Research and Enterprise, and chairperson of the university’s African Center of Studies.
Notable contributors to this book are; Assoc. Prof. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, a renowned Ugandan cartoonist and journalism lecturer at Makerere University, Richard Kayira, News Editor at Vision Group, Dr. William Tayebwa, senior lecturer department journalism at Makerere University and Evarist Ngabirano, Head of the Department of Humanities at Mountain of the Moon University, Fort Portal.
The book’s foreword was written by Prof. Sebelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni, and the cover was designed by Samora O. Sanga.
Speaking shortly after the launch, Dr. Tshimba explained that the book critically examines the global perception of Africa as underdeveloped and at the receiving end of science, and Europe as the provider of science and knowledge.
“The book challenges the assumption that Africa is merely a recipient of scientific advancements from the West. It highlights how African governments responded to COVID-19, often mirroring Western approaches, including strict enforcement measures like caning (‘kiboko’) for non-compliance,” he noted.
Dr. Tshimba added that the book is a reflection on African agency, focusing on how Africans responded to the pandemic rather than how Europe perceived the crisis in Africa.
“This book is crucial for understanding Africa’s experience with COVID-19. It is not about how Europeans thought COVID would impact Africa, but about how Africans actually responded,” he emphasized.
UMU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Kyamanywa, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to research and knowledge dissemination despite financial constraints.
“We have prioritized research and publications using the limited resources available. However, more funding is needed to expand our impact,” he stated.
He called for partnerships with the government, research institutions, and private sector players to support research initiatives that drive national development.
Meanwhile, Dr. Tshimba announced that copies of the Decolonization Pathways (Volume II) are available for purchase at all UMU campuses, and will soon be available in local bookstores in Uganda, and internationally via Africa Books Collective.
“We encourage Ugandans to buy the 500 copies currently available,” he said.
Assoc. Prof. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo urged authors and scholars to embrace new media for knowledge dissemination, arguing that traditional publishing alone limits accessibility.
“People are busy with many commitments. We need to ask ourselves: Who is reading these books? Who are we writing for? Publishing is not an end in itself, it is about communication. Knowledge loses its purpose if it does not reach the intended audience,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of leveraging social media and digital platforms to engage younger audiences.
“A book like we have launched today is very useful. It’s very informative, but it loses that meaning, it loses that purpose if we do not find a way of making sure that it reaches the audiences that we want it to reach. Many young people are on social media, how do we reach them there?” he asked.
Spire also advocated for multimedia content creation, including documentaries, short videos, and infographics, to make academic work more engaging and widely consumed.
“We are discussing decolonization, but we also need to decolonize academia, decolonize scholarly literature and how we communicate as scholars,” he urged.
