Former Makerere University Professor of Population Studies, Prof. James Patrick Manyenye Ntozi has died at 74 years, the University’s academic staff association Chairman, Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi announced on Wednesday.
“Its with great sorrow to announce the passing on of our former decorated member and Professor of Population Studies Prof. James P. M. Ntozi,” reads the announcement made by Muhwezi.
He had been diagnosed with stage four cancer in March from Nairobi hospital and has since been receiving treatment from the Uganda Cancer Institute in Mulago.
Arthur Ntozi, a son to the deceased, told this reporter that the Professor breathed his last this afternoon from Naalya, Wakiso District.
Biography
Ntozi was born July 25, 1946 in Kashari County, Rwobynje in Mbarara district, western Uganda. In 1975, he married Dr. Ida Ntozi with whom they have children together.
The university has organized an academic salutation for the deceased which will take place during the requiem service at St. Francis Chapel Makerere University starting at 11:00PM tomorrow 20/05/2021, according to Muhwezi.
Professor Ntozi joined MUASA Fraternity in 1971 as a Teaching Assistant and was granted full Professorship in 1992. He gave his inaugural lecture three years later on HIV/AIDS in 1995. Giving an inaugural lecture three years after promotion to full professorship was a rare achievement then that only academicians of Professor Ntozi quality could do at the time.
Professor Ntozi gave all to Makerere University as a great mentor, a Head of Department, a Dean, Director Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics and a celebrated member of senate. He also served on many university boards and strategic committees.
During his years at Makerere, Ntozi has advanced the demographic and population studies at the university and mobilized resources and donations for the Department of Population Studies from the Rockefeller Foundation, World Bank, International Development Research Centre (IDRC), UNFPA, USAID, UNDP, and Population Council as well as other organizations.
Despite being offered jobs on an international scale, Ntozi has declined all to stay at his alma mater. Because of Makerere University’s requirement for professors to retire at the age of 70, Ntozi retired from lecturing in 2016 to work as a farmer. However, upon retirement he asked the university to continue allowing him to conduct research and mentor students at the Center for Population and Applied Sciences.
In 2008, he mobilised fellow retirees in conjunction with MURBS and MUASA leadership to demand for their benefits in Courts law and progress was made.
Ntozi has more than 75 peer-reviewed scientific articles and more than 70 papers presented at conferences. He has also edited over 15 books.
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