IT WILL COME AS NO SUR-PRISE

that Professor Geoffrey Kiangi has been 'rumbled' for an attempt to remove 12 computers from the premises of the University of Namibia. Indeed, the only surprise is that

i) the good professor has lasted so long

ii) that he has been caught in what for him must be such a 'small beer' transaction.

'Professor' Kiangi is by origin a Tanzanian national, who since he came to Namibia in the early 90's has enjoyed a mysterious level of influence and popularity with the Namibian government, and has posed as an official authority on all things IT. He had an engineering qualification from a provincial British university, was a lecturer in the old Windhoek Academy, then without any visible computer experience, was appointed head of Computer Science at the newly established University of Namibia. Then, without any apparent IT research activity, he was appointed a full Professor. Since then he was widely suspected of running external courses, consultancies and programmes, using University premises, facilities and equipment, and salting away the proceeds.

So that 12 computers was a very minor item to get involved in, especially with the equally non-qualified head of the Computer Centre. Why didn't he just hire someone to drive the getaway car? No doubt he will manage to convince the cops that the computers were for an urgent downtown 'community project'.

Anyway, what a fantastic example for the country's youth and students.