Crisis as Makerere students give 48-hour-ultimatum

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Student leaders at Makerere University have given management a 48-hour ultimatum to end  their squabbles with staff and lecture the students. The ultimatum ends at midday Friday January 25, 2019.

They made the resolution during an emergency Makerere University Special Guild Sitting that took place in the Main Building Senior Common Room on Wednesday afternoon.

Isaac Kwagala, the Guild Speaker convened the special sitting to discuss the current staff disputes and management. The students also rejected the newly gazetted students’ regulations to guide the guild elections.

In a five-hour session, deliberations were made where the students pointed out the continued injustices meted on them by the university management including suspending of students, intimidation through heavy military deployments on campus, and lack of lectures and continued mudslinging of the media that has been reporting about the issues.

The gazetted new Makerere University Guild Elections regulations bans rallies in halls of residence, restrict campaign days and tag financials as requirement for standing for leadership positions.

Salim Were, alias Papa, the Makerere University Guild President issued an ultimatum to university management and council to repel the guild electoral guidelines and cause for lectures by mid-day on Friday, failure of which he promised to mobilise students to take the streets.

Were also warned all members of University management not to be tempted to issue any letter of warning or suspension to students during this period.

Frank Bwambale, a student of journalism, and formerly suspended for opposing the tuition increment said staff and students are being terrorized by the military deployed on campus. He cites Prof. Ernest Okello Ogwang, the former Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs who was beaten by the Military last month while moving on campus.

Bwambale says students should not sit and pretend as if everything is normal and called for unity. He was also concerned about the students whose suspensions have not been lifted by the university managers.

Julius Mugisha, the Guild Representative Councilor – GRC for the School of Economics at Makerere said they have not had lectures as opposed to the various tweets by the university managers.

****

URN