Makerere lecturers call off strike

Makerere University Academic Staff  Association (MUASA) members have Monday voted to call off their strike, paving the way for a possible re-opening of the university.

In an emergency General Assembly at the Makerere main campus, they voted 81 against 56 to call off the strike that led to President Yoweri Museveni closing the university indefinitely last month.

Ongoing negotiations for the re-opening of the university have centered around whether the lecturers are willing to call off their strike first.

Museveni appointed former minister Dr Abel Rwendeire to lead a Visitation Committee to inquire into affairs of the closed Makerere University.

The committee had advised that for their work to be completed, it would be ideal for the university to be open.

Rwendeire noted that though the president had indicated that during their work time the university would remain closed, as a committee they think it is important to do their assignment with the university open to observe its operations as part of their investigations.

“We expressed to the president that at some future times the university be reopened to make our work a little more productive. The president said he would consider our request but the issue of reopening the university is a bit complicated. We think he is still making some consultations,”said Rwendeire.

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editor@independent.co.ug