The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Education Committee of parliament has asked the Education and Sports Minister, Janet Museveni to appear and respond to specific issues relating to the recent impasse at Makerere University.
The decision was made after the Committee dismissed a delegation of officials from the Education Ministry led by the Primary Education State Minister, Rosemary Seninde. The committee members including the Rubaga North MP, Moses Kasibante, Lira Woman MP, Joy Atim Ongom and Makindye West MP, Allan Ssewanyana noted that the committee invited Janet Museveni and not Seninde or Chrysostom Muyingo, who appeared last month. Ssewanyana noted that Janet Museveni has to respect and honor the Committee invitation.
Ongom concurred with Ssewanyana, saying Seninde can’t explain Janet Museveni’s personal statement on the Makerere University unrest.
The Committee Vice chairperson, John Twesigye Ntamuhiira explained that the committee decided that Janet Museveni would have to appear and respond specifically to sensitive issues including sexual harassment of female students and abdication of duty by university management among others.
He says that the committee made the decision because they found the responses from the Education Ministry on November 5th and Higher Education State Minister on November 21, 2019 wanting. The Minister was expected to appear yesterday in vain.
Twesigye asked Seninde under what capacity she was appearing before the committee yet they had invited Janet Museveni. In her response, Seninde said the Committee invited the Education and Sports Minister and didn’t specify it wanted Janet Museveni to appear.
This prompted Kasibante to ask Tweisgye to rule on whether Seninde was in order to misrepresent the content of the committee invitation.
In an October 29th, 2019, Janet Museveni accused striking Makerere University students of being corrupt and pocketing bribes from opposition politicians to oppose government. The statement was prompted by an October 22nd, 2019 strike by Makerere University student of the implementation of the 15 percent tuition increment policy.
The students called for a recall of the policy, reinstatement of suspended students and withdrawal of security personnel from the Freedom Square. On October 30th, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe issued a statement asking students to return to class, saying normalcy was gradually returning to the university albeit with some hiccups.
He said the semester would continue as planned and reminded students that examinations will commence on November 18, 2019 as planned. As a result, 693 students petitioned parliament on October 31st, 2019 to intervene and among others recommend that the tuition policy is recalled.
They also called for the suspension of the Principal of the College of Business and Management Science, Prof. Eria Hisali and Gordon Murangira, the Vice Chancellor’s personal secretary for sanctioning security personnel to brutalize students.
Parliament tasked the Education committee to process the petition and among others look into the claims of sexual harassment, invasion of Mitchelle and Lumumba Halls of residence by military officers.
Now, the Committee Vice chairperson, Twesigye says the Education and Sports Minister, Janet Museveni, should appear this Friday to respond to issues raised in the petition and justify her statement regarding the unrest.
The Committee was initially expected to present its report on Makerere University Unrest by 13 November. It was however given additional time and has been tasked to present the report by December 10th, 2019.
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