13 Makerere, Kyambogo students held over demo

University students carry their injured colleague during the march in Kampala yesterday. PHOTO BY STEPHEN WANDERA.

What you need to know:

Accusations. Police say the students will be charged with illegal assembly and incitement of violence.

Kampala

Police was by press time yesterday still holding at least 13 students from Makerere University and Kyambogo University for organising illegal assemblies.

The students, majority from Makerere, had in the morning tried to hold a peaceful procession on their way on their way to the Law Development Centre to attend a meeting against the Public Order Management Bill.

However, police sources said the students were protesting the closure of Makerere. The university was closed on Wednesday last week following a strike by members of staff agitating for a 100 per cent salary increase.

The Makerere students, led by guild president Ann Adeke Ebaju, were intercepted at Wandegeya, a Kampala suburb, after police fired teargas to disperse their crowd and arrested only a handful. Police deputy spokesperson Patrick Onyango said the “students will be charged with illegal assembly and incitement of violence”. Also arrested was Mr John Mugabi, guild president of Kyambogo University and his aide, Mr Baleese Joshua, who were part of the march. Eleven students were held at the Wandegeya Police Post while two were being detained at the Kawempe Police Station.

The University Council, the highest decision-making body of the university closed the institution two days to the beginning of a new academic year, arguing that there is no money to meet its staff demands of 100 per cent salary increment.

The new students who were meant to report for studies last Saturday also yesterday remained stuck at Campus with the slow issuance of their admission letters. The new students are required to have paid at least 60 per cent of their tuition fees and full payment of the functional fees.

Ms Rita Namisango, the university spokesperson, noted: “A new date of reporting for the students will be communicated to students and relevant stakeholders as soon as the University Council reaches a position deemed appropriate for the resumption of normal operations.” This is the second time the university is closed in two years.

Meanwhile, the Makerere University Academic Staff Association (Muasa) has rejected their employers appeal to report back to work. In a closed meeting with Muasa yesterday, which took eight hours, the council resolved to form a committee which will look at the internal Makerere budget with an aim of meeting the 100 per cent salary demand by lecturers. “As staff, we have rejected councils appeal to come back to work until there is a solution, for us we are ready for negotiations. Threats don’t work,” said Dr Muhammed Kiggundu, Muasa chairperson.

The committee that council formed is expected to meet on Friday to present their findings.