Makerere student leaders resolve to join strike

Kampala. Makerere University students’ leadership yesterday resolved to join the on-going staff strike and attacked the Vice Chancellor, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, for telling lies about the staff strike.
During the Guild Council meeting, student leaders gave the university management 48 hours “to sort their mess or they join they strike.”
The guild president, Mr Papa Were, told journalists after the meeting that the ultimatum started yesterday at mid-night, warning that should the management fail to reach consensus with their staff, they will rally fellow students to join the staff strike on Friday.
“As students, we are not going to be used as a bet for the disagreements between management and the staff. Ours is clear, we reported on Saturday ready to resume our lecturers and that is what we are asking for,” Mr Were said.
Ms Nashim Nassanga, another student leader, accused management of telling lies that lecturers were teaching yet the reality is different.
“Lecturers are not teaching yet our parents paid tuition. It is not fair. Management must work out modalities of solving their grievances with the staff because we are ready to attend lectures,” Ms Nassanga said.
The students also asked Prof Nawangwe’s team to repeal the new guild elections regulations which banned campaigns in halls of residence, lecture rooms, and in Kabanyoro.
Mr Isaac Kwagala, who presided over the meeting, yesterday wrote to the university management, notifying them about the student’s guild council resolutions.
Prof Nawangwe told this newspaper in a follow-up telephone interview yesterday that “the lecturers have been turning up for classes since Monday but the students are the ones who are not serious.”
He said the students should stop issuing the ultimatums but rather report for classes.
“It is the students who should give themselves the ultimatum of 48 hours to report to class because lecturers are there, the lecture rooms are open but students are not there. The lecturers are even looking for students but they do not see them,” Prof Nawangwe said.
On the issue of the new regulations, Prof Nawangwe promised to consult with the responsible officers and get back to students.

The strike followed the suspension of the chairperson of Muasa, Mr Deus Kamunyu, Mr Bennet Magara, the chairperson of Makerere Administrative Staff Association (Masa), and his general secretary, Mr Joseph Kalema, for alleged indiscipline and inciting fellow staff.
Prof Nawangwe, who is currently on leave, yesterday took to social media and claimed that classes were going on normally.
But the striking staff have insisted to continue with their sit down strike until management resolves their grievances.