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Three journalists arrested over Makerere tuition protest

A journalist takes pictures after three of her colleagues were arrested during Makerere University students' protest on October 29, 2019. PHOTO BY DAMALI MUKHAYE

Three journalists have been arrested by police deployed to contain Makerere University students’ tuition protest.
The students are protesting a policy that sanctioned a 15 percent cumulative increment on tuition over the next five years.
Police on Tuesday fired teargas at journalists who were covering the protest and arrested some. This is the second week students are protesting against the policy.

Those arrested include Lawrence Kitata of Bukedde newspaper, Chris Ssemakula of BBS television and another believed to be a BBC correspondent.
They have been driven to unknown destination.
Lectures have been disrupted as police fired teargas to disperse the protestors.
The university management and student leaders on Tuesday held a meeting but failed to agree.
The students vowed to continue with the strike after management said they would not revoke the policy.

Police and the minister of education on Tuesday claimed the protest is being sponsored by elements of the Opposition.

READ:

Makerere University students paid to protest, says Enanga

Police say they have arrested seven non-students involved in the protest

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Education minister speaks out on Makerere tuition protest

Ms Janet Museveni says corruption has much to do with what’s happening at Makerere and other Ugandan universities

Police Spokesman Fred Enanga said the payments, made through mobile money platforms, are part of the various clues being followed to establish the triggers for the unending protests at Uganda’s oldest public university.

“Already we have managed to get one of the Mobile Money points in Wandegeya where they draw money for their protests,” said Mr Enanga, adding that the operators of the Mobile Money outlet are being investigated, with a view of unearthing the source of the funding.

The minister of Education, Ms Janet Museveni on Tuesday questioned the motive behind the protest and said most of the students at the forefront are “privileged ones."
“Many of these students are sponsored by Government, Master Card Foundation, State House while others are beneficiaries of the Higher Education Students Loan Scheme,” Ms Museveni said in a statement shared on her social media platforms on Tuesday.

“I have learned with dismay that some of the people involved in this “demonstration” are not students from Makerere University or any other university for that matter. They are people who have made it their way of life to be paid to join any riot wherever it is happening. Apparently, the political opposition in this country - who are well funded “somehow” by some “unknown sources” – find it useful to pay unemployed young people to riot wherever and whenever they believe they see a viable opportunity,” Ms Museveni who doubles as the First Lady said.