11 Makerere students beaten, hospitalised after military raid as army refutes soldier's death reports
Journalist in a verbal exchange with police officers after their photos were deleted at Makerere University on October 25, 2019. PHOTOS BY DAMALI MUKHAYE
What you need to know:
- The journalists were forced out of the press conference by security personnel and ordered to delete what they had recorded.
At least 11 students have been hospitalised following army and police raid Thursday night.
Students accuse the army and police of raiding their halls of residences and beating whoever they found in addition to destroying their property.
The guild vice president Judith Nalukwago told journalists that some students are in the university hospital while others have been admitted to private hospitals outside.
She condemned the brutalization of the students, breaking of halls of residences by security operatives who also arrested several of their colleagues.
The students are now demanding for the release of their colleagues.
A senior police officer directs journalist to leave the venue where Makerere students were addressing a press conference on October 25, 2019. Photo by Damali Mukhaye
Meanwhile, over 15 journalists who were on Friday covering the students' press conference at the university were also teargassed, beaten on the directive of the vice chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe’s personnel assistant Mr Gordon Murangira.
Mr Murangira was also seen taking pictures and videos of journalists who attended the press conference.
The journalists were forced out of the press conference by security personnel and ordered to delete what they had recorded.
There have been reports circulating indicating that one of the soldiers died at the university as he pursued students last night.
However, the army dismissed reports as fake news.
"This is fake. No Military Police soldier has been injured/stoned to death at Makerere University," the Uganda People's Defence Forces' spokesperson, Brigadier Richard Karemire tweeted on Friday.
According to Brig Karemire, the Uganda Police Force will continue to be supported by all sister security agencies to enforce law and order in the country.
