Seven Makerere students arrested for holding press conference

At least seven Makerere University students have been arrested on allegations of organising unlawful press conference near the institution.

The group that included two guild aspirants, who were disqualified last week, have been rounded up at Emerald hotel, Kampala today.

Ms Margaret Nattabi and Mr Sulaiman Namwoza, are the guild aspirants who were kicked out of the guild race last week by the Chairperson Electoral commission over staging a presidential debate at Mitchell hall known as ‘Kimeza' that resulted into a scuffle which left a one Robert Sserunjogi, a student from the college of natural sciences, hospitalised at University Hospital.

The Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, Mr Patrick Onyango, has confirmed that seven Makerere University students, one female and six males, are detained at Wandegeya Police Station on charges of holding an illegal assembly.

READ: Makerere disqualifies two guild aspirants over illegal debate

The students had earlier planned a press conference at the guild canteen but the university administration blocked them thus shifting to Emerald Hotel, where they were arrested from.

In their joint press statement, the students were demanding that the university management lifts the suspension of two candidates, Isaac Byaruhanga and Arnold Muganga and also reconsider the disqualification of the two candidates Tuesday.

Isaac Byaruhanga, a student of Medicine and Surgery and his colleague Arnold Muganga, a student of Arts, Drama and Music as well as Mr Xavier Dhubanji, the custodian of Mitchell Hall were suspended last week over an unauthorised guild presidential campaign debate.

“We strongly regret and condemn the EC and university management action as we believe that they are a violation of constitutional rights to freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of assembly and an attack on the academic rights and freedoms of the affected persons and the entire student community," their press statement reads in part.

HERE: Nawangwe suspends two students, hall custodian over guild debate

In addition, the students also strongly condemned the university's decision to make the elections virtual and preclude any physical participation.

“We believe that the virtual format doesn't allow for fair and democratic election process," they added 

They were also against University management's attempt to curtail political party participation in the election. “It is our belief that a truly democratic election must allow for the participation of all political parties and their candidates, regardless of the views or affiliations."

The 89th guild election is slated for Friday and will be conducted virtually. The race had attracted 11 aspirants before the suspension of the two NUP participants. The remaining nine aspirants include; Sabiiti Akankunda, Julius Birigwa, Robert Maseruka, Baraka Nkoyooyo and Oremo Odwee. Others are Mr Mark Ssebunya, Mr Andrew Lubinga, Mr Evans Murungi and Emmanuel Wanyama.

By press time, the university management had not made a comment in regard to the situation.