KAMAPALA—Makerere University leadership has dismissed claims that the institution increased tuition this year, saying that those leading the demonstrations are instead positioning themselves for the next guild elections.
The University has asked students to shun hooliganism for their studies — noting that such behaviors have no place in the university and that they will never be tolerated.
“Management wishes to warn all those errant students that a return to hooliganism at Makerere will not be tolerated and they should concentrate on their studies,” reads an excerpt from the statement.
The university noted that there has been no increment in fees for any student at Makerere noting that every student joins the university with a fees structure and continues with that until they complete.
The University Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe in a telephone interview advised students to concentrate on their books, saying that the policy in question was for long passed by the university council and that it can’t be reversed.
“Tell those few student de-campaigning the policy at this time to stop because it was approved by the university council. They should not use that method they are using,” Prof Nawangwe said.
He advised them to instead show Makerere’s greatness and show the world how responsible and important being at Makerere.
He said that hooliganism has no place in Africa’s premier university and students must all fight it.
Nawangwe said that the Management continues to work closely with student leaders to improve relations between the two bodies in an effort to reduce strikes, hooliganism and also open channels of communication.
However, the university Guild President Julius Kateregga on Wednesday October 23 said university management has blocked all the communication channels, leaving them with no choice.
Mr. Kateregga said his administration has engaged the university management on the issue of increasing tuition but it has kept on increasing for 5 years straight.
He said that several first-year students have taken a dead year because of the tuition burden.
“We’re still pursuing the road of dialogue but management seems to be hellbent on asserting their authority,” he said.
He added that “We’ve discussed this with the Vice-Chancellor. Unless our people are threatened, our only mandate is to stand and protect the students.”
The university on Tuesday evening suspended two students for protesting the 15 percent tuition increment.
Students have since mobilised and regrouped to protest management’s decision to suspend their colleagues.
