Many suspects of theft arrested in Makerere University are outsiders, and not part of the university community. The OC Makerere University police, Jackson Amali revealed that the majority of suspected thieves reported to them are outsiders, not students from the university.

Amali says the suspects sometimes disguise themselves as students and go to reading places, lecture rooms and hostels and then later escape with things. Some of the suspects also wait for students on the campus roads and snatch or take by force laptops and phones from students.

The police officer in charge operations Makerere University, Elifazi Masigino, says although they are trying their best to keep the university secure, students have continued to be careless by leaving their windows and doors unlocked and some ignorant students at night stop to talk to strangers who rob them.

Masigino also says the university administration is working on the university fence to solve the problem of the porous entrances which makes it easier for the suspected thieves to enter and steal, and escape without being noticed.

“We are sure when the perimeter wall is complete, this problem will reduce,” Masigino adds.

Nannungi Eva, the secretary at Nsibirwa hall also agrees that it is mostly outsiders that steal from Makerere University. She says that most of the suspects caught stealing and hijacking students are outsiders.

“We have written to the Vice Chancellor asking for police deployment at night around the hall,” says Nannungi, in an effort to keep the hall safe from outsiders.

Amali says suspects mostly steal phones, laptops, clothes, and household items from the students and headlamps from cars.

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