Makerere- Teargas and live bullets rocked Makerere University Monday morning as riots broke out the institution as students demanded the university to reduce tuition fees.

Crowds chanting “Fees must fall” took to the University’s freedom square and other streets on campus among other areas and the security responded with live bullets and hitting some with sticks. Traffic was erupted as angry student burnt tyres and papers along sir Apollo Kaggwa Rd.

Private students are demanding the scrapping of hiked tuition fees

Mr Frank Gideon, the Makererean newspaper editor said that students had informed him on the strike.

“They are striking over tuition increment,” he said adding that counter terrorism Police and military police have heavily deployed at the university as classes came to stand off.

Makerere University council in July 9 approved a 15 percent tuition increment across all programmes as proposed in the students’ leaders’ committee report.

The council’s decision comes a week after a 15-member student committee constituted by the Guild President; Papa Were submitted a report suggesting a 15 percent tuition increase for only new students instead of increasing tuition by 49 per cent and 91 percent, as it were in the earlier management proposal.

Mr Mugabe Edmund Kahiigi, who heads the FDC Makerere chapter, recently told journalists that the guild leadership proposed the tuition increment without consulting students.

 “This [increment] comes at a time when everyone is in holidays. They tried to pass these policies when we were here; we fought tooth and nail and they suspended them. Now we are off for holidays and they want to pass these polices. I assure you, we shall protest if this proposal is approved,” Mr Kahiigi warned.

Students also accuse the guild president Mr Papa Were Salim of fronting personal interests when dealing with university matters at the expense of the students’ community.