Makerere on strike again

Written by: 
Asiimire Joanitah

Makerere University students seem to forever turn to striking as the only solution to the unfair institution policies that never seem to favour them.

Today morning, students went on a strike demanding university management to scrap a policy requiring students to pay 100% tuition in the first six weeks of the semester.

University management and students leaders had last week agreed to extend the deadline for tuition payment and registration for one month of October. However the students want the policy completely scrapped off.

University management last week extended the tuition payment deadline by a month, however this didn’t deter from today’s demonstration.

“University management has received your petition requesting for the extension of the deadline for payment of tuition and registration for semester one academic year 2015/2015. Management notes that there was problem with the registration system which has affected timely payment of fees and registration,” Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe said on Friday in a letter addressed to students.

He added; “Management has therefore agreed to extend deadline for fees payment and registration by one month with effect from October 5th which is the end of sixth week of the semester.”

As the strike moved on, students wanted to  lynch guild president Mr Bala Bwiruka who instead of supporting them to address their problems ran to police for security unlike the former president Mr. Ivan Bwowe who often practically led such demonstrations and no wonder, there was no success for the students.

Yesterday night, Lumumba and Mitchell hall students began their rehearsals and distribution of striking gowns ahead of today morning’s strike.