At least 400 students whose names are missing on Makerere’s final graduation list have threatened to sue the university council and hold a peaceful demonstration tomorrow to show their dissatisfaction.
Speaking to the media this morning, Stanley Okello the guild Prime Minister said they are standing with the victims, since an attack on one student, is an attack on all of them.
According to Okello, in the event that the issue has not been resolved by tomorrow Friday, they will meet at the main building tomorrow with victims and some parents to hold a demonstration.
“In the interim we are seeking to take legal action to sue the university council for its inactivity to effectively run the affairs of the university. We have interface with most of the stakeholders and they appeared to show that this is beyond their hands and that there is nothing they can do” Okello noted.
He added that efforts to seek help from the vice chancellor did not yield any fruit as he also claims the issue is beyond his office.
Okello says since students pay for all University services, it is illegal for the administration to deny them the services and act like they are doing students a favor. He explains that all the victims had passed very well and paid all university dues in time, leaving no reason for their names not to appear on that list.
One of the victims, Aciro Jacklyn told the press that she was supposed to graduate in 2015, her name only appeared in the first and second graduation lists, but not the final.
“Can you imagine, I was supposed to graduate in 2015, my name appeared on the first and second lists, but in the final list, my name was not there? When I went to the school of education dean’s office, they told me to go to the school registrar, who in turn told me he couldn’t do anything” She cried.
Ms Aciro added that she was advised by the registrar that even if she did not graduate, she would still get a transcript. She however says the university is just deceiving them that graduation is just a ceremony and not very important.
Amanyire Ronald from the school of statistics and planning says he did everything as needed but his name still did not make it on the final list.
“I paid my tuition, I have full marks, I don’t know why I’m missing on the graduation list. I lodged in my complaint up to the Vice chancellor but when the academic registrar was called in the VC’s office, all he could say was, he is sorry, he doesn’t know how I missed on the list. He however is promising that I’m going to get my transcript and my name will be forwarded for 2017 graduation” Amanyire explained.
Makerere University will hold its 67th graduation starting Tuesday 21st February until Friday 24th.