The country and mostly Kampala should brace itself for running battles between police and Makerere University students, as the latter prepares to strike over the 15 percent tuition increment.
Reports coming from the Ivory Tower indicate that a group of self-sponsored students (Private) on Sunday convened a crisis meeting at Mitchell Hall and unanimously rejected the proposed annual cumulative 15 percent tuition increase policy that was allegedly recommended by the Student's guild.
According to a statement released on Sunday evening, the private students claim the guild recommendation was a fraudulent set-up of the university administration to con council members into believing that consultations were made far and wide to pass the policy.
They claim not to have been approached at any point about the policy.
Angry students also contend that the guild has faced radical confrontation from university officials, especially the office of the Vice-chancellor for their dissent against the manner, in which the policy was fraudulently passed.
"Students that have sought for industrial action have either been severely threatened and intimidated into silence or have actually been suspended from the university. Similarly, intellectual discourse on social media for such as WhatsApp groups have faced a purge by the university officials with blackmails, threats and intimidations, with several students coerced into silence by the university," the statement reads.
The university is known for its violent strikes that have led to loss of several lives in the past. Also such strikes leave the business communities in Wandegeya, Nakulabye, Katanga and other areas near the university in losses as properties are looted and others burnt by angry students.
They claim to be disgusted by the delay by university management to resolve their problems and come up with solutions.
"The students' community of Makerere University is hard-pressed, disgusted and frustrated by the reluctance of the university administration and the university council to address procedural breaches raised by the student body in as far as the tuition policy and AIMS is concerned," the students noted.
