Police has in custody Makerere University Guild President and more than 100 other students who have been arrested during an ongoing strike at the Ivory Tower.
In protests that started on Tuesday morning, students want the University to drop a 15 per cent tuition increment, which is implemented as part of a policy which was passed by the University Council in June 2018.
Since last evening, students have been engaging security agencies in running battles demanding the release of female students who had earlier been arrested for leading the protests. This forced Police to use teargas and live bullets to disperse the rowdy students.
However, Wednesday morning classes were disrupted by the strike as crowds chanting “Fees must fall” combed the lecture theatres across the university, forcing their colleagues to join the strike.
Police patrol cars have also been seen ferrying arrested students from the university premises to the nearby Wandegeya Police Station. The People Power leaning guild president, Julius Kateregga and Ezra Byakutangaza, the University's Guild Speaker are among several other student leaders that have been arrested.
The duo was arrested while leading a procession of students from Kikoni, in protest of the arrest of their other colleagues. According to Kateregga, students have given the university management their stand regarding the revocation of the 15 per cent tuition increment which took effect with the 2018/19 academic year for new students on all undergraduate programs, meaning that the university will be increasing tuition by 15 per cent per course every academic year.
They joined 12 other students who were arrested last evening and later charged with inciting violence.