The last group of students who were arrested for protesting against the increased prices of commodities in the country has received bail, granted by Buganda Road Magistrates Court.
Muhammad Kyazze, Allan Ssekidde, David Musiri, Yuda Tadeo Kaye, and Felix Igambi from Makerere University and Kyambogo Universities were each granted a cash bail of 300,000 Shillings, while each of their sureties a non-cash bond of 15 Million Shillings.
The students were charged with unlawful assembly after protesting the prices of different commodities such as soap, fuel, and cooking oil.
Theie demonstration follows rising prices that saw fuel prices having an increase by 1,000 shillings, while laundry soap and cooking oil have had their prices almost doubling.
They were arrested as they marched to deliver their petition to Parliament. Police foiled their protest from the Parliament gate and arrested 15.
The students have been on remand in Luzira Prison and are expected to return to Court on June 27 2022 for the trial to commence.
Their lawyer Geoffrey Turyamusiima has welcomed the decision for granting bail to his clients and added that the constitution gives the students a right to protest.
Last week, five of the 15 students were released on bail after their lawyers successfully convinced the court that they need to be temporarily freed so as to be able to sit for their exams.
The five are Edrine Wafula, a student of Kyambogo University, Price Bbosa and Conmus Ndyamuhaki from Makerere University, Charles Kyeyune, and Julius Rukundo from Makerere University Business School.
President Museveni has attributed the increase in prices of commodities mainly to COVID 19, which reportedly affected the production and as well as external factors like the war in Ukraine, one of the largest producers of the sunflower which is used in making cooking oil.
