The opposition Forum for Democratic Change, FDC party members and their counterparts are planning a Makerere come back after police failed their attempts on Friday to carry out a fundraiser, aimed at raising 28 Billion Shillings to pay lecturers so as to return to class.
Over 20 members of the party were Friday arrested at the University gate while the group leader Kiiza Besigye was blocked from leaving his home for an event that was expected to attract large numbers of people.
Ingrid Turinawe, the party mobilizer, Kawempe South MP, Mubarak Munyagwa, FDC preacher Doreen Nyanjura, Lord Councilor Mohamed Segirinya and Makerere students among others were arrested at the main gate by police officers led by Jackson Mucunguzi the head of security Makerere University.
But according to Segirinya, their arrests on Friday will not frustrate their efforts to see the prestigious campus re-opened as soon as possible.
He explains that a secret meeting was held and a conclusion reached that the officials storm the University at an unpublicized date and beat police at its game.
However, the whole plan sounds like a dream by the comic politician. Mucunguzi on Friday vowed to protect the university and the presidential directive to keep it closed until such a date, when a re-opening directive is given by the same authority that closed it.
Meanwhile, the development comes at a time when the university management is asking the party to stay away from their issues and let government handle them accordingly.
Vice chancellor Prof. John Dumba Ssentamu says Besigye’s idea is not welcome as it will not solve any of the university problems.
Makerere university academic staff association, Muasa also distanced itself from Besigye’s plans claiming the idea portrays a negative image of them before the public eye.
