Makerere students are at it again just hours after twelve of their colleagues were arrested on Sunday for staging a protest over e-learning restrictions.
Yesterday, students donned in red gowns displayed key messages “why pay fees why stay at home, say no to online lectures, nursery primary and secondary schools are open: Open Makerere for all” while protesting at the University Hall.
According to the Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigirye 10 were arrested and detained at Wandegeya and Makerere University police station on charges of inciting violence.
However, on Monday a section of students at Makerere University decided to continue with the strike against the selective online studies being implemented by the University Administration. The University program currently provides for only first-year students to physically attend lectures while other students await the full reopening in five weeks. The remaining students are expected to study online.
Still clad in their red gowns while carrying placards, close to 30 students attempted to march to Parliament to petition the Deputy Speaker over their plight. They were chanting ‘Agende Nawangwe’,meaning Prof Barnabas Nawangwe the Makerere University Vice-Chancellor must go, ‘open for all’, however, they were blocked by a team of police officers and ordered to turn back.
The students stood at the University hall gate for a while and tried to put up resistance but were overpowered by police hence coiling back inside. Two stubborn students were however arrested and dragged to Wandegeya police post in the incident.
Last week, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe the Vice-Chancellor indicated that the full reopening of the University will be next semester since the institution had not budgeted for it this time round.
Shamim Nambassa, the Guild President says they attempted for dialogue with the university management but failed. She claims the economy is functioning normally while they study via zoom technology despite paying functional fees.
“We study from here ,It is our education that matters, there is no way the police or someone who stopped in S4 can block us,”Nambassa said on Sunday morning
