As crowds grew bigger, the highway was blocked resulting in a heavy traffic jam along the road, a single gateway to the far east. Along the road, they matched, singing in praise of FDC, hitherto the biggest political force in Uganda.
While celebrating 15 years at a function held at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, on Monday, members looked back at the journey which, according to them, brings memories of agony and ecstasy. They stressed that their journey is characterized by thorns, creepers, valleys, and mountains formed by the brutality meted on them by the ruling government.
Dr. Kamunyu vowed in an interview with URN never to cede to dishonesty as he returns to Makerere University, saying that academic freedoms and freedoms of expression that he was fighting for remain cardinal to him.
The university has been the theatre of violence and the use of excessive force by law enforcement agencies, as students challenged a 15 per cent cumulative increment on tuition and functional fees. The increment, which started this academic year, will affect all first-year students, for the next five years.
Those issued warning letters include the Gender and Ethics & Integrity guild Minister, Marion Kirabo, who is also a fourth year student of Bachelor of Laws. Judith Nalukwago a Bachelor of Dental Surgery who is also the Vice Guild President has also been warned.
They argue that that the affirmative action policy which awarded 1.5 bonus points to girls qualifying to enter public universities, remains insufficient to address equity issues, especially in science-related courses. As a result, they say, the current government merit scholarship for students in higher education is heavily bent in favour of male students.
Kalema had been accused of committing acts that were prejudicial to the proper performance of the duties of the university and hurting the university image. Together with Bennet Magara, he was suspended by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe on December 21, 2018, who accused them of promoting hooliganism.
The BOG resolved recently to terminate the services of 10 teachers and none teaching staff who are not on the Government payroll. James Abukai, the representative of Old students on the Board, says they resolved to terminate the services of the teachers and none teaching staff because of poor enrollment.
The trio clashed at a meeting for greater Kabale district National Resistance Movement-NRM party leaders that were held at Kigezi College Butobere in Kabale on Wednesday district.
Namisindwa Resident District Commissioner, Moses Kigai Wamoto confirmed the arrest of the duo but declined to divulge details. "We have them, I will call you and brief you on the matter,” he told URN and hang up his phone.
The two-day exercise was scheduled to start today June 5, 2019. But according to the messages seen by URN, the internal audit office of the university and the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration failed to agree on the method for conducting the exercise.
The 17-member committee composed of academic and technical staff is expected to commence work on Monday 20th May 2019, following their inauguration this week at State House Nakasero.
While the Board’s initial ruling on Monday was to suspend Kamunyu for six months without pay, the revised ruling corrected with a pen considers half pay for the staff leader.
“Nobody understands their issue. Maybe they are playing tribal politics because if you are accusing somebody, you should have concrete proof to say this man has stolen this money, this man has done and mismanaged this and therefore he can go. So accusing somebody and yelling on top of your voice doesn’t make what you are saying right. They have not provided evidence,” Prof. Obua said.
Bruno Muwuluzi, a student from Uplands High School, said that some of their colleagues on streets come from poverty stricken families and distant areas where they are offered to buyers by their parents under the pretext of finding jobs for them.
