Saul Nassasira was picked by the Police Field Force Unit personnel shortly after police used teargas to disperse the students after a four day sit down strike.
The Guild
President of Gulu College of Health Sciences has been arrested for allegedly inciting
violence.
Saul
Nassasira was picked by the Police Field Force Unit personnel shortly after
police used teargas to disperse the students after a four day sit down
strike.
The students
who started the demonstration on Monday this week had earlier on tabled their
complaints about the new fees structures to the school administration but
waited for a response in vain.
According to the circular regarding the new fees structures, diploma students
under government sponsorship would pay 1.47 million shillings from 1.27 million
shillings while private sponsored students would pay 2.5 million shillings from
the initial 2.077 million shillings.
On Thursday morning as the students waited for a response, Joseph Mumbere, the
Acting Gulu District Police Commander led dozens of Field Force Unit personnel
to the college main campus located along Gulu Avenue who began firing teargas
forcing the students, majority of whom majority were in their dormitories to
run out of the college premises.
The Aswa
Police Regional Public Relations Officer David Ongom Mudong says that Nassasira
was behind the demonstration. He explains that the police are yet to follow up
on several students who planned the demonstration.
“Of course the Administration took a long time to respond to their
complaints but we got concerned to intervene when we realized the group wanted
to engage in criminal activities” Ongom added.
Nassasira is
currently detained at Gulu Central Police Station. Meanwhile, three students
who were injured by the tear gas are hospitalized at Gulu Regional Referral
Hospital.
They include
Francis Kaggwa, Simon Peter Ssimpijja, a resident of Wakiso and Cone Emmanuel.
At 6:00 PM, there
was still heavy police deployment at the College while students were stranded
in the various streets of the City awaiting to travel back home.
The Gender
Minister Nabirye Shifuera Assasira said that 85% of the students are from
different parts of the country and are unable to find transport back home.
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The Chairperson
Governing Council of the College Prof. Ben Moro has ordered for suspension of
the new fee structure until it is subjected to review.
“The Council
doesn’t know how the new fee structure was arrived at but we can’t do things in
such a manner that disorganizes the systems established in place” Moro explained.
This is the second time the students at the
college have gone on strike demanding the administration to denounce the new
policy and to attend to their grievances.