Excitement is high among business owners in and around Makerere University following the reopening of the campus today after two months of closure.
On November 1, President Yoweri Museveni closed the University over lecturers and students strike hence paralyzing businesses as the students and lectures were ordered to vacate the University premises.
Despite yet the poor turn up of students at the University, a situation attributed to the festive celebrations, business owners who spoke to URN expressed happiness and optimism of restoring their businesses once again after weeks of interruption.
Emmy Segujja, the Manager of Tastes, a business outlet that sells food and confectioneries described the reopening as good news and timely because the closure had crippled her business and caused significant breakdown.
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Sheila Karungi, who operates a boutique, described the closure of the University as very rough and expressed optimism that the reopening will help the struggling businesses to catch up despite poor turn-up.
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Several other businesses like photocopying centres, saloons and restaurants in Wandedgeya today opened very early with expectation to rip from students who have been pivotal to the survival of their businesses.
Makerere reopened today following dialogues and a resolution by lecturers through their Umbrella body; Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA), to put an end to their strike that had paralysed work.
The staff went on strike on October 25 demanding for their incentive, an additional financial package given to members of staff for undertaking extra duties. Such duties include among others, teaching evening and weekend classes. They had not been paid since February 2016.
Following the resolution, Makerere University Council set today January 2, 2017 as reporting date for all students to enable them continue with the first semester of the academic year which was cut short by the strike.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and latr Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
