There is still a heavy security presence at Makerere University main campus in the capital, 24 hours after President Yoweri Museveni ordered its closure.
As early at 6am on Wednesday morning, police had deployed at all halls of residence to oversee the president’s directive.
There are more than 40,000 students at the university at various campuses. Students who at first resisted to leave were flogged by military police.
Hundreds of students are still stranded at the university. Many of them say they have no money to travel to their upcountry homes.
The main campus, which is the biggest, is the one facing the most disruption.
Police clashed with students on Tuesday during a protest against an ongoing lecturer’s strike. Police were reported to have used teargas and water canon to disperse crowds.
The students want lecturers, who have been on strike for a week, to return to class.
The teaching staff say they have not received their allowances for eight months and will continue their strike until they are paid.
Mr Museveni said the university needed to be closed for the safety of “persons and property”.
Foreign students stranded
Foreign students pursuing studies at Makerere have been told by Police chief Gen Kale Kayihura to seek shelter at their respective embassies following the closure.
It was not possible to know the exact number of foreign students at Makerere but a source at the university estimated them in the hundreds. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was ‘unfortunate they are just being told to go to their respective embassies’.
“These (foreign students) come here after paying their dues; it is unfortunate to just send them away like that,” the source said, adding that for each foreign student to be admitted to pursue a course at Makerere, one is required to pay an initial registration fee of US$75 (Shs172.000)
It was also not possible to establish whether the embassies of the affected foreign students had been notified, and the financial implications it would have on their budgets.
Police orders private hostels to close immediately
Police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi has ordered all managers of hostels affiliated to Makerere to close them immediately.
Mr. Kaweesi said those students keeping near the campus will be considered a security threat.
Some hostels like Muhika and Olympia had already notified the students to vacate the premises and hand in any their room keys by 5pm tomorrow Thursday 3rd November 2016, saying there is a possible loss to be incurred by the hostel if students stay around as more electricity and water will be used.
First Lady/Education minister petitioned
The students have decided to petition the Minister of Education and Sports, Hon Janet Kataha Museveni, protesting against the decision to close the university.
According to the Guild President Roy Ssembogga, they decided to hold a crisis meeting in which they agreed to petition the minister.
“We are the victims of the standoff between government and lecturers and it is unfair for government to punish us again by closing the university,” Ssembogga told journalists.
“To us, the matters in the petition are substantive and we ask that they are looked into by government.”
Ssembogga said there are other avenues government would explore in a bid to solve the problems of Makerere University.
@ Multiple Sources
