President Yoweri Museveni is not liable to criminal prosecution while still serving as the Head of State. However, when it comes to civil matters, that immunity is waived, and this legal reprieve against the seemingly unchallengable powers of the President is what six students of Makerere University have invoked to fight for their right to education.
This morning the law students led by Sam Sekyewa have dragged Mr Museveni, the Attorney General and Makerere University to court, claiming the President erred when he ordered for the closure of the university.
‘I and other law students have decided to sue President. He is just a Visitor to public universities,’ Sekyewa said while appearing on NBS TV.
According to Sekyewa, the manner in which the closure was effected also eroded the dignity of the students.
‘The way students were evicted from the university was not ceremonious,’ he added.
Two weeks ago President Museveni ordered for the closure of Makerere University after students and lecturers went on strike, with the former accusing the latter of abdicating their responsibilities, while the lecturers insisted government pays them their incentive arrears estimated at about 32 billion, before going back to teach.
And, as the stalemate persisted, Mr Museveni named a ‘visitation committee’ led by Dr Abel Rwendiere to scrutinize the issues afflicting the smooth-running of the university, while other stakeholders like the Minister of Education Janet Kataha Museveni and her State Minister for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo, weighed in on the matter and said the university would reopen next year.
