Police and the military yesterday afternoon forced Makerere University students to stay in their lecture rooms although most of them had no lectures to attend.
This came as a result of a strike organised by students over the 15 percent tuition increment policy by the university council.
The police was set all over the campus and some routes blocked in order to keep security.
While at Nkrumah hall, policemen commanded all students to go into lecture rooms though they were free which forced many of them to exchange words with the men in uniform.
Talking to one of the students, he said, ‘these policemen just are not fair and nationalistic. They should let us fight for our rights as students.’
He added that these policemen are jealous of us as they can raise this tuition to pay for their children.
This strike was mainly spearheaded by girls who wanted to march to President’s Office for redress of the issue, claiming they are selling their bodies so as to raise tuition as their parents have failed to raise it.
Deputy Students’ Guild President, Judith Nalukwago said,” we know the university needs money to run activities but this is too much. We the mothers of this nation are losing value as we are selling off our bodies for tuition.”
Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor warned these students and told them to resort to other measures solving the problem other than the strike.
“Tell those students to stop striking and this policy will not stop because it was supported by the university council,” said Nawangwe.
According to Dr. Paul Omach a political science lecturer, the timetable is out as students resort to striking. He encouraged second year students doing International Relations to focus on academics.
However, students are planning to continue with the strike.
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