Court blocks relocation of Makerere University Fort Portal campus

The High court in Fort Portal has issued an injunction halting the relocation of Makerere University Fort Portal branch.

The order was issued by Justice David Batema.
 
This is after Moses Mugisa, a second year student of Bachelors of Business Administration dragged the institution to court for breach of contract.
 
On Monday this week, Makerere University officially closed its Fort Portal campus set up in 2010 saying that the community in Fort Portal had not embraced the institution given the low turn up of students.
 
In a July 15th circular, Makerere University deputy Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, said that the students and staff from the Fort Portal campus are to be relocated to the Kampala and Jinja campuses with effect from the 2016/ 2017 academic year.
 
In his suit, Mugisa accuses the University of illegally closing the Fort Portal campus without carrying out any consultations with the students who are the main stakeholders.
 
The petitioner wants court to order Makerere to maintain the Fort Portal campus until the ongoing students finish their relevant courses.
                                                                                  
But Prof. Baker Nyakana, the director Makerere University Jinja campus told court that 52 out of the 65 ongoing students have accepted to relocate to Jinja campus.
 
Nyakana told court that Makerere plans to start a block week modular system where lectures will be sent on an agreed time frame to teach a few students who are particularly unable to relocate.
 
Despite all that, the judge faulted Makerere University for taking what he termed as a snap decision to close the campus.