Gulu University closed over strike

Oct 22, 2012

Gulu University a government owned higher institution of learning has been closed over a students’ strike.

By Cornes Lubangakene        

Gulu University a government owned higher institution of learning has been closed over a students’ strike.

Gulu resident district commissioner (RDC) James Kidega on Sunday ordered for the temporal closure of the University following continued rioting by the students that started on Friday last week accusing the administration of failing to address their grievances.

The closure follows an interruption, by students, of a meeting the RDC had convened with the institutions vice chancellor Prof Jack Nyeko PenMogi to talk to the students in the University main hall.

The RDC Kidega said, “I have taken the decision to close down Gulu University until when the students re-organise themselves and ready to dialogue. They should first stay away from the institution. This is to protect the property in the school because they have posed a major insecurity to the school as they don't want to sit down and talk”.

As the meeting continued with a few students who had gathered to listen to the RDC, the University vice chancellor and other leaders, an organized group of students who had gathered outside the University fence, entered into the university with a lot of noise to interrupt the meeting.

Their entrance was followed by students propelling stones on the meeting venue breaking window glasses and injuring one student attending the meeting.

Some students were holding tree branches and sticks while singing the school anthem of We young women and men of Uganda are marching along, the path of education.

Immediately, the regional police commander north Paul Nkore ordered the anti-riot police to start firing tear gas to disperse the rowdy students.

 

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