Graduands scramble for gowns

Over 3,000 people are set to graduate at the Uganda Management Institute. The 17th graduation ceremony will see graduates get diplomas and degrees in various disciplines.

However, a point of bother is that hundreds will not be able to enter the tent for the ceremony because they have no gowns.

They are stranded at the institute's human resource office because the gowns are not available.

"I am so disappointed with the way these people have handled us. I paid a fee of sh310,000 on time, but I have been tossed around till today, a student set to graduate in a Master of Management said.

"I cannot go to the graduation grounds without a gown. It is very demoralising for me to reach this far and not be a part of the graduation," another graduand said.

A notice at the resource centre at Kalebo block reads, "This is to inform you that due to unavoidable circumstances, gowns for Kampala centre will be issued starting 27th May 2019. We are sorry for any inconveniences caused."

Some students have resorted to borrowing their colleagues' gowns just to capture the memories in pictures.

Whereas many suppliers of gowns where allowed to sell gowns at the institute in the previous graduation ceremonies, the institute this time round, contracted a sole supplier to make customised gowns embedded with the Institute's golden jubilee celebrations logo.