Suspended Ndejje University students petition court

Four students suspended by Ndejje University over purportedly inciting colleagues to riot on May 10, have petitioned court, claiming they were not accorded a fair hearing.

On November 4, through Centre for Legal Aid, they filed an application for judicial review civil suit at the civil division of the High Court in Kampala.

The students are Phiona Kukunda, Felix Atuhaire, Ferdinand Ampaire, and Stephen Nuwamanya.

The strike in May, was over purported lecturer absenteeism. After the strike, the quartet recorded Police statements, detailing the narrative of events that preceded the strike.

In August, Kukunda, Atuhaire, and Ampaire were condemned to serve punishment of one dead academic year, while Nuwamanya was condemned to two of the same punishment.

Additionally, each was directed to pay a fine of sh750,000. But the students want court to compel the institution to refund the money.

They are demanding that the university be barred from instituting disciplinary proceedings, claiming management had a pre-determined mind.

The quartet also want court to instruct the institution to restore their academic progression by availing coursework, examinations and other assessments missed during suspension. They also want compensation for damages.

Each has sworn an affidavit, claiming they were humiliated, and not accorded a platform to explain what transpired.

The quartet say in a letter dated September 20, 2016, their lawyer Isaac Ssemakadde requested the university for an internal appeal remedy but it was declined.

The aggrieved lament that the negative publicity depicted them as unruly and disobedient persons, and inflicted shame, humiliation, ridicule and emotional distress.

Yesterday, the university vice chancellor Prof Eriabu Lugujjo, told New Vision that the university's lawyers would respond appropriately to the allegations.

"Once it is addressed to us, we will respond. But the disciplinary proceedings against the students, was a normal thing" Lugujjo said.