Over 30 students arrested as Police foils Makerere strike
Oct 23, 2019
The Makerere University students are protesting a 15% tuition increment
Over 30 students were arrested as the Army and Police on Wednesday foiled a strike by Makerere University students who were protesting a 15% tuition increment.
The strike at the main campus in Kampala commenced at Mitchell Hall and an hour later spread to many parts of the university and private halls of residence.
Following the brief strike, the Police deployed heavily at the university and also at students' halls of residences.
"The 15% was agreed upon by the university and the government and this was to last for five years. We have so far moved two years and this only added to the new students for a whole year," the university's communications manager Dr Muhammad Kiggundu said.
"As the university council, we wanted the money to be more than this but the government refused and told us to lower it so that all students can be catered for in all the different schools," he added.
"We do not want to compromise our standards as we are preparing for the coming 100-year celebrations," Kiggundu said.
He also claimed that the strike was spearheaded by third-year students as well as students with political ambitions.
"This usually happens during October and November because most of the students are yearning for power and want to be remembered when they contest in February," Kiggundu added.
Some of the students New Vision managed to talk to, noted that Wednesday's strike began from the CTF1 building when some students armed with sticks and stones to force their colleagues who were in lecture rooms to join them in the strike they say will last a week.