A total of 117 teaching and non-teaching staff joined 17 Deans and Heads of departments at the Fort Portal-based Mountain of the Moon University have laid down their work tools over unfulfilled promises from the state leaving more than 2000 students stranded.
The staff based their strike on pending promises made by the government to transform the university into a public university. They guaranteed not to resume teaching until the transition Taskforce has addressed the transition process.
In 2015, the university Chancellor wrote to President Museveni requesting government takeover of the institution, citing low income, high staff development expenditures as critical issues affecting the university. Later on, the government welcomed the idea and promised to take it up, according to the staff at the university this has taken long which has brought administration issues.
“We have a number of grievances as we are much disappointed by the so many empty promises, the lack of Transition Task Force to prioritize staff in the takeover by government and taking staff for granted,” the lecturers revealed in their petition.
Rendering to sources at the university, the industrial action has left more than 2,000 students stranded and confused with no hope of completing their semester sooner since online teaching and learning processes have also been suspended by the aggrieved lecturers.
