Prof. Umar Kakumba, the Acting Vice Chancellor of Makerere University has invited the guild president Julius Kateregga to peace talks that are scheduled for tomorrow (Monday) at 2 pm in the main building.
The development is after the students held a long week demonstration against the cumulative fees structure of Makerere University where every year, tuition is increased by 15%. The strike started on Tuesday and ended on Friday unceremoniously with the Military Police breaking into rooms of students and beating them to pulp.
In an exclusive invitation letter that Campus Bee has obtained, the University Management invites the guild president to the peace talks to find a way of ending the reign of terror at the ivory tower amid threats of fresh action this coming week.
Earlier today, the guild president was unapologetic in his criticism of the university management, citing that they ignored calls for non-violent deliberations and refused to meet the student leadership on the issues at hand.
“We called for dialogue several months back to iron out our cries. They kept dodging us, and even when we met, they majored on the least important of our cries and shut us up when it came to biting issues. We were despised and blackmailed that should we raise a voice to protest, we shall be expelled from the University.” Kateregga wrote.
“Even when we cried out that the rate at which tuition is being hiked is too exorbitant for those that are to come after us to afford, they arrogantly responded that university education is not for everyone to achieve, and that it is none of our business to discuss how the university decides its fees.” He added.
Our efforts to raise the guild president over the issue and to know whether he would attend were futile as our calls on his known phone numbers went unanswered but we shall keep you posted.
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