After falling victim to several attacks from students branding her a traitor for ‘doing nothing’ in the council when the tuition increment policy was put to the vote, Makerere University guild vice-president Phiona Kokoi has come out to reveal what really transpired in that council meeting.
In the fateful meeting, Ms Kokoi claims there was nothing like a formal passing of the policy and that she was surprised when the next day, the media was awash with news that the policy had been passed.
“I don’t support the policy and in fact, I told Council to first allocate us ample time to consult the Guild Representative Council (GRC)” Kokoi told our reporter.
Section 38 (1) (l) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act allows for two members of the students’ body to be part of the university council. Subsequently, the guild president and vice-president who must, by law, be of different sex take up the two positions on the council.
The council consists of more than 25 members and according to the Act, half of the members, at least five of whom shall not be employees or students of the university, can constitute a quorum at any meeting.
Kokoi, however, assured students that they would get a right way forward after the GRC’s engagements with the university management. She also took a swing at the 7 member committee that recommended the tuition increment, saying they did things out of excitement.
“They did everything in a selfish way and out of excitement. This was a lesson to them and everybody, that consultation is needed before you make such recommendations” Kokoi said.
Phiona Kokoi is a third-year student offering a Bachelors degree in Education and she doubles as the guild representative for the School of Education.
