A situation of Makerere University failing to pay its external lawyers, Kateera and Kagumire and 13 students who sued the institution in 2011 has led to freezing of 13 bank accounts of the institution most of them being project accounts.
Others include the tuition collection accounts, salary management accounts Social Work and Social Administration, College of Health Sciences and other two Gender Main Streaming accounts.
All this comes in as the university failed to compersate 13 Mulago Paramedical students who in 2011 sued government over the delayed award of their diplomas and certificates and claimed that this delay affected their career opportunities.
They won the case and court, on 20th November 2019 ordered Makerere University to compensate them with Shs 2.6 billion of which the institution has not paid upto date.
The University claims that some Shs 1.5 billion was drawn from two of its accounts and directed to Wambi & Co. Advocates on behalf of the students and this leaves a balance of Shs 1.1 billion although, all this money hasn’t been received yet, according to the petitioners.
Another petition done by Kane Atim, one of the University staff through Kateera and Kagumire Advocates showed that on 6th March, the institution had to compensate the petitioner some Shs 2.3 billion through her lawyers.
This is not the first time that Makerere has disobeyed court orders as on 17th February this same year, the university acting main secretary was detained in the same saga but later on discharged after coming to a conclusion.
The University is now in a dilemma to pay about Shs 5 billion and if they persist, more costs may be incurred.
