After lecturers storming out of a meeting that was meant to discuss calling off their strike, Makerere student leaders have decided to plead with the dons to accept council’s proposal of paying their salary arrears in installments and return to work.
Students led by their guild president Roy Ssembogga have taken to social media to air out their views and beg the lecturers to agree with council such that campus can be re-opened and they return to complete their first semester that was initially scheduled to end on December 17.
In a letter addressed to the university council and Muasa board members, Ssembogga begs the affected parties to come to table and agree on the phase payment option for their salaries.
“In the best interest of all parties affected, I most humbly appeal and request its members to accept the proposal and unanimously agree to call off this crippling industrial action,”Ssembogga begs.
Ssembogga also argued that “a continuation of the strike is biting hard on several individuals and is going to keep the university closed, further exacerbating the students’ suffering due to disruption of the academic calendar and loss of career opportunities for the graduates-in-waiting, among others.”
“Many more businesses within and without the university which are operated by students as a source of livelihood and tuition are also at risk of collapsing if the university is not reopened immediately.” Ssembogga adds.
He however cautioned all Makerere students against causing another “trouble” and asked them to keep calm, adding: “But don’t cease in your demands to have our university opened”.
On Tuesday, Makerere University Academic Staff Association (Muasa) executive and Makerere University Council agreed on a deal that they will take the one month salary arrear and the November salary, so as lecturers can return to work.
This deal was yesterday tabled before Muasa general assembly, only for it to be trashed even without the dons proposing any better alternative.
