The proposal to halt the preparation of meals by the university and instead hire private companies to do so has emanated uproar within the Government sponsored students of Kyambogo University. After their claim that the University administration had rendered them a deaf ear on issues concerning the unfavorable conditions of this policy, they were clad in their blue gowns this morning ready to make a peaceful march to senate and protest against what they regarded an ‘evil policy’.
However, these students did not make any much progress as there was heavy detention outside the senate building which culminated into the arrest of some notables. These included among others, Mbaziira John (GRC of Government students), the Chairperson of North Hall and General Secretary of the Government students’ Forum.
Speaking to one of protestors, he accused the Vice chancellor of bribing the police to whisk them away. He expressed his unwillingness to back down and said that they were ready to involve the MP’s on the education committee to intervene and rescue the situation.
What the outsourcing policy is about
The outsourcing policy pushes for the privatization of food and catering services provided to government sponsored students in Kyambogo University. Due to the high expenses incurred by the University in availing these services, its suggestion is that each student is provided with 476,000 (4,000 UGX daily) to cater for their meals throughout the semester effective 2018/2019 academic year. However, most of the Government students are dissatisfied with its provisions proposing that at least 8,000 UGX or 10,000 UGX should be provided daily if the policy is to be embraced.
By Shadrach Kolya