Following demonstrations as to the quality and quantity of food served to government students at Makerere, a survey was done at each hall of residence last semester and the office of the dean reveals that over 50% of the students opted to receive money and buy their own food.
It is from that background that university authorities have unanimously voted to stop providing meals in the halls of residence effective June this year.
The university in August 2014 issued contracts to four restaurants to provide catering services in different halls of residence.
Consequently, Venus Meals Enterprise provides food to students in University Hall and Mitchel Hall, Rema Restaurant and Take Away provides food to Nkrumah and Nsibirwa Hall residents while those from Complex, Lumumba and Mary Stuart Halls of residence get meals from Finaland Bars and Restaurant. Bbosa Institutional and Catering Services (BICS) provides food to students in Africa, Livingstone, Galloway (for medical students in Mulago) and agriculture students at Kabanyolo Hostel in Gayaza.
The university has been paying money directly to these companies to provide food to government sponsored students and hall residents since 2014 and has, in the current arrangement, vowed not to renew the contract that will expire in June this year.
This comes off as a relief to the management that has been under pressure by the service providers who have been alleging increase in commodity prices and high rent charges as the cause of their demand for more pay.
Under the new arrangement, every government sponsored student will be given shs. 4000 for meals each day.
“It is ridiculous!” ranted Chris Bimanyarugaba, a second year Chemistry student in Nkrumah Hall.
“There is nowhere around Makerere that one can buy meals of shs. 4000 per day unless they want us to live on chips and junk foods,” he told our reporter.
It is important to note that in food joints around the university, the least food price currently stands at about shs. 3000 for beans.
This position to scrap off meals was reached at a recent council meeting where a report from the Finance and Planning Committee of the University Council presented findings of the survey conducted among students.
Food is given to both government resident and non-resident students.
The university says that government students total to about 6000 with about 2000 of them residing at the campus.
