Makerere University Administration Blocks Students’ General Assembly

Campusbee understands that the Makerere University students’ general assembly that was slated to take place today at the Freedom Square has been suspended indefinitely after the university management rescinded the permission earlier given for the students to use the grounds.

According to the students’ Guild Speaker Jothan Burobuto, the university administration rescinded its permission at the last hour for reasons yet to be established and proceeded to declare the grounds out of bounds for the students’ general assembly “until after 3rd November after Presidential aspirant Hon. Amama Mbabazi’s nomination.”

Sources Campusbee has talked to indicate that the decision to withdraw permission was made ostensibly due to security threats, something that Campusbee could not confirm as the university’s Public Relations Officer’s number was unreachable by press time. Our source adds that the university may have acted as it dis out if suspicion that the general assembly had been organised to coincide with the launch of the “Go Forward” Muk Chapter today afternoon at the same venue.

However, when Campusbee spoke to Afande Japheth Mucunguzi the Chief Security Officer of the university, he denied any connection between political factors and the revocation of permission for the students’ general assembly. Afande Mucunguzi says the university is going to conduct a headcount of its security personnel inside the campus so as to see how to distribute them properly in an attempt to forestall any further grabbing of the university’s land.

He adds that the land in Kabanyolo, Kabalye and other Muk-affiliated campuses is being grabbed by unknown people and as such needs to be protected. Infact, Afande Mucunguzi has rebutted claims by the Guild Speaker that permission to hold a general students assembly has been revoked as non had been sought for in the first place.