As we wind up this semester, a lot have been said, done and heard about this Mighty prestigious institution of Makerere. This semester began on Saturday 31st January, 2015 but it has had a number of activities ranging from Academics, Strikes, elections and Examinations.
As we continue to build for the future and perhaps re-brand Makerere University, allow me present to you what happened in the Month of March 2015.
During the second week of the month, students went on strike over tuition policy. The strike was triggered by the fact that deadline for tuition payment had been fixed and the university demanded that students pay 100% by the end of the 6th week.
Although the strike managed to yield positively where the Members of University Management and Chairperson council accepted to extend the deadline to the 12th week, the strike caused a lot of chaos, destruction of property etc.
According to the Vice Chancellor Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu, the strike led to vandalisation of four vehicles, road furniture, security lights, glass panes, drainage covers, plumbing accessories, Main gate entrance, flag posts, and ropes, damage to the University fence and theft of food stuff, among others.
The damages have been estimated to about 30 million UGX.
Many students also lost their properties and some were injured in the strike.
We call upon every one to remain responsible if we are to build our image as Makerere Students because the public is dully concerned with what takes place here at the Ivory tower. But we shall continue to lose a point when we turn to these material things than the core values of the institution and more so the major focus of our struggles.
