Muteesa I Royal University was on Monday closed up to October 10th after students went on rampage and vandalized the administration block, accusing the university top leadership of not attending to their grievances.
The angry students led by their guild president, Mr Trust Kirya hurled stones at the administration block, leaving most of the glass windows and doors shattered, forcing staff to run away for their lives. It was riot police‘s swift intervention that saved the situation.
The students particularly accused the Vice Chancellor, Prof Arthur Sserwanga of spending more time at the university’s city campus in Kakeeka, Kampala, thus neglecting the main campus. “Mr Arthur, leave MRU in peace, we are tired of the absence of administration at the main campus,” read one of placards carried by the students.
Among other reasons the students raised was missing of lectures for several weeks due to absence of lecturers.
Masaka Resident District Commissioner, Mr Joe Walusimbi who rushed to the campus to calm down the situation, said he fed up of the unending strikes at the university. “The administrator of this university should get ways of attending to the students’ concerns. We are tired of being here every time as if this is the only university in this area,” he noted before he telephoned Prof. Sserwanga asking him to come and attend to the students’ concerns.
Mr Walusimbi later told the striking students that the VC had promised to come to the university and look into their issues. However, Prof. Sserwanga accused students of over reacting, saying his administration is committed to addressing their concerns.
The students have since last year been complaining about poor feeding, bad learning environment, unpaid teaching staff and unreasonable suspension and expulsion of some staff. “I am still attending some security meeting, but I am going to brief the students on what measures we are putting in place to address their concerns,” he said.
BY HENRY KATUMBA
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