Somber mood as Makerere University lecturers kick off strike over suspended colleagues

Makerere University kicked off the new semester on January 19, 2019. However, students who have reported for lectures today have been welcomed by lecturer free classes.

Reason!

Lecturers under three university staff Associations; Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA), Makerere University Administrative Staff Association (MASA) and National Union of Educational Institutions (NUEI) at the weekend resolved to put down their working tools until ‘some demands’ are met by the University administration.

Among the demands, the lecturers want the suspension of Dr Dues Kamunyu Muhwezi (MUASA Chairperson), Bennet Magara (MASA Chairman), Joseph Kalema (MASA General Secretary) lifted.

The lecturers also revealed that they have engaged the services of Lawyer Isaac Ssemakadde of Centre for Legal Aid to provide standby legal counsel to all university staff affected or threatened by the continued heavy handedness, intimidation, victimization and abuse of power by the university management under Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe; and to assist the Association leaders to amplify staff concerns.

Meanwhile, Dr Kamunyu who is currently not allowed to access his home at the campus was suspended last week by Prof Nawangwe over misconduct.

“Despite various warnings, you have continued to engage in acts that amount to misconduct, including offences under Computer Misuse Act, incitement with intent to cause disobedience and/or strikes to undermine the University administration, acts that bring the University and University Officials into disrepute, intimidation of University officials, using abusive and/or insulting language, slander, insubordination, making false statements, among others,” the vice chancellor told Kamunyu in a two page suspension  letter.

In December last year, Prof Nawangwe also sacked 45 academic staff following five consecutive meetings by the University Appointments Board chaired by Bruce Balaba Kabaasa.

He said that majority of the number they have fired were staff who had absconded from duty for over five years, while others were involved in sexual harassment cases.