Makerere University orders students to report for classes immediately

Makerere University has resorted to running adverts in local newspapers to manage the current crisis at the institution.

Presently, lecturers at Uganda’s oldest public university are striking over suspension of their leaders.

The leaders include Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) Chairperson Dr Dues Kamunyu Muhwezi , Makerere University Administrative Staff Association (MASA) chairperson Bennet Magara  and MASA General Secretary Joseph Kalema.

Though the semester opened two weeks back, students remain reluctant to report for classes because of no lecturers at campus and those who have cared to step in classes, walk out disappointed.

Although the teaching staff openly declared a strike on January 19, 2018, vice chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, has on several occasions insisted that everything is moving on ‘smoothly’ at the institution.

To prove his point, through an advert in Daily Monitor, Prof Nawangwe has started calling upon all students who are still at home to go and attend lectures.

“The Vice Chancellor, Makerere University informs all students, parents, guardians and the general public that Makerere University opened on Saturday 19 January, 2019. Teaching commenced on Monday 21 January 2019 in all colleges. All students who have not yet reported for classes should do so immediately,” the management stated in an advert on January 31, 2019.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Nawangwe instituted a five man committee to investigate the activities and conduct of Kamunyu whom he suspended early this month.

“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 dated January 17.