In a spectacle that rivaled a Shakespearean tragedy, Makerere University witnessed a grand upheaval as more than 300 businesses faced an unceremonious eviction.
This dramatic saga unfolded against the backdrop of a stern Makerere University Council order in 2022, decreeing that all businesses must vacate the hallowed campus premises.
The High Court in Kampala cast its shadow over this spectacle initially, wielding an interim injunction to restrain the university from evicting the business owners until a main suit was heard.
But alas, the curtain fell on the hopes of the operators under their umbrella Makerere University Business Owners Association when they lost the suit in August, paving the way for a theatrical eviction.
As the Estates and Works Acting Director penned a letter to Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Henry Arinaitwe, requesting funds to facilitate the eviction process, the stage was set for a high-stakes confrontation.
On a fateful Friday, the university management, donning the cloak of authority, partnered with the police to commence the eviction, leaving no hall of residence untouched – Livingstone Hall, Mitchel Hall, Nsibirwa Hall, all succumbing to the eviction tempest.
The expelled businesses, a motley crew ranging from humble photocopy and stationery shops to bustling food stalls, elegant restaurants, and vibrant hair salons, found themselves on the outskirts of academia, exiled from the very heart of learning.
Amidst the chaos, one anonymous business operator, with a hint of despair, uttered, “We don’t have hopes of coming back, our bosses are trying hard, let us wait and see.”
However, the echoes of protest reverberated through the academic corridors as students, led by the indomitable Vice Guild President Mariat Namiiro, rallied against the administration’s deafening silence. They demanded answers, their voices rising like a crescendo, questioning the eviction that threatened to sever the lifeline of services they heavily relied upon.
In a clash of wills, the police swooped in, quelling the dissenting voices and arresting eight students, who found themselves incarcerated at the imposing Wandegeya Police Station.
Namiiro, the defiant leader, lamented the administration’s silence, stating, “Despite our continued discussions with the University Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Finance, they have failed to provide answers to our requests.”
Julius Gumisiriza, the beleaguered Chairperson of Makerere University Business Owners, painted a vivid picture of their futile attempts to engage the University management.
He questioned the decision to evict, especially in the face of a pending court case, a narrative underscored by the absence of any cooperative administrator.
As the dust settled, Makerere University’s silence remained deafening. In an elusive pursuit of comments, attempts to extract a statement from the University proved futile.
However, in an earlier interview, Makerere University Vice-Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe declared, “We are evicting only illegal businesses that do not have any contract with the University. The rest will remain and continue to provide the necessary services.”
This statement that left the fate of these businesses hanging in the balance, shrouded in uncertainty, as the curtain closed on this gripping act in Makerere’s tumultuous history.
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