Jinja Mak campus students strike

Jinja DPC Apollo Kateeba guides students during the demonstration in Jinja Town at the weekend. PHOTO BY Moses Okeya

What you need to know:

Wanted out. The students took to the streets calling for the resignation of the campus director.

Jinja. Students of Makerere University’s Jinja Campus on Friday demonstrated on the streets of Jinja Town demanding the resignation of the acting director of the campus, Prof JB Nyakaana.
More than 100 out of about 350 students at the campus took to the streets as early as 7am and marched towards Jinja Town Hall.
They were, however, intercepted by a combined force of anti-riot police and regular police under the command of Jinja District police commander, Mr Apollo Kateeba.
The campus minister for academic affairs, Mr Ronald Mutebi, told journalists that the guild had held a meeting with Prof Nyakaana about the issues to avert the strike but nothing had come to fruition.
“We discussed all issues affecting the students and resolved they be handled immediately, he said.
The DPC directed the closure of the campus. “I have temporarily closed this place in the interest of security and so that a solution to the problems affecting them (students) is found,” Mr Kateeba said.
When contacted, Makerere University spokesperson Ritah Namisango said the university was handling the student’s issues.
“It is only the university council that can close the campus but what police is doing is a security measure. The main campus will resolve the matter as we are treating it as a matter of urgency,” Ms Namisango said.

The accusations

The students accuse Prof Nyakaana of maladministration and allege that the campus director has failed to provide them with identity cards, academic gowns, provisional results and running water.