Isaac Khisa and Andrew Bagala
3 November 2008
Drama ensued at Makerere University when top university administrators, including Vice Chancellor Livingstone Luboobi, abandoned a meeting with Kenyan students at the main building.
The meeting convened by Prof. Luboobi to discuss disparities in tuition fees and mistreatment of Kenyan students at the border, ended prematurely after the students snatched a microphone from Prof. Luboobi as he addressed them. The act put off Prof. Luboobi and other administrators, prompting them to abandon the meeting.
The Academic Registrar, Mr Amos Olal Odur, the Dean of students, Mr John Ekudu and Mrs Martha Muwangusi, a senior administrator in charge of external affairs, attended the meeting. But the students pursued Prof. Luboobi to his residence, demanding that he addresses them.
This prompted the police to deploy at the university and at the VC's residence for fear that the situation may turn violent.
Kampala Extra Police Spokesman Simeo Nsubuga said, "There was some misunderstanding between the students and university administration but we have managed to talk to them and the vice chancellor has addressed the students as they wanted."
Prof. Luboobi accepted to meet the students today at 4pm.
Kampala Extra Regional Police Commander Edward Ochom had earlier warned the students over a demonstration they had planned for Monday. The Kenyan students, who on Monday petitioned Parliament over the issues, demanded an explanation from the university administration.
They accused the administration of failure to act amid claims of their continued harassment and unfair treatment. Like other international students, Kenyan students pay more tuition fees in all public universities. The students said they are unfairly treated yet they belong to the EAC.
But earlier, the acting Academic Registrar, Mr James Okello, said the increment in the functional fees was mainly to necessitate the expansion of the Main Library and payment for the bandwidth for the Internet. He urged international students to submit a memorandum to the University Council. so that it can be put on the agenda for the meeting scheduled November 3, 2008.
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