By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Banda-based angry and uncontrollable students have stormed the university’s main building to strike over online lectures, delayed graduation and failure by the administration to suspend surcharge fees.
This follows the university Vice-Chancellor Prof. Eli Katunguka’s announcement yesterday that lecturers should use Open Distance E-Learning (ODEL) following the outbreak of COVID-19 at the university after it had reported 8 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, 26th May.
The students also want the university administration to suspend surcharges imposed on late tuition payments, stop ODEL and the Senate to release a roadmap for the university’s 17th graduation ceremony which they say has over delayed.
According to Akim Kiyengo Lwanga, the Kyambogo Guild Information Minister, ODEL’S implementation should be a gradual process depending on the readiness of students, parents and lecturers.
“Therefore the University Council must reduce tuition/functional fees to enable students to purchase all that is needed to have ODEL, we are saying no to ODEL, the University adamantly implemented the online lectures system,” Kiyengo said.
Kiyengo added that they have written many letters to the University Council but all in vain forcing them to storm the Senate Building.
Meanwhile, Guild President Mbaziira John and his Vice Namara Claire have been arrested shortly after addressing the press regarding key issues affecting students.
According to a post composed by Mbaziira’s social media handler, the two were brutally manhandled, pepper-sprayed and inhumanly arrested before being whisked away to an unknown location.
Mbaziira and his vice stormed the Senate Building in a peaceful march aimed at informing the university administration that they (students) are not ready for online lectures that have been implemented in a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19.
“While at the senate in a peaceful match with the common students, with orders from the Administration H.E Mbaziira John Snr and the Vice President Namara Claire have been brutally manhandled, pepper-sprayed and inhumanly arrested and taken to unknown places just for standing with the common students.” Mbaziira’s Facebook page reads.
