President Yoweri Museveni has ordered for closure of Makerere University currently embroiled with lecturers’ and students’ strikes since last week.
The Presidential directive issued on Tuesday evening was taken “to guarantee the safety of persons and property”.
“Pursuant to the powers vested in me by the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and Section 26(2) of the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001 as amended, decided to close Makerere University with immediate effect, until further notice, in order to guarantee safety of persons and property” the directive signed by the President states.
The letter effecting the closure from the President.
Earlier in the day, military police and regular police deployed at Makerere university to quell rioting students who were protesting failure by lecturers to teach them for two weeks now.
Lecturers at Makerere University on Monday voted to continue the strike which kicked off last week.
The chairman university council, Eng Dr Charles Wana-Etyem, says there is no money to pay the arrears.
The lecturers are demanding the University incentive arrears of about Shs 28 billion that accumulated from the past eight months of non-payment.
The students then resolved to also strike in solidarity with their teachers.
Police moved in with teargas and water cannons to disperse students who had raided the main building aka Ivory Tower.
Their guild president Roy Ssembogga demands that the university honours the contract signed with students.
The students demanded to meet with President Museveni instead of the University Council. The university vice-chancellor Prof. Ddumba Ssentamu last week urged lecturers to resume teaching saying strategies had be laid out to find a solution in a phased approach.
