PHOTOS: Security Forces Raid Makerere Halls
Makerere University have accused security forces of raiding their halls of residence on Thursday night, destroying property worth millions of shillings.
The students said the police and military stormed their places of abode in a night crackdown on suspected ringleaders of the ongoing protests at the education facility.
The students are protesting a hike in tuition fees, saying it’s unaffordable.
The university council in 2018 approved the cumulative increment for five years but students say this has led many of their colleagues to drop out of campus “because the new fees is discriminative for poor people.”
After five years, a student at Makerere will be required to pay 75 percent more.
Makerere yesterday said in a statement that “there has been no increment in fees for any student at Makerere.”
The management further warned “all those errant students that a return to hooliganism at Makerere will not be tolerated and they should concentrate on their studies.”
The institution said for two days, a group of students “has been leading mini demonstrations on campus, claiming they are protesting against non-existent fees increment apparently strategizing and positioning themselves for the next Guild elections.”
Students at the politicized institution usually vote for firebrand politicians.
The protests have attracted a heavy response from security forces.
The military has seen been photographed helping police arrest protesters one of Africa’s finest higher institution of learning.
Dozens of students remain incarcerated at police stations in the city.
Makerere protests have since been followed by a declaration of fresh political activities by opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye.
The former presidential candidate announced fresh political assemblies, evoking fears of the return to protests across the country.
It remains unclear if opposition are working with Makerere students to cultivate ground for countrywide political protests.
Defence Spokesperson Brigadier Brigadier Richard Karemire was yet to respond to our requests for clarification on the military raid on students’ halls of residence under the cover of darkness.
Students and activists are using a hashtag #FeesMustFall to polarize their campaign on digital media platforms.
Videos shared online showed students pelting stones at security forces before returning to their halls of residence.
This is not right.
It seems The Police has to alot of Resources to waste. #FeesMustFall pic.twitter.com/ONS9Aoik5k— GAD ROGERS
(@gad_rogers) October 24, 2019
Others showed the military using batons to clobber and kick students while forcefully ejecting them from their halls.
This was at Lumumba Hall, MUK.
Security operatives are having a field day.#FeesMustFall
STOP #StateBrutality!!!pic.twitter.com/zIFhJB0lJC
— Buffalo Soldier (@BuffaloSoldierA) October 24, 2019
Makerere Vice Chancellor Barnabus Nawangwe has since told students that the tuition policy can not be rescinded and that protests would not help them.
But the defiant students have vowed to fight on till the feed structure is revised.
Security remains tight at the campus.
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