The Abel Rwendeire-led visitation committee investigating the cause of trouble at Makerere University has met and heard from students, the biggest protest group.

About six members of the visitation committee led by their chairman, Dr Rwendeire, turned up for the January 5 meeting with students and their leaders. The meeting, which lasted at least four hours, took place at the university’s main hall.

Guild president Roy Ssembogga asked Rwendeire to recommend punitive action against top managers of the university who are found to have misused the institution’s finances.

Ssembogga also asked the committee to push for the separation of the university council from management. He explained that the role of the former is to oversee the latter; and so, the two should have different memberships.

The guild president also asked the committee to pay special attention to the students’ welfare, recommending a penalty for lecturers who perpetually dodge classes even when they are pushing for huge salaries.

The students also asked the committee to look into financial management at all levels, starting with the guild government.

“We also want the government to stop interfering with the running of university affairs,” Ssembogga said.

The students, who filled the main hall to the brim, asked Rwendeire to make a thorough investigation and find viable ventures where the university can get funds from, other than only relying on fees, which is not even paid on time.

ACCUSATIONS

The students also turned on their leaders, accusing guild president Ssembogga of passing a budget of more than Shs 120 million to cater for non-essentials such as snacks, drinks and airtime.

“We appeal to you, please don’t just contribute to the literature of reports like former committees. While drafting the report, go deep into [students’] affairs and find out how even the students’ guild spends money allocated to them,”said Simon Ssennyoga, a former guild presidential candidate.

Students further asked the committee to unearth invisible hands within the university that fuel student strikes so as to fulfill personal interests.

COMMITTEE’S ASSURANCE

Dr Rwendeire assured students that his committee is determined to find a lasting solution to Makerere’s problems.

“We are not going to leave any stone unturned. If we find that there are those who ‘ate’ money, they will surely bring it back,” he said.

Rwendeire added that as a committee, they believe Makerere is the best university in Africa, a reason they will probe whether there are enough funds for research.

“Academic staff have to do research. We want to find out what we can do to better that research,” he said.

Rwendeire concluded by assuring students that his report will not be shelved.

GUILD FORA

All this happened during the inauguration of the students’ guild forum, a brainchild of the student administration’s prime minister Jothan Burobuto.

The forum, which is to take place regularly, was officially launched by Democratic Party (DP) vice chairman and East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Fred Mukasa Mbidde. He is also a former guild president of the university (2001-2002).

According to Burobuto, the fora are meant to give a platform to students to interact with their leaders, as well as the institution’s management.

newseditor@observer.ug