Dr Kizza Besigye has said he will remain headstrong in trying to help Makerere University in spite of the condemnation of his recent fundraiser events by the institution’s top administrator.

Besigye rebuffed a ‘warning’ by Makerere Vice Chancellor Prof John Ddumba-Ssentamu to stop the salary fundraisings for university staff aimed at forcing the reopening of Makerere, which was closed by President Museveni in November. 

“This is our university… we won’t keep off it. It’s our keeping off that has brought it to its knees,” Besigye said in a message sent to The Observer.

He said Ddumba’s denunciation of his fundraiser events shows the pressure he and friends are mounting is having some good effect.

“[The] regime must be forcing them to make these statements to keep off the pressure.
“Our primary target is the reopening of the university for the benefit of the students’ education and all auxiliary beneficiaries of Makerere,” Besigye said.

Although Ddumba-Ssentamu had said Makerere wasn’t closed for lack of money but for the numerous staff strikes that had paralyzed the university, Besigye insists Makerere was closed for lack of money. He added that he and other well-wishers are committed to ensuring that the money is got so that the university is reopened as soon as possible.

“If the university council finds the money quickly enough; well and good; if it doesn’t, we shall [find it] and see whether anyone will refuse it because it comes from a political activity,” Besigye said.

MUASA SOFTENS STANCE

Like Ddumba, Makerere University Academic Staff Association (Muasa) also denounced Besigye campaign, saying he ‘was trivializing their cause.’

In the latest statement, however, Muasa acknowledged that Besigye can do something to help solve the crisis at the university as a former student.

“The press release that was made by Muasa did not target the operations of anyone willing to help our members as long as they utilize all the institutions in place,” said Dr Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi, the Muasa spokesperson, in a statement.

“We are aware that Dr Besigye is an alumnus of Makerere and for example through the convocation, he can structurally support the university in that regard. We believe that as one of the key alma mater/former students, his contribution to university is welcome at any time as the convocation constitution provides for such.”

Contacted for a comment yesterday on contradictory statements, Muhwezi said the earlier statement had been blown out of context.

“We thought we should clarify; our first statement was not talking about Besigye but we saw headlines like Muasa bashes Besigye which is not what we said,” he noted. 

Last Friday police barricaded Besigye in his Kasangati home and arrested 11 other activists in order to foil their plans of accessing Makerere University’s freedom square, where they had organized a fundraiser to collect Shs 28bn that lecturers demand in incentive arrears.

bakerbatte@gmail.com