The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Venancius Baryamureba has blamed Friday’s riot by students over the proposed increase of tuition fees to the recent opposition walk to work demonstrations.

Makerere Vice Chancellor, Prof. Venansius Baryamureba

Baryamureba said they have got reports that the students’ demonstration was inspired bu opposition politicians who have been engaged in battles over two days of walk to work demonstration that have killed 3 people and injured more than 50 in different parts of Uganda.

Prof. Baryamureba said in an interview that the students were determined to riot despite the assurances by the University that there hadn’t been any increase in tuition fees and the University’s administration had not even discussed the issue.

It is reported that the riots were led by one Kyomuhendo Ateenyi, the head of the Forum for Democratic Change at Makerere University. FDC is the leading opposition political party at University.

Makerere University studnets on Friday engaged in running battles with police in Makerere and Wandegeya where businesses had to be closed and the students closed off most roads around the University.

The students’ demonstration follows a demand by Makerere University Secretary Muhwezi Kahunda to the government to quickly implement the Auditor General’s proposal to increase tuition fees to six million shillings per student per year, from the current three million. The AG which did a study of how much it costs to educate a student in a public university recommended the fees be increased.

The students said Makerere University received funding from the government, donors and private students but many facilities at the oldest university are poor, yet they want to further increase fees.

Ultimate Media