Makerere university suspends student for organising meeting between students and university administration

In a letter dated August 1, 2022, addressed to Namwoza, Prof Nawangwe alleged the student had an online meeting attended by the former 88th Makerere University Students’ Guild election aspirants, in a cloak and dagger move to reinstate the Guild leadership.

“In the said meeting it is alleged that you made resolutions tantamounting (sic) to misinforming fellow students as well as directing the chairperson of the University council to reinstate the student Guild leadership well knowing that council had suspended the students Guild, senior common room, and all student’s leadership structures and had appointed a select committee to review the students Guild operations,” the letter reads in part.

“Because of your alleged involvement in the above offensive acts, I hereby suspend you from Makerere University with immediate effect until further notice. You will be invited to appear before the students’ Disciplinary committee for interaction regarding this matter on a date to be communicated to you in due course.”

Suspended Namwoza responds

Namwoza, the speaker of Lumumba Hall in Makerere University, said the purpose of the meeting was to have students engage the University council with a view to reinstating the student Guild leadership that was suspended, along with campaigns for positions thereof, last month upon the death of a Uganda Christian University student.

“We spent two weeks without receiving any information, we were worried because we were approaching exams and we were not having Guild Leadership, so as students, we wanted to hold a meeting and discuss different issues intellectually and not be violent.”

Resolutions from the meeting

It was resolved to elect a committee of 5 students to engage the interim committee appointed by the University council on issues concerning the Guild leadership.

The committee was led by Namwoza had Sonia Anita as the Vice Chairperson, Luyombya Joshua, as the General Secretary, Lawel Muhwezi, the spokesperson, and Bijirwa Maxwell who was the mobiliser supposed to engage the Univerity Council on behalf of other students.

However, a few hours before the meeting, Namwoza received a call from the Vice Chancellor’s personal assistant, Gordon Mulangira, informing him to call off the meeting because he was going to be suspended, but he demurred and conducted the meeting regardless.

He now claims that he was shocked to have received a suspension letter which, he claims, is chockfull with mere allegations.

“It broke me down honestly because we are heading to exams and am not sure when I will be called to the disciplinary committee to have a fair trial, am trying to engage different offices but still am not helped. I have a feeling that the suspension was uncalled for because I was trying to engage the management and the council intellectually and trying to express my freedom of expression,” he said.

Efforts to reach the Vice Chancellor for a comment were futile.