Makerere University Guild president Lubega Vincent Nsamba has formally asked Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe to pardon students who were suspended due to recent demonstrations against the government’s delayed allowances.
Nsamba clarified in his letter dated November 11, 2024, that although the protests were not formally authorized, they were brought on by the extreme hardships endured by government-sponsored students who had been kicked out of their hostels and had gone days without food because their living-out and food allowances had not been paid on time.
“The situation had since created a lot of frustration among students,” wrote Nsamba, noting that the allowances were only released on Saturday after the Friday protests. He emphasized that the students’ actions “were largely out of desperation rather than defiance.”
To avoid future conflicts between management and students, the Guild President also urged the administration to put the welfare of the students first by making sure that allowances are released on time in future semester budgets.
The stamped letter from the Guild office and the Vice Chancellor’s office tries to show the administration how financially burdened students are who rely mostly on government assistance for their necessities.
