Nawangwe rescinds suspension of three govt-sponsored students who protested delayed allowances
Makerere guild president Vincent Lubega Nsamba interacting with the three students who had been suspended by VC Prof Barnabas Nawangwe (inset) over protests and their female friend at his office after their suspension was cancelled. PHOTO/ BUSEIN SAMILU
What you need to know:
- The students had also petitioned Uganda Law Society (ULS) seeking legal support to challenge what they described as the inhumane and vindictive actions allegedly exhibited by Prof Nawangwe.
The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe has rescinded his decision to suspend three government-sponsored students over their alleged involvement in last week’s protests over delayed housing and food allowances.
Prof Nawangwe’s rescission comes hours hours after the university guild president, Mr Vincent Lubega Nsamba petitioned his office seeking clemency to the three students; Aliat Oyet, Francis Opira and Felix Losiru he had suspended last week.
The trhree reportedly led their colleagues who are on government scholarship, to protest over the government delay in remitting their allowances which had eventually affected them with many saying they were starving in their hostels.
“I hereby rescind the suspension of the three students with immediate effect. Please advise the affected students to desist from any further acts of hooliganism at the University,” reads part of Prof Nawangwe’s letter dated November 11.
This publication has also seen another letter where Prof Nawangwe informed one of the affected students that he took the decision to rescind the suspension after the intervention of the guild president.
He further advised the student to desist from involving themselves in acts of hooliganism which he said might not only cost him a government sponsorship but also endanger the safety of university community.
Mr Nsamba in an earlier letter to Prof Nawangwe said the delayed remittance of the government students’ allowance had----until last Saturday when it remitted--- created a lot of frustration among students and while the protests were not in line with university official code of conduct, their actions demonstrated the financial strain many of the government-sponsored students were facing.
“As such, we seek that the university pardons these students involved in the Friday protest. Their actions were largely out of desperation rather than defiance. Granting clemency in this instance would connote to the administration's understanding of the challenges that have since been faced by students who predominantly rely on timely disbursement of these allowances,” read part of the letter.
The students had also petitioned Uganda Law Society (ULS) seeking legal support to challenge what they described as the inhumane and vindictive actions allegedly exhibited by Prof Nawangwe.
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