By Damali Mukhaye
At least 15 female students from Makerere University have been arrested for protesting what they call unfair 15% tuition increment.
The university council last year approved the cumulative increment in five years meaning each student will be paying 75% increment on his or her tuition.
The students who were led by their Vice President Judith Nalukwago were trying to match to the Prime Minister’s Office to present their petition to have the policy halted.
“This university is for poor students. Those who increased the tuition have their children studying outside this country. Some of us are here selling our bodies to get tuition. Mr President we are your Bazukkulu. Please halt this policy and relieve us from selling our bodies,” Ms Nalukwago said.
However, their march was foiled by police and the military who arrested some of them.
Meanwhile, Makerere University Vice chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe says the students should stop de-campaigning the tuition policy at this time because it was approved by the university council. According to him, the students will not achieve anything by protesting.
The students are currently detained at Wandegeya police station pending investigations, while soldiers, LDU and police remain heavily deployed at the Ivory Tower.
