The over 10,000 students from both the Main Campus and Kihumuro say they chose to protest after the administration failed to respond to their issues despite several communications.
Students of
Mbarara University of Science and Technology-MUST have this morning protested
the poor living conditions at the University.
The students
say the current situation at the University is worrying and needs serious
tackle.
The over
10,000 students from both the Main Campus and Kihumuro say they chose to
protest after the administration failed to respond to their issues despite
several communications.
They also
say that the University demands that every student pays functional fees before
registering for any academic year that includes the Guild fee noting that
despite paying the students' welfare has remained poor since the Guild can't do
any activities due to lack of funds.
Justus Mugenyi Kizito, the Guild President Mbarara University says the protest
expresses how much the students are aggrieved with especially the financial
system which was developed by the government since the outbreak of Covid-19
noting that the University treasury was stopped from managing the funds.
He says the
system allows money paid to University to go to Uganda Revenue Authority and
then to the consolidated fund (National Treasury) and the university only makes requisition of
funds, which has led to failure of the daily running of the campus.
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the students.”//
He says the
health of the students is worrying to the extent that the university clinics
don’t have drugs.
He says the
students are protesting that the University has this year developed and started
implementing a system managing the results which they say shouldn't affect the
results of the previous academic years.
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worked on why.”//
Nelson
Sabbath the Guild Finance Minister says the hygiene at the University is wanting
noting that the toilets are stinking and the washrooms are non-functional.
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“these toilets it…//
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…infections from them.”//
James Mugabe
a student from Kihumuro Campus says the University stopped them from cooking
within the hostel noting that they are starving, forcing them to resort to
eating from the school canteen only.
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“tutura omu hostel…//
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…kuhendera twihiremu noburweire,"//
Among other
issues, the students say the university administration has failed to provide
and repair the dysfunctional sockets in lecture rooms, provide functional
WI-FI, and allowing the fresher’s ball.
Jane
Ndagiire a student at the Kihumuro Campus says they are tired of services monopoly in
Kihumuro demanding that the administration allows other service providers who
can offer quality services to the students
This is the
second time the students of Mbarara University have protested in such a short time, with the last protest having happened at the start of this week.
The students
from the Faculty of science were accusing the faculty heads of not giving them
their school practice money.
Angella
Nakato, the Mbarara University Public Relations Officer declined to give a
comment saying that she was still in a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor.
