“There was a general feeling that Jalmeo would mobilise students to again protest the tuition increment. More so management feared that he would be part of the guild government would pose a great threat,” a source disclosed to URN.
It is exactly one year
since Obed Obed-Giu Kwokuboth Jalmeo, a Bachelor of Arts with Education
majoring in English language and Literature was suspended from Makerere
University.
The student-cum-activist says he learnt that he had been
suspended on August, 7th, 2018 through social media as he prepared
to resume the next academic year. He would later be served his suspension
letter on August 24, 18 by the Dean of Students, Cyriaco Kabagambe.
Jalmeo was
suspended by the university vice chancellor, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe alongside eight
other students for allegedly threatening to disrupt activities at the
university over tuition increment. They were accused of circulating messages
calling for defiance against the university management.
The others included Daniel Kituno, Jobs Dhabona, Samuel
Kigula, Frank Bwambale, Emmanuel Johnson Obbo, David Musiri, and Kassim
Njalira. Several others received warning letters from the university
management. The students were protesting the cumulative 15%
tuition increment, a policy passed by university council in June 2018.
While other students negotiated their way back into the
university, it has not been an easy walk for Jalmeo to return, settle and concentrate on his
studies. The 25-year-old Jalmeo from Nyapea Sub County in the West Nile
sub-region District of Zombo is yet to get green light from the university
management to resume studies.
In an interview with URN, Jalmeo said his journey to be reinstated back to the university
hasn’t been easy because of many disappointments and various demands by the
institution.
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He is the first born of four children born by the bed-ridden
Betty Dhugira, a groundnuts seller in Nebbi. Jalmeo says he has been the sole bread winner of the
family since his father’s death, adding that all his siblings have dropped out
of school because he can hardly secure fees for them.
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Jalmeo went to Arua Public Primary School and later
joined Kisubi Mapeera Secondary school briefly. He would later join Uringi
secondary school and Naalya SS where he was being supported by the school,
having been a good performer.
He is a passionate writer. His first book being; “The
Dictator Awakened” which is a poetry collection. He is also an
activist and a poet with Kitara Nation and curator of a poetry platform dubbed
“Kelele at Makerere.”
During his suspension, Jalmeo has been involved in poetry outreaches around
Kampala where he gets some money to send back home for his sick mother and food
for his siblings. However, he says this is not sustainable as
sometimes he runs broke and cannot fend for his family.
“My friends who I joined with at campus have previously
called me to help them out on Literature in their school. There is where I went
and facilitated and the students and management loved it, wanted to give me a
job but required at least results or to have finished campus. This prompted me
to come to convince the management but up until now, I have not received any of
my requests,” Jalmeo says.
He has asked the university management to allow him to return
and complete his bachelor’s degree, which he says could put him in a better
position to earn some money.
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He told URN that having understood the implication of the
cumulative 15% tuition increment policy, he was determined to fight it
especially being a self-sponsored student.
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A source in Makerere University’s top management told URN
that the student was technically kept outside to prevent possible
demonstrations that would disrupt university activities.
“There was a general feeling that Jalmeo would mobilise students to again protest the
tuition increment. More so management feared that he would be part of the guild
government would pose a great threat,” a source disclosed to URN.
Student
leaders speak out
Judith Nalukwago, the Makerere
University vice Guild President, says Jalmeo has a right to be heard. She says this is not
giving a good image to the university.
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Julius Kateregga, the Makerere University guild president
says Jalmeo was
opposed to the tuition increment due to his humble background. According
to Kateregga, as an orphan, Jalmeo had
already missed two academic years because he had failed to raise tuition.
“Jalmeo’s
case has been a rare one. Like you know the history, that when students rose up
to question, the manner in which tuition was being increased at the start of
last academic year, a number of students were singled out and suspended under
unclear circumstances,” Kateregga states.
Adding that; “Others were even suspended for writing their
opinions on their personal Facebook accounts. They received funny warning
letters and suspensions saying that they were tarnishing the image of the
university.”
The guild president explains how he was lucky that he was not
suspended at the time since he was also involved in the protests that led to
his friend’s suspension.
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Kateregga says the university council recently approved the
students’ disciplinary committee, which he says they will fast track to ensure
matters of students on suspension are prioritized.
Davidson Ndyabahika
Freelancer