Makerere University Guild Elections: Dangote Campaign Team Press Statement (15.07.2022)

Justice Forum (JEEMA): Press Statement on the Murder of a Visiting Student during Makerere Guild Elections Campaigns (15.07.2022)

Makerere University: Office of the Chairperson of Council – Suspension of Makerere University Students Guild and the Ongoing Guild Elections (14.07.2022)

Opinion: Makerere University VC is as rogue as it gets…

If you thought someone would open the doors or show any sort of liberty. Don’t ever, ever expect that from the Vice-Chancellor of Makerere University Barnabas Nawangwe. The Guild President elections shouldn’t have direct interference from the leadership of MUK. However, in the instance of this year’s election. The VC is involving himself and ensuring a fixed result before the polls.

He has called the National Unity Platform (NUP) aspirants for “indiscipline” and has suspended them. You just know why, because the VC is bleeding yellow, and his mind is corrected by the movement. He is partisan and isn’t even concealing it.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) just proves the point that they cannot win in a fair fight or election. When the VC and operatives of the state must act with vicious interference and tarnishing an institution. Just so a brother or a sister can get the title. Secondly, it just shows how far the Makerere has fallen from the renegade and the bastion of free speech. As you just supposed to nod along and be a servant of the state.

Because the VC is just a client of the state and a puppet. He cannot even think straight on his own and has to be directed. The VC don’t have the character or the mind capacity to think of the consequences of this. It is a short-sighted attempt of appeasing the regime and their connected officials. However, that will not serve him well in the long run.

We are just seeing what sort of shady character he is. A puppet and a voice of the Movement. Not a man of the people or respecting the institution itself. The VC is just digging his own grave. Because sooner or later the partisanship will lose value. It is not like he can prove the “indiscipline” and it’s only a temporary measure.

The VC should know all of this, but even if he is nearly the head of the educational institution. Don’t expect him to be so bright or understand the long-term consequences of this. Yes, he gets a NRM loyalist elected to the guild. Not on the merits or within the qualifications of the title. No, his there because he wears the right insignia and praises the same overlord.

When that gravy-train has stopped. We can rest assure that the likes of the VC will feel threatened. Since he don’t have the masters or the culprits to support his partisan mission. He isn’t here to make the campus or the university more peaceful. No, his there to serve the purpose of the regime.

This VC isn’t a free thinker or an academic who can hold his own. No, his a just a court jester wanting for the next circus to arrive in town. That’s the sort of fella he is and it’s tragic. The VC is singlehandedly tarnishing the name of Makerere, and it deserves better. However, we cannot expect much when the likes of the VC is reigning supreme. Peace.

Makerere Law Society: Statement on the Suspension of Students at Makerere University (08.02.2022)

Makerere’s Ivory Tower burned

There are now was speculations going on as the Makerere University Ivory Tower started to burn and several departments of the University was caught on fire. This is just happening as the Makerere University was hit with a 8 billion shilling financial scandal. The evidence just vanished and the financial records just disappeared in the flames.

It is just so convenient that it happen now. Now that there was supposed to be an investigation into the lost funds of the University. That the fire just happen where the paperwork and the paper-trail was left behind. Just to ensure, that they cannot find the evidence and the proof of the mismanagement and loss of funds.

What is more striking is that the old building, the historical building, the UNESCO site burned yesterday. The building which was started on in 1939, but finished in 1942. A building with rich history. We can wonder what sort of documents, historical artefacts and other things that went into the flames yesterday. Things and papers, which cannot be replicated, unless they were digitally stored on some cloud server. Alas, that we don’t know at this point.

What we do know is that it’s fitting the fire happens now. It is just in time and with the spirit of a cover-up. Where the leadership, the ones who has a oversight of the University suddenly lost the proof of their misdeeds and misuse of funds. These documents that just went missing in a fire. So, that the investigation have to be halted. As there are no proof of the acts and the deeds done by University leadership.

That is how this is looking to the blind eye. Where the University just looses its face. Where they have to restore and rebuild the famous building. The Ivory Tower, who just happens to burn when a financial scandal hits it.

What will also happen, the 8 billions lost in the scandal will be nothing in comparison to rebuilding this structure. Ensure the building is intact and built on the principals of the early 1940s. Now there will expeditions to the senate building of University of London. As this building and architecture was build to resemble.

Therefore, this is a tragedy and it strikes when the University is rocked with a scandal. That is why it’s to easy to the motives behind it. Though, we know there will be no one taken into custody as culprits. The fire was done and ones behind it will walk free.

We can just wonder what is up next. The aftermath will show, but for now… we have to dwell on the fires and wonder what went lost. Other than the financial records, which just happens to there. Because, Makerere have no lost something. Uganda have lost something. Yet again. While the leadership is acting like they can just rebuild it like nothing. Well, it won’t be that easy. This will take time and will cost a fortune. While trying to hold onto the remains of the past. That will not be easy. Peace.

Makerere University: Parliament Report strikes hard at the authorities

The Parliament made a report into last year’s violence and demonstrations at the Makerere University. The Report was made in December 2019, but only released in public now in February 2020. Therefore, I got it in hand today and will dwell on some aspects of it. As it shows what sort of fashion that went down and what the MPs see as vital information for the public to know after the deeds was done at the campus.

As the report states: “the demonstration led by the 85t1, Female Caucus was legitimate in nature [Article 29 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda] and did not merit the brutal conduct of the University administration and the security operatives in managing the protests” (..) “there was lack of evidence to suggest that the University Students’ Disciplinary Committee headed by Justice Precious Ngabirano had convened meetings to hear and determine allegations levelled against the affected students. The Committee notes that it is now coming to two months without any report from the University Disciplinary Committee” (Parliament Report, 2019).

Just by these simple paragraphs shows the extent of force used to a demonstrations that had merit, which the University combined with the authorities escalated. As we known by following the events to a violent path.

As it further states: “The Committee observes that the deployment of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces [UPDF] to participate in the management of the protests at the University were not justifiable” (Parliament Report, 2019). With these words in mind, it is not strange that the UPDF and the authorities, which was not justified, misused their means on civilians and students alike. The acts of ill towards citizens and students demonstrating at unfair raise of student fees. Which is a natural reaction to sudden change of livelihood.

While the minority report stated this for instance: “the senior Minister of Education and Sports makes a public apology in light of the statement she made depicting Makerere University as a drug infested institution. We presume the statement is an indictment to the students and the university at large, and her apology would restore confidence and trust on Makerere University” (Parliament report, 2019).

Also, states a reason why there was no evidence in the majority report of sexual harassment: “The Committee on Education and Sports did not spare time to specifically inquire and interface with alleged victims of sexual harassment at the Campus of Makerere University” (…) “One female student [names uithheld] testified that she was subjected to verbal sexual insults inside the hostel and at Wandegeya Police Station after her arrest. Among the insults, a uniformed security officer threatened called her a prostitute and threatened to put his genitalia in her mouth” (Parliament Report, 2019). Therefore, the concerns of these actions made by security personnel, neither police nor soldiers on the ground. Show, that there was no actions being done to ensure their hurt nor their stories to collaborate with the alleged sexual harassment. This could have further shown the ills that were done and the amount of pain the students went through those weeks of last year.

Let me end with a final statement from the Minority report: “The recent students’ demonstration at Makerere was indicative of the fact that some interests were ignored by the University authorities” (Parliament Report, 2019). That is enough. Peace.

Opinion: DP Ruto immortalized at Makerere University, why?

“Truth is hard, propaganda is cheap.” – DaShanne Stokes

What has the Deputy President of Kenya, William Ruto done, which is so noble and such to get an own institute named after him at Makerere University? I am asking this and would like to know. Since, I don’t get it and seems like a bought space.

Not like the DP haven’t started ghost projects and hopefully this is one too. Since, his the hustler, who has created massive fortunes while being in-office and being broke before entering it. His the most corrupt DP in memory. Land-grabber and government tender eating. The scale of corruption under him and Kenyatta is outrages.

Makerere University clearly doesn’t care about the reputation of the University anymore. Maybe, the assaults from the army has hit the administration and their will power has dwindled. This seems more like an investment made by the President, as a token of a promising relations between him and Ruto.

Museveni wants to be the kingmaker and wants loyal cadres within the East African Community. That’s why his kept Ruto close and they have met in past too. Therefore, in that sense, it seems like a pay-off to give Ruto the honour at Makerere. However, it is still ill of doing this way.

Since, most institutes are usually named after legendary figure, people to look up-to, even the halls of Makerere are named Lumumba and Mitchell. Also, the three institutes already there isn’t named after anyone, like IDI, MISR and MUARIK. None of them is named after anyone, but their field. Just like all the colleges at the University too.

That Ruto will get this is boggling me: “Makerere University will on Saturday, 21st December 2019 at 10:30am host His Excellency the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya – William Samoei Arap Ruto as Chief Guest at the ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the William S. Ruto Institute of African Studies” (Makerere University – ‘Launch of the William S. Ruto Institute of African Studies’ 20.12.2019).

So, he gets an institute, but his known for graft, corruption and scandals, not for great leadership, even if he has a loyal following in the Tanga-Tanga and the ones whose inter-connected with his way of kickbacks. Therefore, many will praise this, but without considering the implications. As there are plenty of foundation stones on ghost projects all-over Kenya with the DP Ruto name on it.

Surely, we can hope this fails and become as non-existent as them, as the President Museveni and his party have never built their NRM headquarters of 26 storeys. That has never materialized over the “wedding-meetings” collecting funds.

I cannot understand why DP Ruto get this honour, except if Museveni wants to buy a friend in Kenya. That would make sense, but doesn’t make it righteous. Since, it seems he does it to have a loyal ally after 2021. That is if, the President gets his wish.

Than he can point at, see what I did for you in 2019, now “love me, love me” do my bidding and help me succeed as the King of East Africa. That is the sort of man President Museveni is and DP plays along, because the DP wants to big-man. He want to eventually try to point of things he did and achieved. However, that will be hard to do with time. As the Jubilee and himself, is more known for their looting, than their proper governing.

Enough nonsense, right? Time to open a book and gain some more wisdom. Peace.

Makerere University: Press Statement of Suspended Students on the #MAKFeesMustFall Protest (09.12.2019)

Opinion: Mwiru’s motion to seek an inquiry of the UPDF involvement in civil matters is a righteous one

Hon. Paul Mwiru, the MP whose behind the motion: “MOTION TOR A RESOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT TO INQUIRE INTO THE RECENT REPORTED MISCONDUCT OF THE UGANDA PEOPLE’S DEFENCE FORCES DURING DEPLOYMENT IN CIVIL MATTERS”, which was in the plenary on the 21^st November 2019.

This motion is important, also for the matter that its seconded by Christopher Kalemba, Anthony Okello and Noah Wanzala Mutebi. All four of them, these MPs are acting on their right instinct on the matter of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), the army. The army isn’t supposed to be involved directly in civil manners, but of late and recent years, the UPDF have done more and more state functions. They are entangled in things where the army got nothing with it. That’s why the Motion moved by Hon. Mwiru is the good one.

Not because the motion is perfect. Not because the motion has the answers nor the results we want to hear. No, it is the right one, because the UPDF and the NRM needs to be challenged on this. The President who likes to be the general and warrior. Got to be questioned for the involvement of the UPDF in other things, than defending the border and securing the territory of the Republic.

The piece that is good from the motion is this:

“FURTHER AWARE that in the recent post there hos been increased intervention of UPDF in civil matters notably regulation of the fishing industry and quelling protests by students of Makerere University, NOTING THAT gross violations of human and people rights have reportedly marred the intervention of the UPDF in civil matters, which ordinarily should be a preserve of the Uganda Police Force as commended by Article 212 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda” (Motion, 21.11.2019).

The final important piece of the motion is this:

“AND FURTHER COGNIZANT of the importance of duly holding public officials and institutions to account for their actions and inactions as on integral canon of good governance and a possible deterrent from repetitive transgressions, Now THEREFORE it be resolved by this August House that; Parliament institutes a Select Committee to inquire. Within 45 days of approval of this Motion, into the reported violations of human and people rights by the UPDF with a view of establishing and apportioning culpability” (Motion, 21.11.2019).

This is why this motion is good. Because, it asks the Select Committee to inquire and directly investigate into the matters. This is to reveal and gain documentation on the matters, where the army has been used in civilian matters, which is wrong. Where the army has intervened and used force against civilians. That’s why this sort of motion will show who did what and who has to answer for what they did. Who did the ordering and who actually was behind the mess of misusing the army to settle civilian problems. Instead of going the proper ways or going the whole due process.

The legality of it, the challenge with the law and the constitution is another matter too. Which makes this even a bigger question, as to where it might be fitting to solve the resolving issues after collecting the report from the authorities, the Ministry of Security, the Ministry of Defence and the other ones. Where they do have the documents and the paper-trail to prove the acts, which has been made. The ones whose secret, the ones whose confidential and the ones the army and neither the “high above” wants the Republic to see.

Therefore, this motion is needed. What it grants is important. It will not reveal everything, but if a select committee gets to work, gets into discovery and get to collect data. They might discover something unseen and show us the whole picture. Instead of the little fragments we have today. Peace.