PRAYER TO ALLOW PRIVATE STUDENTS SIT EXAMS

MAKERERE       UNIVERSITY              

                                                                                            P.O. BOX 7062 Kampala

21^st December 2011

The Vice Chancellor, Makerere University

Professor   Venansius Baryamureba,

Dear Sir,

RE: PRAYER TO ALLOW PRIVATE STUDENTS SIT EXAMS

We humbly pray that students who have not finished paying their tuition but are duly registered students meaning they have paid at least sixty per cent of the fees be allowed to sit their exams. We make this request after witnessing cries from very many students some of whom are too dear to us and vulnerable in case they don’t sit the exams. Their failure to clear is attributable to the current economic down turn and the excruciating poverty among many Ugandans – peasants and the working class alike for we have many working poor but also largely because of the heartless tuition hike since 2009. At least we are sure that many students who have managed to pay 60% of the dues would have completed their dues had it not for the hike.  

Mr. Vice Chancellor, you need to know that quite a number of students including the very brilliant have dropped out due to exorbitant fees by Ugandan standards and this doesn’t augur well for a university whose motto is “We build for the future”. But also, this ultimately frustrates the efforts of the university administration and academic staff under your able leadership that is working tooth and nail to ensure that the university regains its past glory. Mr Vice Chancellor Sir, you have in your own words categorically stated that Makerere University fees are too high for an ordinary Ugandan during the Guild Session held in Africa Hall. Accordingly, you will understand our challenge and the quest for our prayer.

Mr Vice Chancellor, Makerere University is a public university which according to section 2 of the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act means a University established by the state and maintained under public funds. Accordingly, Makerere University is not a commercial enterprise and as such it must not frustrate the future of this country by denying students who have paid a substantial part of their dues and whose parents/guardians are committed to finishing their dues an opportunity to sit exams. Indeed, commercialization of the University is what Professor Mamdani decries in his book “Scholars in the Market Place”.

This request is buttressed by the fact that State House sponsored students have since time immemorial sat exams even when the State House has not cleared their dues. The irony is that the state house sponsored students are sponsored by taxpayers’ money including but not limited to other students’ parents, neighbours and relatives. This undermines both equality and non-discrimination which is not only illegal but morally repugnant.

Hence, allowing all registered students sit their exams will mean that the University Administration is ready to ensure equality, non-discrimination and human dignity which key principles of human rights enshrined in our constitution and all core human rights instruments.

We have been impelled to make this formal prayer to nip the looming strike in the bud that students have been hatching in regard to the aforementioned issues. At least we are sure that the demands that we are making are within your means to meet. Finally, while students are reading for exams, they are being psychologically tortured by the real possibility of failure to raise fees. This leaves students shattered.

As we build for the future.

Yours

1.       Vincent Nuwagaba , Human Rights Defender, Alumnus Makerere University

Sign……………………………………………………….

Email: vnuwagaba@gmail.com, cell +256712843552

2.       Bwete Archilles, LLB III, GRC, Representative School of Law, Makerere University Private Students’ Association, National Youth Chairman,Patriots Uganda

Sign ……………………………………………………….

Cell: +256702264811, email: abwete@law.mak.ac.ug

CC: DVC Academic Affairs, Makerere University

CC: Academic Registrar, Makerere University

CC:  Dean of Students, Makerere University

CC: President, Makerere Students Guild

CC: Chairman, Makerere University Convocation

CC: LC5 Councillor, Makerere University

Dear Makerereans, render me your support, I will render you my untiring service

Beware of people in the convocation race who are working tooth and  nail to ensure they are lifted high by the university rather than working hard to lift the university. And please do not count me among those scheming to be lifted high by the position in the convocation leadership. I offer myself in order to provide strategic leadership for the good of the university.

I have a track record. I am the only person that vehemently refused to be bribed when I was secretary general for the non-residents community. Because I was leading government-sponsored students whose
allowances were unfairly delayed because some crooked characters first  had to do business with that money to accumulate profits and /or interest, I would have eaten millions of money if I was corruptible  and compromisable.

Some of you must be remembering the November 2003 mega strike that coincided with the installation of Prof Apolo Robinson Nsibambi as a non-head of state chancellor of Makerere University. You may need to
recall that after I commanded my forces to take action, the following day I went to meet the Dean of  Students Mr John Ekuddu. In the Dean's office I met Yusuf Kiranda. I told off Mr Ekuddu and assured him he had no business being in office if he was not prioritising students' welfare. Because of my radical stance against injustice, two days after the strike students' allowances were deposited on their accounts.

You may also need to recall that I served a jail term in Murchison Bay Prison Luzira for opposing the 126% fees increment. Those of you who want a person that will always say yes to fees increment overtures, I
advise you to vote for my opponents not me.

Personally, I know that Section 2 of the Universities and Tertiary Institutions Act clearly spells out that public universities are to be run or maintained out of public funds. Therefore, I expect Makerere University to be the most affordable and cheapest University for purposes of building for the future. Those who think that poor parents and students are always going to be financiers of the last resort to Makerere University must forget that.
I will use my  privileged position put excessive pressure on the Government of Uganda to fund Makerere University adequately, pay both academic and non-academic staff handsomely, remit adequate funding for academic research so as to dissuade our professors from the demonic consultancy research whose findings are largely misleading and I will hold convocation press/media breakfast meetings every month. Makerere must reclaim its past glory. It must be the Harvard of Africa once again. It is you and I to ensure that our alma mater Makerere reclaims its past glory.

It is in the best interest of all alumni of Makerere that we reclaim our number one position because then our paper will be very marketable across the globe. Render me your support I will reciprocate by  rendering you my unwavering and untiring service.

Beware of vultures, fellow Makerereans

Be aware of this team of lost young men comprising of Chris Niwandinda, my brother Robert Rutaro, Nuwajuna Justus K, Kankiriho Julius Rwakifari, Julius Atusasire Kikongi, Namara Dennis among other. Another team is led by Masete Kenneth while Tanga Odoi is reported to have subscribed for 1000 members. They move around collecting the names of Makerere University Alumni and staff and they pay for them annual subscription of Shillings Ten Thousand (10,000) each in exchange for votes come December 13, 2014. This is horrible. Anybody who cannot pay a subscription of 10,000 and is an alumnus or staff member of Makerere should not vote.
How do these guys account for the money they are spending? Does it grow on trees? Where do they get this money? Will they not spend all the years as leaders recouping the money they spent? What do they stand for? Do they even qualify to vie for positions in the Makerere University Convocation going by the 2013 AGM resolution which clearly forbids people that have not been attending the AGMs from contesting for leadership positions? How do you lead an organisation you have no knowledge about? I demand that the minutes and attendance lists for the past four or so years be availed so that the members can know the schemers and those that are genuine.
I have not paid subscription fee for anybody and I will never do it in my life because it is immoral, illegitimate and illegal. Those who do such are vultures ready to pounce on the billions of money that the convocation controls. Chairman Bruce Balaba talk about it. Ever since I became a member of the convocation we have never held elections but selections and we continue to have office bearers. I cannot accept this vicious practice to continue. Enough is enough