A Makerere University council meeting chaired by Dr Charles Wana-Etyem was on Thursday briefly disrupted by students demanding for their faculty allowances.
Denis Onekalit Amere, the University guild president with a team of about 100 students camped at the Main Building, where the council meeting was in progress, shouted while singing and clapping demanding for the council to include the student’s allowances on the agenda.
Calm returned after two students’ representatives including Onekalit were allowed in the meeting to express their grievances.
Crispus Mugabi, who is in charge of student’s affairs told URN that from 2008 the students have protested the proposal of channeling their allowances through the university departments and faculties.
He explained that all government-sponsored students are entitled to faculty allowances to help them meet education costs including stationary, and internship.
Mugabi queries the new arrangement of buying equipments for the students saying the process would end up being abused by opportunists.
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James Muhangi, the chairperson Kabanyolo Hostel in the School of Agriculture insists the money has to be disbursed onto the individual student’s accounts.
In the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, each student receives 100,000 shillings in the first year, 300,000 in the 2nd year and 500,000 in the 3rd and 4th years.
He says students in other schools and colleges like education, law receive 200,000 to 900,000 shillings on average per year.
Shortly after the meeting, Wana-Etyem met the angry students and told them that the University council has to formalize their request and then change the policy.
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David Kahundha Muhwezi, the university secretary says the finance, planning and administration committee shall have to study the situation and recommend to council on the way forward.
