Uganda student struggle

[English below] In Uganda zijn studenten de straat op gegaan om verhoging van collegegeld te voorkomen. Na confrontaties met politie zijn meer dan 70 studenten gewond geraakt, en zeven mensen gearresteerd. Lees hieronder het hele bericht in het Engels.

70 Students injured in Stike against Fees

More than 70 Makerere University students were injured and seven arrested in running battles with security forces after students held a protest against an increase in tuition fees. Makerere University is a public university and the largest institution of higher education in Uganda with more than 30,000 students.

The students started early morning by moving around various faculties rallying other students to join them in the demonstration and on their way out of the gate, they were intercepted by police and started engaging in running battles.

Most of the injured students, who were attended to by the Red Cross staff, had breathing problems probably caused by tear gas sprayed by police.

This is one of a string of strikes that have rocked the schools caused by financial challenges emanating from the high cost of living. One student said, “We can’t keep a deaf ear when the university is digging deep into our parents’ pockets amid the current inflation.”

Chanting students holding tree branches, stones and placards reading, “We go; we go… we want tear gas”, left their lecture rooms and flooded the university’s Freedom Square.

Riot Police then fired tear gas to disperse them. The angry students turned their wrath onto an airtime booth at the university canteen, which they burnt down.

After the ensuing chaos, police arrested the student’s Information minister Innocent Aguyo while another student Ronald Epuku’s ear was hit by a stray bullet. Students threw stones which injured Fadir Kaali, a police constable. Kampala Metropolitan Commander Grace Turyagumanawe said police managed quell the riot and closed off the school gates.

Following the protests the University Administration withdrew its proposal to double tuition fees again!