Makerere University students rush to court to have Vice Chancellor’s powers trimmed

A group of six students have dragged Makerere University to the civil division of the High Court in Kampala seeking for orders that would see the university’s Vice Chancellor’s powers to suspend students trimmed.

Management at the Ivory Tower last month suspended nine students and warned 26 others for allegedly destroying property during the unrest at the institution.

In a petition filed on Tuesday morning, six students including Abbas Luyombo,Judith Nalukwago, Mariam Kyomugisha, Julius Mbabazi Muyambi ,Marion Kirabo and David Musiri aver that their freedoms are under suffocation by the university management with threats of suspension  stemming from regulations 6(1)(d) and 8(9)(a)of the Makerere University Students Regulations Statutory Instrument.

“Regulation 6(1)(d) of the Makerere University Students Regulations Statutory Instrument no.37 of 2015 gives unfettered powers to the Vice-Chancellor to arbitrarily suspend a student from the university or to discipline him in any manner he thinks fit  and seek approval of his action at the next University Disciplinary Committee sitting, ”the students say.

The students say that these immense powers given to the University Vice-Chancellor threaten and infringe on their right to fair hearing, freedom of conscience, expression, assembly and association in the struggle for their welfare and academic freedom at the Ivory Tower.

According to the petition, the six students say the current regulations also defeat natural justice and just administrative treatment towards students.

“The regulations are imprecise, overly broad and vague, which makes it subject different interpretation by the Vice Chancellor which is very dangerous for the students who would be subject to it.”

Declarations

The students now want court to declare that Regulation 6(1)(d) of the Makerere University Students Regulations Statutory Instrumentno.37 of 2015 which gives powers to the Vice Chancellor to arbitrarily suspend a student from the University or discipline him in any manner he thinks fit and seek approval of his action in the next meeting of the disciplinary commit is vague, arbitrary, illegal, null and void.

“Court should declare that Regulation 6(1)(d) of the students regulations at Makerere University is subjective, imprecise and inimical to the principle of legality.”

Following the recent students’ demonstrations against the 15 percent tuition increment, nine students were suspended and 26 others issued with stern warnings for taking part in the protest.

“Management has taken disciplinary action on students who have destroyed University property, injured fellow students and property for businesses operating outside. The involved students have been suspended and others warned,” the statement on University’s official twitter handle read in part.