It was traumatizing and distressing to see several businesses evicted from the premises of Makerere University on Friday this week.
The businesses which had over years made a home in this place and “offered employment to close to 700 people had become part of what constitutes the university environment.
Some of the businesses included stationery, canteens, eating points, mobile money kiosks, eating places and photo studios among others.
Doreen Nyanjura, one of the university council members expressed being disheartened by the move on social media through a post she made on X.
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She made note that there could have been better ways to handle this as no eviction notices nor compensation was offered to the vendors after court ruling in favor of the university. She noted that most of the vendors still had running contracts with the university.
‘Attempts by the students to block the eviction exercise failed, leaving 10 of them in detention at Wandegeya police station. Letters to the university by the student guild leadership calling on the university to halt the exercise were ignored. Madam Lorna Magara, Yusuf Kiranda, was there no better way to handle this?”
Having the businesses on campus premises made access of services to both teachers and staff so swift as one would simply run out from a lecture room to buy handouts, grab a drink let alone quickly get a passport photo for applications among others.
The different business point was strategically placed close to lecture rooms, halls of residence and offices depending on their products.
In addition, for the students with disabilities, there would be no need for strain to get out of the university to business centers like Wandegeya, Kikoni and Kikumi Kikumi.
John Nkanda in response to the update noted that members needed to fix their eyes on acts of monopoly over those spots. “We should fix our eyes on who runs the major service providing spots. And where they get the tenders. Monopoly is a no joke concept in Uganda universities,” he said.
Manful Abeneitwe pointed the problem to the guild leadership which according to him is not trying hard as yet. “All these would not be happening if Makerere had a pro guild leadership.”
Makerere university had attempted before to evict the same businesses which ended up into a court case, however this time it was ruled in their favor to evict the businesses.
Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University concerning eviction of the businesses when it first came to light noted that there was need to create order within the university as the businesses did not give it the appearance of an academic center of excellence that it is.
Under his regime, a number of changes have come to the university in regard to infrastructure including completion of the Central Teaching facilities, a new structure at the school of law and fencing off the city square to give it an advanced appearance similar to a stadium according to the plan.