Government will be compensating all Makerere University students who were tortured during last month’s 15% tuition increment strike if Parliament approves the recommendations that were yesterday tabled by the Parliamentary Committee on education.
Hon Jacob Opolot, the chairman of the committee faulted the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) officers and other security personnel for the acts of brutality they committed on students hence recommending government to meet the damages caused.
Opolot said the evidence gathered indicated that the security forces used a lot of unnecessary force to calm down the two weeks’ strike. Nevertheless, the report blamed the students for holding the strike yet the increment was legally passed and the University had already budgeted for the money.
“The university is now set to face a financial crisis if this money is not paid,” said Opolot.
Dokolo Woman MP, Cecilia Ogwal on the other hand pinpointed faults in the committee’s report. She said the committee did not give enough evidence on the issue of sexual harassment of female students by security personnel.