Ugandan army, police raid students' hostels at Makerere

Ugandan forces arrested 46 students from Makerere University following a protest over increased tuition fees.

At least 11 students were hospitalised after personnel from the army and police raided their halls of residence on Thursday night.

SENSELESS BEATING

The students accused the army and police of raiding their hostels and beating whoever they found in addition to destroying property.

Judith Nalukwago, a student leader, told journalists that some students are admitted to the university hospital and others are in private hospitals off campus.

On Friday, students from the university filed an application at a Kampala court seeking the unconditional release of their colleagues who are in police custody.

“The police have not produced the detained students before court yet the mandatory 48 hours have passed. They have even suppressed our efforts to secure bond for our colleagues.

“That is why we have decided to petition the court through our human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza to have them released as soon as possible and unconditionally,” Ms Naluwago said.

The students have boycotted classes since Tuesday protesting a 15 percent tuition fee increment by the university administration.

Meanwhile, over 15 journalists who were on Friday covering the students' press conference at the university were also teargassed and beaten by security forces.

The journalists were forced out of the press conference by security personnel and ordered to delete what they had recorded.