The students were suspended yesterday for reportedly invading the University Hall kitchen serving centre on Tuesday October 18, and destroying property. Their suspension triggered a wave of other protests by university students faulting the administration of being arbitrary and unfair to their colleagues.
As tensions mounted, the University Vice Chancellor Prof John Ddumba Sentamu held a meeting with student leaders to resolve the standoff. The meeting was attended by among others, the Dean of Students Cyriaco Kabagambe, the Academic Registrar Alfred Masikye Namoah, Frank Mwesigwa the commander Kampala Metropolitan Police and Makerere Chief Security Officer SP Mucunguzi Jackson.
The student's led by the Guild President Roy Ssembogga pleaded for reconsideration to allow the suspended students back to campus.
The Vice Chancellor based on the pleas to announce that the directive will be cancelled. The meeting which took place at the council room at Makerere University resolved that students be called back as investigations take shape.
"I am going to write to the individual students who were suspended informing them of the decision. But the committee has already been constituted to investigate the involved students," Prof. Ddumba said.
The affected students include: Gerald Wabugoya, Fahad Ndugwa, Joseph Mugume, Solomon Taremwa, Francis Kayira, Timothy Mambule, Justus Ayesiga and Simon Wanyera. Others are, James Kagenyi, May Francis Abit, Samuel Kigula, Rashid Kassim Njaliira, Rogers Ashabahebwa, Aziz Tworo and Donart Nayebare.
Earlier, their lawyer Isaac Semakadde had sought audience with the Vice Chancellor over the same.
Ssemakadde, an advocate with Centre for Legal Aid, said that the university needed to rescind the decision on ground that an investigative suspension cannot be for an indefinite period.