South Sudanese Students Drag Kampala University to High Court For These Reasons
Weakleaks! studio.opera.com
By Jon Pen de Ngong
Leaders of 350 out of 900 South Sudanese students who are studying at Kampala University, Juba branch, have dragged the university to court for blocking them from graduating.
The 350 students travelled last week from Juba to Kampala for the joint graduation as is always the case with the university that runs branches in four countries of East Africa, namely: Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya and Rwanda.
This afternoon, students filed three cases at the High Court of Uganda in Kampala against the Administration of the university.
Through Shoebill Advocates, the students seek the court to intervene to settle their dispute with the university.
According to the lawyers, Mr. Tumusime Derek and Mr. Stephen Nelson, their clients have filed the case on the following complaints:
1- Asking court to review the decision made by the university vice chancellor on the status of the students and closing of the university branch in Juba.
2- Applying for temporary injunction to stop the graduation ceremony on Thursday, 23 June 2022, or adding the students to the graduation program.
3- Seeking an interim order for the urgency of the case to suspend the planned event pending the court hearing as demanded by the complaints through their lawyers.
In another development, South Sudan ambassador to Uganda, Amb. Duku Michael, and his staff members led by Education Attaché, Ustaz Lual Akol Nhial, addressed the KU students at the Embassy after the students successfully lodged their case at Uganda High Court today evening.
The ambassador praised the students for being orderly and law-abiding citizens. This proves that they are good students, regardless of their academic backgrounds.
He wished them success at the court tomorrow, June 22, 2022. H.E. Duku has assisted the students with 1,000 USD to help them clear part of their expenses while pursuing their academic process in Uganda. The assistance is equivalent to about 3.7 million Uganda Shillings.
For the cost of lodging their case at the High Court, the students contributed the money from their individual pockets. If they win the case, which the lawyers highly believe, the students will be compensated through the court ruling.
Ambassador Duku assured the frustrated students that KU could be nationalized to avoid all the unnecessary confusion. He met the student leaders representing over 900 that are seeking graduation at Kampala University.
In 2017, the Vice Chancellor of Kampala University stopped the Juba college for one semester pending registration. However, the university continued to graduate other badges till 2021 through an intervention of the Office of the President of Uganda.
Even this week, the university has cleared parts of the students, especially those who have done their postgraduate at the Juba branch.
“This shows that the claim by Mr. Katerega, the VC, that he had suspended the branch is not valid because of the fact that he has collected the fees, including a new demand for 4 million shillings for students clearance each,” emphasized Peter Mut, one of the affected students.
While filing the case, Akuot Sarah, the group’s spokeswoman the media that they are not only pursuing their graduation but also the rights of all the South Sudanese students that are being scammed by this university.
“Our interest is not only our papers but the rights of our fellow students in general,” she said.
The former guild president of the Juba college of Kampala University, Mr. Oyiki Sirino Kassiano, expressed their utmost gratitude to South Sudan Embassy in Kampala for the support they have accorded them during their difficult times.
“We are going to make it through because of the much attention given to us by our embassy in Uganda.
On behalf all the 350 students here and the rest that are following up the case back home, we say thank you to H.E. the ambassador and his staff,” he told Faithbook News upon his return from Twed Towers, where he just failed their case in the High Court of Uganda.
Besides, many South Sudanese students who spoke about their appalling situations requested the Government of South Sudan to fully intervene and put this case to rest once Nd for all.
