Makerere Age Limit Protest: Live Bullets, Tear Gas, Injuries and Arrests

Police has fired tear gas and live bullets into students’ halls at Makerere University to disperse students who are protesting against the presidential age limit removal bill, which is expected to be tabled in Parliament today.

The bill to be tabled by Igara West MP Raphael Magyezi seeks to delete article 102b that provides for the upper age limit of 75 above which one is not allowed to stand for president.

If the article is not deleted, Uganda’s three-decade president Yoweri Museveni will be ineligible for reelection when the east African land locked third world country next goes to the polls in 2021.

Students blocked major roads.

Police fired tear gas to disperse the students.

Police splashed tear gas at students in some halls of residence such as Lumumba.

More tear gas and live bullets rocked the campus, and student villages such as Kikoni.

Police also used a chopper to keep surveillance of all the activities around the university.

Makerere University Councillor Doreen Nyanjura was also arrested. They included Denis Emojong, a second year student who was hit by a rubber bullet near University Hall.

 

Samuel Kamugisha