The European Union in Uganda has added its voice to those criticizing the brutality unleashed on students and journalists at Makerere University.
In a press statement, the EU has also called for investigations on those responsible for beating students and journalists during the ten days of strike at Makerere University.
“We support the analysis of events made by the Uganda Human Rights Commission and call upon all parties, particularly the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces to refrain from acts of violence and to respect freedom of assembly and expression. Any Any possible misconduct by their members should be investigated and acted upon,” the statement issued on Friday reads.
The strike at the university was prompted by the administration’s decision to increase tuition by 15% which students rejected.
In a bid to quell the protests, security forces deployed at the university and unleashed beatings on both students and journalists covering the event.
“We are also alarmed by the use of forces against and unwarranted arrest of journalists attempting to cover recent events at Makerere. We call upon both Makerere University and security services to ensure that all accredited journalists are allowed to do their job without intimidation and harassment so they can report events independently,” the statement adds.
The US embassy in Kampala has also condemned the actions by security at the university.
