Six law students from Makerere University have sued President Yoweri Museveni together with the Attorney General who is the chief legal advisor of government for closing the university earlier this month, URN reports.
In their suit before the Nakasero based court, the petitioners contend that Museveni’s directive to close the university was unjustified, unlawful, null and void.
This action follows a report in which the President Museveni has appointed a Visitation Committee of Inquiry into the affairs of the university.
Still today, Education and sport minister, Janet Museveni, has received a petition from Makerere University students urging Government to re-open the institution.
As URN further reports, Sam Ssekyewa, Moses Mushime, Cissy Nabatanzi, Emmanuel Kanyesigye and John Robert Turyakira, through their lawyers of Center for Legal Aid, want court to declare that Museveni’s directive was unlawful.
They also want court to quash the decision by Makerere University Council to enforce the directive, emphasizing that implementing this order without any definite reopening date has deprived applicants and other students of their right to access higher education in a just and free democratic society.
The law students want court to additionally issue orders stopping President Museveni from making similar directives in the future.
Museveni ordered the indefinite closure of Makerere University following weeks of student protests and a months-long strike by lecturers who say the government hasn’t paid their allowances since February.
The presidential directive issued on Tuesday evening (Nov. 1) said the university was closed “with immediate effect, until further notice, in order to guarantee safety of persons and property.”
The move was criticized by opposition member Kizza Besigye, who also called out the police’s actions against the protesting students.
URN reports that, “Constitutionally, a sitting president has immunity from prosecution. However, he can be sued in other capacities like chairperson of the party that he/she leads or as a respondent in a presidential election petition before the Supreme Court.”
aaron@ugchristiannews.com
