Rédaction Africa Links 24 with The Observer
Published on 2024-02-02 08:51:26
Papa Were, the 84th guild president of Makerere University, has finally graduated after 10 years. On Wednesday, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Medicine, a journey that began in 2013 and was expected to end in 2019. Despite the extended timeline, Were expressed his delight at finally achieving his educational goal.
Speaking at Freedom Square, where he joined his peers from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity (COVAB), Were shared his joy at completing his studies. He expressed his happiness at being part of the Makerere University community and congratulated all the graduates of the year.
There has been a trend of student leaders at Makerere University delaying the completion of their courses due to their leadership responsibilities. One such example is Jothan Yamureebire Burobuto, who spent nine years pursuing a Bachelor of Laws degree while holding various leadership roles. However, Were dismissed the narrative that his prolonged stay at Makerere was due to prioritizing his leadership duties over education. He attributed the delay to missing marks, which led to a lengthier process of completing his studies.
Despite facing challenges with missing marks, Were chose not to re-do the exams and instead went through the process of retrieving his marks. However, the lengthy process was further delayed by the fact that many university officials had commitments outside the country.
In 2018, Were, a Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leaning independent candidate, was elected as the Makerere University guild president. Prior to this, he gained attention for staging a solo #Togikwatako demonstration at parliament in 2017, protesting against lifting the presidential age limit. His arrest during the demonstration gained him prominence as photos of the arrest circulated in the media.
In April 2018, Were was part of the ad-hoc committee tasked with investigating the university’s financial challenges and proposing solutions to the tuition fee increment. Although initially not part of the committee, he was later co-opted and involved in the formulation of recommendations to replace the university council’s proposed tuition fee increment.
The 15% cumulative tuition fee increment recommendation sparked demonstrations at the university, with students accusing Were of spearheading the implementation of the increment. This led to a violent attack on his residence, with students setting fire to his belongings, including furniture, electronics, and scholarly papers.
Despite these challenges, Were persevered and completed his degree, marking a significant achievement in his academic journey. His graduation serves as a testament to his determination and resilience in the face of obstacles and controversy during his time at Makerere University.
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