The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The 70th graduation ceremony at Makerere University starting Tuesday next week has suffered a setback over the delayed issuance of graduation gowns to more than 13000 graduands.
The stalemate been described by the University Secretary ,Yusuf Kiranda as “breach of contract” resulting from the delayed delivery of gowns, hoods and caps for the graduation scheduled for January 14th -17th, 2020.
Until now, Makerere University, says the sole provider, Stephen Kasumba of Team Uniform Limited has only delivered 6383 gowns, 900 caps and 6792 hoods.
Several students from districts outside central Uganda are among the 7,126 graduands who haven’t yet received their graduation gowns, despite camping at the university for now a week.
Annah Aceng, a mother of three from the Northern Uganda district of Kole, says even when she travelled throughout the night to be among the first people on Friday Morning, she wasn’t able to receive her gown.
“We have been here for three years and we did not come here free of charge we paid. Actually these gowns we paid for them and early enough. For example I paid last year in December. But if up to the last moment they tell us that the gowns are not there it makes us lose the morale,” she said.
By reporting time, Aceng was still wondering where to spend a night having been frustrated on her attempt to receive a gown on Friday.
First give me my gown. Three days in a row, no gowns! Funnily yesterday, while being tossed around, I ended up in 504 Senate where I informally became part of a meeting suggesting how non-existent gowns should be distributed 😀 Makerere is a test of character & patience https://t.co/62B1kZNHLP
— Don Wanyama (@nyamadon) January 10, 2020
Emmanuel Aheirwe, a graduand in Bachelor of Science with Education, says he came from Kamwenge in the night of Thursday expecting to receive a gown and return home. He said he was disappointed not to receive the graduation requirements.
Samuel Nahabwe, another graduand says he abandoned work in Busia to come to Kampala for the final clearance ahead of the Tuesday graduation but was disappointed as he was not served. Nahabwe says it is extremely unfair for the university to ask them to pay for graduation gowns when it knew it could not produce them on time.
“… but if you tell us to pay and when we reach here you tell us you don’t have hoods, you tell us you don’t have caps, you tell us you don’t have gowns, now what should we do?” Nahabwe wonders. He says at this rate of this disappointment, a strike is inevitable.
In February 2017, Team Uniform Limited was contracted by Makerere University to supply and sale graduation gowns to Makerere University graduands for five years. However, Yusuf Kiranda, in his January 10, 2020 correspondence to Steven Kasumba, the Director of the contracted firm indicated that the continued delays in deliverance of the procured items has caused serious concerns that are currently being raised by the University Council, Management and Members of the public.
“Most regrettably, the delay has subjected our graduands and their parents to unnecessary tension and stress. The development has particularly given negative publicity to the University which dents its image,” Kiranda said in a letter.
URN on broke a story in which university officials confirmed that 7,000 out of the more than 13,000 gowns required for the graduation ceremonies had been secured from China. Now Makerere says it is bitter for the bleach of contract by the contractor whom they say subcontracted another firm in china to produce the said gowns without notifying them.
“As a public entity, Makerere University has a strong commitment to the Buy Ugandan Build Uganda (BUBU) policy and therefore considers the award of contracts to local companies as part of its contribution to the promotion of local content as required by the policies of the Government of Uganda,” reads in part Yusuf Kiranda’ letter to the contractor.
Makerere Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe this week told URN that the matter was to be investigated thoroughly.
