{UAH} Who is Safe at Makerere University?
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Who is Safe at Makerere University?
11 Mar 2017, 14:51 Comments 342 Views Kampala, Uganda CrimeEducation ReportThis 56 year old was found stealing wheel caps from vehicles parked within MAK campusLogin to license this image from 1$.
In short
According to a four-year Crime report compiled by the University Police, a total of 56 motorcycles belonging to students and staff have been taken out of Makerere University and none has been recovered. In 2013 alone, 30 motorcycles were stolen from the university. Another 11 were stolen in 2014; four in 2015 and 11 in 2016. In the same period, 48 vehicles have been stolen in and around Makerere.
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With dozens of unmanned entrance and exit points, security for life and property in and around Makerere University continues to be a concern.
Tonny Luggya, a lab technician attached to the Department of Journalism and Communication, is one of the recent victims of the security lax in the university after his motorcycle stolen from the parking area at Lincoln Flats, next to Senate Building.
Luggya says he saw his motorcycle being ridden off from the parking yard but he could do nothing about it. He and a colleague tried to chase using a car but in vain. The thief could have used one of the many illegal and unmanned gates around the university.
//Cue in: "It was Wednesday…
Cue out: …where we lost him."//
Luggya suspects that people who steal from Makerere University have time to plan before executing their mission. He says he had earlier in the day seen two people on a bike just across the road looking down at the parking lot. And it was one of these whom he saw taking off with his motorcycle.
His reported to the Makerere University Police post, he notes that the police took the matter lightly and officers seemed uninterested.
//Cue in: "I went to the…
Cue out: …bikes are smuggled."//
And yet Luggya's case is not an isolated one. On average, 14 motorcycles are stolen from Makerere University every year. According to a four-year Crime report compiled by the University Police, a total of 56 motorcycles belonging to students and staff have been taken out of Makerere University and none has been recovered.
In 2013 alone, 30 motorcycles were stolen from the university. Another 11 were stolen in 2014; four in 2015 and 11 in 2016. In the same period, 48 vehicles have been stolen in and around Makerere. These include 22 in 2013, nine in 2014, 11 in 2015 and six in 2016.
Illegal entry points
Makerere has three official motorised gates including the Main Gate along Makerere Hill Road, Western Gate along Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road, and the Eastern Gate along Bombo Road. Uganda's oldest university, however, has dozens of pedestrian entry points dotted around, both official and unofficial.
While the three official gates open and close at specific times, the small entry points are largely open 24 hours and without security. This means hundreds of people, including those with ill-intentions, walk in and out of Makerere without being checked.
Over a period of two weeks, a URN reporter monitored human and motorised traffic in and out of Makerere University and observed serious security lapses.
While there is security presence at the three official gates, it is only for formality, as those driving or walking in and out of the university are not subjected to security checks. The university contracted a private company, Kenya Airport Parking Services (KAPS) Limited, to install automated vehicle management system at the three gates, but the system is yet to be fully operational. Since 2014 when it started, it is still being operated manually.
Pastor Grace Kityo, the overall supervisor of vehicle management system, says it is more of an income-generating facility than a security one. Indeed, the KAPS personnel manning the gates only look for parking stickers or money from those whose vehicles do not have stickers. They charge 1,000 shillings per vehicle that exits Makerere.
Besides the three "main gates", the university also has five official pedestrian gates many of which are unmanned. These include one located in Wandegeya near University Hall, another one next to the Eastern Gate also in Wandegeya and another one next to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity (COVAB). This particular gate exits into Makerere Kavule, a slum that has been transforming due to the many hostels and restaurants that target Makerere students. Students, both resident and non-resident, walk through this gate to Kavule, a place they dubbed kikumi-kikumi because of its affordable food.
Other "small gates" include one next to the Western Gate that leads to Kikoni, another slum whose fortunes have been changing over the last 15 years on account of the many hostels and businesses that depend on the Makerere population. The university has other pedestrian gates located next the sports grounds just below Mary Stuart Hall and another one next to Makerere College School.
When the URN reporter moved around these small gates, they were unmanned and have no lighting at night.
Several illegal footpaths lead into and out of Makerere, either created by staff or students. Our reporter counted at least 16 such footpaths around the university.
Inside the university, security checkpoints are only available at the key university buildings such as the Main Building, the University Library and the Senate Building. Sometimes people do not present themselves for checking and dodge the security control machines.
A part from the literal allocation of guards at the different buildings and student halls of residence, the entire security situation is appalling and this has led to many people's properties being stolen and or vandalised. Police records show that at least 174 cases general theft have been reported in and around Makerere University in the last four years. In the same period, 38 cases of robbery were reported.
Members of staff have decried loss of property and vandalism of their cars, by unscrupulous people from outside Makerere who find their way into the university through the porous entry points. On January 9th this year, Samuel Sabiiti, a 56-year-old man from Rushere in Kiruhura district was arrested at the Main Building parking yard after he had removed wheel caps from a car.
Upon his arrest, Sabiiti confessed to have been routinely stealing car parts including side mirrors, head lamps and wheel caps and eventually selling them in Kiseka Market, in downtown Kampala.
James Byomuhangi, a Custodian in one of the University buildings, explains the precarious situation: "We do not know how safe we are. We do not have any check-points at entrances in the university. And besides, it seems every part of the university is an entrance. We have police yes but you cannot guarantee that they will be in every corner of the university which has an entrance."
Nicholas Aijuka is a third year student of Civil Engineering and has been serving as the security minister in the students' guild. He told URN that with several unmanned entrances, the security of students, staff and property is at the mercy of God.
//Cue in: "You know there…
Cue out: …would be claimed."//
Despite this, the university officials continue to drag their feet about constructing a perimeter wall. Estimated at five billion shillings, the perimeter wall remains among the unfunded priorities according to the 2017/2018 Budget overview that was recently presented to the University Council.
At its 67th graduation ceremony, the Makerere University Convocation (MUC), an association for former university students officially launched a fundraising drive to raise funds towards the construction of the 5km perimeter wall around Makerere.
Jackson Mucunguzi, Makerere's Chief Security Officer, expressed worries about the security of the institution due to its porous nature. He however noted that police makes several patrol operations to ensure safety of people and property.
"We have about 45 police officers at Makerere and 120 University security guards. As you know sometimes it is difficult to deploy these people at all entrances which are countless and still have others to man buildings. Manpower is less though most of the times we collaborate with Wandegeya Police," Mucunguzi said.
But these numbers appear to have done little to allay security concerns at Uganda's oldest university.
Tonny Luggya, a lab technician attached to the Department of Journalism and Communication, is one of the recent victims of the security lax in the university after his motorcycle stolen from the parking area at Lincoln Flats, next to Senate Building.
Luggya says he saw his motorcycle being ridden off from the parking yard but he could do nothing about it. He and a colleague tried to chase using a car but in vain. The thief could have used one of the many illegal and unmanned gates around the university.
//Cue in: "It was Wednesday…
Cue out: …where we lost him."//
Luggya suspects that people who steal from Makerere University have time to plan before executing their mission. He says he had earlier in the day seen two people on a bike just across the road looking down at the parking lot. And it was one of these whom he saw taking off with his motorcycle.
His reported to the Makerere University Police post, he notes that the police took the matter lightly and officers seemed uninterested.
//Cue in: "I went to the…
Cue out: …bikes are smuggled."//
And yet Luggya's case is not an isolated one. On average, 14 motorcycles are stolen from Makerere University every year. According to a four-year Crime report compiled by the University Police, a total of 56 motorcycles belonging to students and staff have been taken out of Makerere University and none has been recovered.
In 2013 alone, 30 motorcycles were stolen from the university. Another 11 were stolen in 2014; four in 2015 and 11 in 2016. In the same period, 48 vehicles have been stolen in and around Makerere. These include 22 in 2013, nine in 2014, 11 in 2015 and six in 2016.
Illegal entry points
Makerere has three official motorised gates including the Main Gate along Makerere Hill Road, Western Gate along Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road, and the Eastern Gate along Bombo Road. Uganda's oldest university, however, has dozens of pedestrian entry points dotted around, both official and unofficial.
While the three official gates open and close at specific times, the small entry points are largely open 24 hours and without security. This means hundreds of people, including those with ill-intentions, walk in and out of Makerere without being checked.
Over a period of two weeks, a URN reporter monitored human and motorised traffic in and out of Makerere University and observed serious security lapses.
While there is security presence at the three official gates, it is only for formality, as those driving or walking in and out of the university are not subjected to security checks. The university contracted a private company, Kenya Airport Parking Services (KAPS) Limited, to install automated vehicle management system at the three gates, but the system is yet to be fully operational. Since 2014 when it started, it is still being operated manually.
Pastor Grace Kityo, the overall supervisor of vehicle management system, says it is more of an income-generating facility than a security one. Indeed, the KAPS personnel manning the gates only look for parking stickers or money from those whose vehicles do not have stickers. They charge 1,000 shillings per vehicle that exits Makerere.
Besides the three "main gates", the university also has five official pedestrian gates many of which are unmanned. These include one located in Wandegeya near University Hall, another one next to the Eastern Gate also in Wandegeya and another one next to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity (COVAB). This particular gate exits into Makerere Kavule, a slum that has been transforming due to the many hostels and restaurants that target Makerere students. Students, both resident and non-resident, walk through this gate to Kavule, a place they dubbed kikumi-kikumi because of its affordable food.
Other "small gates" include one next to the Western Gate that leads to Kikoni, another slum whose fortunes have been changing over the last 15 years on account of the many hostels and businesses that depend on the Makerere population. The university has other pedestrian gates located next the sports grounds just below Mary Stuart Hall and another one next to Makerere College School.
When the URN reporter moved around these small gates, they were unmanned and have no lighting at night.
Several illegal footpaths lead into and out of Makerere, either created by staff or students. Our reporter counted at least 16 such footpaths around the university.
Inside the university, security checkpoints are only available at the key university buildings such as the Main Building, the University Library and the Senate Building. Sometimes people do not present themselves for checking and dodge the security control machines.
A part from the literal allocation of guards at the different buildings and student halls of residence, the entire security situation is appalling and this has led to many people's properties being stolen and or vandalised. Police records show that at least 174 cases general theft have been reported in and around Makerere University in the last four years. In the same period, 38 cases of robbery were reported.
Members of staff have decried loss of property and vandalism of their cars, by unscrupulous people from outside Makerere who find their way into the university through the porous entry points. On January 9th this year, Samuel Sabiiti, a 56-year-old man from Rushere in Kiruhura district was arrested at the Main Building parking yard after he had removed wheel caps from a car.
Upon his arrest, Sabiiti confessed to have been routinely stealing car parts including side mirrors, head lamps and wheel caps and eventually selling them in Kiseka Market, in downtown Kampala.
James Byomuhangi, a Custodian in one of the University buildings, explains the precarious situation: "We do not know how safe we are. We do not have any check-points at entrances in the university. And besides, it seems every part of the university is an entrance. We have police yes but you cannot guarantee that they will be in every corner of the university which has an entrance."
Nicholas Aijuka is a third year student of Civil Engineering and has been serving as the security minister in the students' guild. He told URN that with several unmanned entrances, the security of students, staff and property is at the mercy of God.
//Cue in: "You know there…
Cue out: …would be claimed."//
Despite this, the university officials continue to drag their feet about constructing a perimeter wall. Estimated at five billion shillings, the perimeter wall remains among the unfunded priorities according to the 2017/2018 Budget overview that was recently presented to the University Council.
At its 67th graduation ceremony, the Makerere University Convocation (MUC), an association for former university students officially launched a fundraising drive to raise funds towards the construction of the 5km perimeter wall around Makerere.
Jackson Mucunguzi, Makerere's Chief Security Officer, expressed worries about the security of the institution due to its porous nature. He however noted that police makes several patrol operations to ensure safety of people and property.
"We have about 45 police officers at Makerere and 120 University security guards. As you know sometimes it is difficult to deploy these people at all entrances which are countless and still have others to man buildings. Manpower is less though most of the times we collaborate with Wandegeya Police," Mucunguzi said.
But these numbers appear to have done little to allay security concerns at Uganda's oldest university.
Gwokto La'Kitgum
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