MBALE – Police in Mbale District have beefed up security at Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) campus in Mbale after a group of students threatened to set the buildings on fire, protesting what they say are unfair policies.
The aggrieved students on January 13, 2020, dropped an anonymous letter at the police post in the university, warning that they would torch the buildings if their grievances are not addressed in two weeks’ time.
“Be informed that as students of IUIU we are tired of the administrators who take university as their home or business. Several times students are victimised on good reasons and are chased. For us international students pay a lot of money, we shall show them in two weeks what it means not to respect students as partners,” the letter reads.
The university Public Relations Officer, Ms Rehema Kantono, said they have called for an emergency meeting with the students to address their grievances and is optimistic that the differences will be settled.
“The management of IUIU has come out and informed concerned security officers about the mysterious letter, and we would wish to assure the students and general public that the matter is in the hands of the security team and investigations are ongoing,” she said.
The university has in the past been accused of putting in place stringent regulations. The 30-year-old institution, which operates on strict Islamic doctrines, bans physical touch involving hugging, pecking, and kissing between students of opposite sex.
In April 2018, 23 students of Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) have challenged the university decision to suspend them for one year for allegedly indulging in sexual activities on campus.
