The administration of Makerere University has evicted all the smaller businesses operating inside the university premises with a reason that they are a security threat to the University.
The business owners who were recently evicted from operating inside Makerere University have called on the University’s administration to rescind its decision, saying the eviction is illegal.
Littered outside some of the closed shops, the debris from damaged equipment like photocopying machines and cartridges signals the abrupt evictions that the shop owners faced on Friday.
In a statement on the matter, Makerere University Dean of Students, Winfred Kabumbuli says the affected businesses were operating illegally and posed a security threat.
Although the University’s statement cites a court order, the affected business owners say their representative body, the Makerere University Business Owners Association, had appealed against a ruling to evict them.
The shop owners also question why the university has been accepting their rent and payment for utilities, if indeed they were operating illegally.
Meanwhile, some students have expressed fear that the remaining shops could develop monopolistic tendencies.