Members of Parliament have raised concerns over sexual harassment allegations at Makerere University, questioning management about measures to protect female students and ensure accountability.
The concerns emerged on Monday, October 26, 2026, during a meeting between the Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) and the university leadership to scrutinise the institution’s accountability and service delivery.
Lawmakers also questioned the reported failure to register some students awarded State House scholarships, the accreditation of academic programmes and restrictions on access to the university’s Freedom Square.
Kabarole District Woman MP Annet Kirungi asked university management to explain how it was protecting female students amid the sexual harassment allegations.
“I speak for the parents who send their children to one of the biggest universities in Africa, thinking that their children will be in good hands,” Kirungi said.
Makerere University Secretary Yusuf Kiranda said the institution had zero tolerance for sexual harassment and maintained established procedures for investigating complaints.
He said management had appointed a committee to investigate recent allegations, invited complainants to submit evidence and asked the officer concerned to step aside.
“Staff found guilty in previous investigations were dismissed and justice will be served in the ongoing cases,” Kiranda said.
MPs question State House scholarship complaints
The committee also questioned reports that some students awarded State House scholarships had been denied registration, forcing them to return home.
Gilbert Olanya (FDC, Kilak South County) said President Yoweri Museveni had awarded 100 scholarships to students from the Acholi sub-region, particularly those pursuing science courses.
In response, Kiranda said the university registered only students whose names had been officially communicated by State House.
He pledged to investigate the complaints if the affected students’ details were provided.
Course accreditation under scrutiny
Fredrick Angura (NRM, Tororo South County) questioned delays in course accreditation and the discontinuation of some academic programmes, citing Construction Management as an example.
Kiranda maintained that all the university’s programmes were accredited by the National Council for Higher Education, adding that curriculum reviews and discontinued programmes did not invalidate qualifications already earned by graduates.
“A qualification does not expire,” he said, noting that the university had improved the accreditation status of its programmes.
Freedom Square restrictions spark debate
Committee chairperson Patrick Nsamba also challenged university management over restrictions on access to Freedom Square, a central gathering place historically associated with student expression, public debate and university ceremonies.
Nsamba argued that limiting access to the space could undermine opportunities for students to develop leadership skills and engage in public discourse.
“This is what you are calling controlling. You are killing the new leaders that are going to come. Why did you choose that?” he asked.
He observed that, unlike in previous years when Freedom Square served as a platform for political debate, students could no longer access the space as freely.
Kiranda defended the restrictions, saying management had introduced an advance-booking system to address competition for university venues among political, cultural, religious and academic associations.
“We have often experienced clashes in booking of these venues. So management decided that anybody who wants to convene a meeting using a public space at the university should book in advance,” Kiranda said.
Makerere seeks more funding for students’ welfare
Meanwhile, the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Finance, Henry Alinaitwe, appealed to Parliament to increase government funding to improve students’ welfare, particularly meals.
Alinaitwe said students currently receive a daily allowance of Shs4,500, which he argued was insufficient to provide better meals.
“We want Parliament to give us more money so that we are able to feed our students at a higher level, at a better level,” he said.
The meeting highlighted several accountability and service-delivery issues facing the university, ranging from student safety and access to education to academic standards, freedom of expression and the funding of student welfare.
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