Victoria University has condemned the violent arrest of its Vice-Chancellor Dr Lawrence Muganga by the military intelligence last week — with the private city university recounting the events also captured on CCTV cameras.
In a statement released Monday, Victoria University, who spoke for the first time since the September 2 incident, said the University was cast in shock and panic, condemned the unprofessional conduct by security in the way they conducted the ‘operation’ but assured the public and the entire university community that everything is calm and the situation is back to normal at the campus premises..“The University was not accorded any reason for arrest,” a state indicated.
“The unfortunate incident happened on Thursday 2, September 2021, when armed men in civilian clothes led by one Denis Musumba (according to the National lD which he presented to Reception Desk)) entered the University premises on Plot 1-13 on Jinja Road Kampala and arrested Dr. Lawrence Muganga and his bodyguard and whisked them off in a vehicle which headed towards Nakawa direction along Jinja Road. The Personal Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Herbert Kayongo, took off on a bodaboda and followed the vehicle. He too was arrested. This was about 10.00 a.m, ” the University said.
The Statement added: “After about one hour, Dr. Muganga was brought back to the University by men in UPDF uniforms and others in civilian wear and were travelling in what is commonly termed as ‘a drone’. They proceeded with Dr. Muganga, who was in handcuffs, to the office of the Vice-Chancellor. The men were seen carrying a laptop from his office and they drove him off again”.Dr. Muganga was released a day after he got arrested on charges of espionage and illegal stay in Uganda.
The University has however assured the public and their staff that everything is now calm and business is running as usual.
“We assure the general public, our dear staff, students and their parents and guardians that the University is calm and its programmes are running normally.”
Muganga has been part of the group spearheading efforts to rename the community of Rwandans living in Uganda, “Abavandimwe” on grounds that they are being segregated in the name of calling them “Abanyarwanda”.
The group argues that they are systematically locked out of the economy and public service, by a system that does not allow them to get Ugandan passports, secure SIM cards, open up bank accounts, and acquire loans.
