Members of Parliament have raised concerns over allegations of sexual harassment at Makerere University, alongside questions about State House scholarship beneficiaries, programme accreditation and restrictions on access to the institution’s Freedom Square.
The concerns were raised on Monday, October 26, 2026, during a meeting between the Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) and Makerere University management to examine the institution’s accountability and service delivery.
Kabarole District Woman MP, Annet Kirungi, questioned the university’s measures to protect female students amid the sexual harassment allegations, emphasising parents’ expectations that their children would be safe at the institution.
In response, the university’s Secretary, Yusuf Kiranda, said Makerere has zero tolerance for sexual harassment and 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.
Kiranda added that staff found guilty in previous investigations had been dismissed and assured the committee that the ongoing cases would be handled.
The committee also questioned reports that students awarded State House scholarships had been denied registration. Kilak South County MP Gilbert Olanya said President Yoweri Museveni had awarded 100 scholarships to students from the Acholi sub-region, particularly those pursuing science courses.
Kiranda explained that the university registered students whose names had been officially communicated by State House and pledged to investigate the complaints if the affected students’ details were provided.
On academic programmes, Tororo South County MP Fredrick Angura questioned delays in accreditation and the discontinuation of courses, citing Construction Management as an example.
Kiranda maintained that 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.
Meanwhile, committee chairperson Patrick Nsamba questioned management’s decision to restrict access to Freedom Square, arguing that the move could limit students’ opportunities for political debate and leadership development.
Kiranda defended the restrictions, explaining that advance booking had been introduced to address competing requests for university venues from political, cultural, religious and academic associations.
The university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Finance, Henry Alinaitwe, also appealed for increased government funding to improve students’ welfare, noting that students currently receive a daily allowance of Shs4,500.
He urged Parliament to provide additional resources to enable the university to improve the quality of meals provided to students.
