Makerere University Bans Mobile Phones at 73rd Graduation Ceremony

Makerere University management has banned students and parents from carrying their cell phones to the graduation ceremony, which kicks off today at the institution’s main campus in Kampala.

According to the chairperson of the Ceremonies Committee, Prof Patrick Mangeni, phones, cameras and video cameras are prohibited from Freedom Square.

Others are dangerous weapons, chemicals, alcohol, Cigarettes, canned foods and drinks, Bottled drinks, back bags, lighters, glasses and knives

Also Read: Live Coverage: Makerere University 73rd Graduation

“A detailed list of prohibited items has been inserted in the graduation invitation package that is presented to the graduands and invited guests and shared on different social media platforms,” Prof Mangeni said in a statement.

A total of 13,221 graduands, of whom 6,809 (52 percent) are female and 6,412 (48 percent) are male, are expected to graduate during the university’s 73rd graduation ceremony, which ends on Friday.

The Minister of Education, Ms Janet Kataha Museveni, is expected to grace the ceremony alongside the Vice Chancellor of the University of London, Prof Wendy Thomson. Prof Mangeni said the Chancellor, Prof Ezra Suruma, will preside over the ceremony and each day of the graduation, the graduands and invited guests are expected to be seated in the Freedom Square by 7am. He also said each graduand is expected to come with only two guests

According to the programme, students from the colleges of Natural Sciences, Health Sciences as well as School of Law are slated to graduate today. Students from the colleges of Education and External Studies, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences will graduate tomorrow.

Students from the colleges of Business and Management Sciences, Computing and Information Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-Security will graduate on Wednesday while those from Makerere University Business School will graduate on Thursday. The graduation ends on Friday with students from colleges of Humanities and Social Sciences, Engineering, Design, Arts and Technology.