Makerere University management has come out to blame Team Uniform Limited whom they contracted three years ago to supply graduation gowns to the institution for the decision it took to import gowns from China, which has resulted into the delayed delivery of the attire to the recipients.
The number of gowns, caps and hoods that have been delivered is so far less than what is required for the 70th graduation slated for 14th to 17th January 2020.
The vice chancellor, professor Barnabas Nawangwe has come out to clarify that it is the supplier who is importing gowns from China but not Makerere.
“For us, we just receive gowns when they are ready. How and where he makes them from is not our problem provided he makes them to the standard and specification we have given him.” Nawangwe said.
He also said that the university management shall hold the supplier to question on why the gowns were imported from China and why he delayed to deliver and it shall handle all these issues because this kind of development has given negative publicity to the university which spoils it’s image yet they still have to work with the supplier for more two years.
The first batch of 6383 gowns, 900 caps, 6792 hoods out of the required 13,500 was delivered to the university in different installments on Wednesday and Thursday. Students started to receive them officially on Thursday with graduands from the College of Education and External Studies and those from the College of Business and Management Science that shall graduate in the first days being given the first priority.
Those from other colleges that are to graduate in the last days shall receive theirs next week. Meanwhile, the guild council gave the university management 24 hours ultimatum to deliver the gowns to all the 13,500 students expected to graduate next week or else they go on strike.
It should be noted that this continued delay to deliver the procured items has led to serious concerns being raised by the university council, management and the general public. Most regrettably it has subjected the graduands, their parents and guardians to unnecessary tension, stress and anxiety.
