Workers who live in housing provided by Makerere University, such as cooks, security guards, and cleaners, face substandard living conditions. The housing is in poor condition, with leaky roofs and lack of repairs. While some housing is provided for free, other workers must pay rent of 36,000 Ugandan shillings per month. The housing is often overcrowded, with multiple families sharing single homes. Workers have complained to the university but little has been done to improve the situation.

1. THE PATHETIC STATE OF
WORKERS‟ HOUSES IN
MAK
BY
AMAMUKIRORI BETTY
KYATUSIIMIRE SHALLON

2. Most of the workers who use
these buildings are cooks,
askaris and cleaners. These
houses are both paid for and
free, but the situation is no
different.

3. workers‟ housing located between senate and
technology

4. A closer look at one of the
houses that workers stay in

5. Odoi Apollo who is now a cook in complex hall and has
been working in the University for 13 years said the houses
are not worthy being called staff houses.

6. A place that houses Odoi and other
workers

7. Odoi said that they tried complaining to
the University about this state of living but
their was no satisfactory action taken

8. The renovations are done by
the workers themselves.
Wandera John who started
working as an askari (security
guard)in 1996 said, “the
university gave me this house
for free, all I brought in are my
property. so in case of any
problems we do the repairs
ourselves.”

9. He also agrees that the university makes
no contribution for further repairs of the
houses.

10. One of the repaired buildings the workers showed us. They take care of the entire budget.

11. Odoi who lives in one of these
workers houses located below
Livingstone hall and opposite
Africa hall, tells of a different
story where they are required to
pay 36,000#Ush per month as
rent.

12. A few of the lucky workers are
allowed to stay in abandoned post
graduate lecture rooms. (students
normally refer to them chicken
house) abandoned because the
houses were leaking and lectures
could not be held in such places.
other lucky ones especially „askaris‟
are given accommodation in places
they guard.
These houses are however shared
by more than two families

13. Akello Betty a house wife on the issue of
sharing one house two different families

14. one of the better houses that was given to the askar

15. However, Akello Betty, a house wife
claimed that these workers were
asked to vacate the buildings by
the university but they refused and
asked to be left to stay. ( these
claim is about the workers who are
living freely).
The claims were later refuted by
Wandera who said they live here at
free will.

16. Akello Betty seated behind one of the houses during the interview.

17. scared to open up. They fear
loosing their jobs, but the problems
are weighing them down.
Odoi who accepted to share his
ordeal, said they tried
communicating with their leaders
about the situation.

18. The university reacted once
by renovating only one
building and the rest still lie
rugged. No further
communication has been got
from the administrators.