Makerere University Guild President Gracious Kadondi has raised concerns about the growing hunger crisis among students, revealing that some learners reportedly go as long as three to four days without food because they cannot afford regular meals.
Kadondi’s remarks have brought renewed attention to student welfare at Uganda’s oldest university, where several learners have reportedly been sharing their struggles with hunger on TikTok.
Some students claim they spend entire days without eating, only returning to their hostels in the evening to prepare porridge before going to bed.
The situation has raised questions about the financial pressures facing university students and what the administration is doing to address their basic welfare needs.
Speaking to the press, Kadondi described the extent of the problem, explaining that some students have reportedly been taken to hospital after experiencing symptoms initially mistaken for illness, only for medical examinations to establish that hunger was the underlying problem.
“Students go hungry a lot and sometimes spend three to four days without having anything in their stomachs. When you take them to the hospital thinking they are sick, after checking them, they find out that it is hunger,” Kadondi said.
The Guild President also shared a personal account of struggling with food during her first year at Makerere, revealing that she and her roommates sometimes depended on another student’s generosity to get something to eat.
Recalling her experience at Mary Stuart Hall, Kadondi said three students shared a room, but only one of them had meals paid for throughout the semester.
The fortunate roommate was entitled to one meal a day and often shared her food with the others.
Kadondi recalled that their evenings sometimes ended with tea and half a cake, illustrating the difficult circumstances they experienced while trying to navigate university life.
Her account adds a personal dimension to the concerns she is now raising on behalf of students who may be experiencing similar financial difficulties.
The Guild President also questioned whether Shs4,500 is sufficient to sustain a university student for an entire day, particularly given the current economic conditions.
“According to how our economy is, Shs4,500 isn’t enough to sustain a person for a full day. And for a private student whose parents are already struggling to pay tuition and meet other expenses, it can be tough,” she said.
Her comments highlight the additional pressure facing privately sponsored students whose families must balance tuition payments with accommodation, food and other university expenses.
Kadondi further observed that although Makerere has functioning laboratories and lecturers available to teach, hunger has become one of the major concerns affecting students’ university experience.
The revelations raise broader questions about access to affordable meals and the support systems available to financially struggling learners.
For students facing days without food, academic opportunities alone may not be enough. Their ability to concentrate, attend lectures and complete their studies is also tied to whether they can afford their next meal.