Makerere University guild polls today

By Innocent Anguyo

Makerere University students today (Wednesday) go to polls to elect their next guild president.  

Adeke Anna Ebaju of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is the current guild president, having taken over from Ivan Kata of Democratic Party (DP).

The Makerere University Students’ Electoral Commission (EC) has shortlisted eight candidates out of 13 to run for the university’s Students’ Guild President.

Out of the 13 candidates who returned nomination forms, only eight were cleared to contest, according to EC Chairperson Michael Byemero.

They include; Ivan Bwowe, Sarah Aseru, Lillian Aber, Phillip Musiime, Eddy Kintu, Nicholas Nanyeenya, Samuel Komakech and JuliusTabaaro.

Byemero said the five whose applications were declined did not meet some of the requirements. They are Andrew Mujinya, Boniface Mbabazi, Wanyama Emmanuel, Muyiga Faisal and Murungi Emmanuel. Byemero said some of the five had retakes and while others had missing marks.

Mbabazi, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate was disqualified from the race for allegedly falsifying his results.

According to Makerere University Police boss, Jackson Mucunguzi, Mbabazi was arrested and held in police custody for some hours before being released on bond.

Mucunguzi said Mbabazi faces the charge of forgery and will be prosecuted in courts of law once investigations are concluded.

Mujinya, the initial candidate of FDC was also disqualified from the race over alleged falsification of results.

He has since been replaced by Aber who trailed him in the Makerere FDC primaries. Aber from the school of Languages, Literature and Communication was the information minister in the Adeke cabinet.

Mucunguzi said the ongoing Makerere University students’ guild campaigns have been shrouded in violence with supporters of the respective candidates fighting at every rally.

“During the rally at Kabanyolo, police arrested 20 students for fighting. Though, they were only cautioned and eventually released,” said Mucunguzi.

So far, Mucunguzi said five students, have got injured in the campaigns. Four vehicles were also impounded after being involved in accidents during the campaigns. The vehicles have registration numbers UAF 6654, UAD 844P, UAN 884H, UAN 980Q.

Mucunguzi also revealed that there is a lot of drug abuse at the campaigns. Police has faulted candidates for buying alcohol for their supporters.

The Guild President serves for a one year non-renewable term in office. Election of Guild Representatives to Council (GRCs) will follow the Guild Presidential elections.