How Oneka won the MUK guild race
Mar 22, 2011
HE started his leadership voyage in primary school where he served as a head prefect, a position he held when he joined secondary school.
By Brenda Asiimwe
HE started his leadership voyage in primary school where he served as a head prefect, a position he held when he joined secondary school.
This is what has defined the leadership career of the 26-year-old Dennis Oneka Amere, the guild president elect for Makerere University. He beat seven candidates to win the coveted post.
Dressed in a grey suit, he talks with an aura of confidence characteristic of experienced leaders. During the campaigns, he carefully chose the words and delivered the message eloquently — one of the attributes that endeared him to the voters.
“The guild race was very competitive for anyone to precisely predict the likely winner,†the tough-talking Oneka says.
Oneka garnered 1,990 votes, beating his closest contender Charles Batte who had 1,980 votes.
The second year student of Bachelors of Arts in Arts says he was driven to contest because of the desire to bridge the gap between the students’ body and the university administration.
His turning point
While in S.3, Oneka won the post of head prefect beating five other contenders who were in S.5.
He says after that win, he realised he was cut out to be a leader and since then he has never looked back.
Oneka admires his mother who has been his role model. He is inspired by Abraham Lincoln who was the 16th president of America.
The seventh born of 10 children attended St. Mary’s Kitgum Boys’ Primary School and later he joined Kitgum Town College for O’ level. He studied A’ level at Sir Samuel Baker S.S where he held the post of chief prefects’ advisor.
“You can see from his leadership history that Oneka will take Makerere to bigger heights,†remarked Baker Mukasa, a student.
Oneka’s campaign slogan was ‘Taking the students guild back into the students’ hands’. Students said this slogan gave him an edge because it moved crowds.
Felix Tumwebaze, who has known Oneka since his first year at University, says Oneka’s personality is underlined by courage and strength. “Oneka is a self-motivated person and he is what Makerere needs if it is to change for the better,†Tumwebaze said.
Born to Lawrence Oketa and Bicentina Alanyo both business people in Kitgum, Oneka grew up in God-fearing family.
Back in his village, he is a centre of pride because everyone knows him as an intelligent man.
Growing up was a thorny journey for him. His parents did not have a stable source of income. Everything in his life, including getting education, was a hustle.
Oneka enjoys reading novels and he has ambitions of becoming Uganda’s president.
However, his leadership skills will be tested in an institution which has been characterised by unrest and strikes in the past. The legacy he will leave will depend on his ability to complete his term without any incidents of unrest and strikes at Uganda’s oldest university.
HE started his leadership voyage in primary school where he served as a head prefect, a position he held when he joined secondary school.
This is what has defined the leadership career of the 26-year-old Dennis Oneka Amere, the guild president elect for Makerere University. He beat seven candidates to win the coveted post.
Dressed in a grey suit, he talks with an aura of confidence characteristic of experienced leaders. During the campaigns, he carefully chose the words and delivered the message eloquently — one of the attributes that endeared him to the voters.
“The guild race was very competitive for anyone to precisely predict the likely winner,†the tough-talking Oneka says.
Oneka garnered 1,990 votes, beating his closest contender Charles Batte who had 1,980 votes.
The second year student of Bachelors of Arts in Arts says he was driven to contest because of the desire to bridge the gap between the students’ body and the university administration.
His turning point
While in S.3, Oneka won the post of head prefect beating five other contenders who were in S.5.
He says after that win, he realised he was cut out to be a leader and since then he has never looked back.
Oneka admires his mother who has been his role model. He is inspired by Abraham Lincoln who was the 16th president of America.
The seventh born of 10 children attended St. Mary’s Kitgum Boys’ Primary School and later he joined Kitgum Town College for O’ level. He studied A’ level at Sir Samuel Baker S.S where he held the post of chief prefects’ advisor.
“You can see from his leadership history that Oneka will take Makerere to bigger heights,†remarked Baker Mukasa, a student.
Oneka’s campaign slogan was ‘Taking the students guild back into the students’ hands’. Students said this slogan gave him an edge because it moved crowds.
Felix Tumwebaze, who has known Oneka since his first year at University, says Oneka’s personality is underlined by courage and strength. “Oneka is a self-motivated person and he is what Makerere needs if it is to change for the better,†Tumwebaze said.
Born to Lawrence Oketa and Bicentina Alanyo both business people in Kitgum, Oneka grew up in God-fearing family.
Back in his village, he is a centre of pride because everyone knows him as an intelligent man.
Growing up was a thorny journey for him. His parents did not have a stable source of income. Everything in his life, including getting education, was a hustle.
Oneka enjoys reading novels and he has ambitions of becoming Uganda’s president.
However, his leadership skills will be tested in an institution which has been characterised by unrest and strikes in the past. The legacy he will leave will depend on his ability to complete his term without any incidents of unrest and strikes at Uganda’s oldest university.