Can Makerere Guild elections be independent of national politics?
May 08, 2007
DESPITE recommendations from a study banning the involvement of national politicians in Makerere University Guild elections, a Democratic Party (DP) backed candidate, Susan Abbo, emerged the winner in this year’s elections marred by violence and character assassination.
By Patrick Jaramogi
DESPITE recommendations from a study banning the involvement of national politicians in Makerere University Guild elections, a Democratic Party (DP) backed candidate, Susan Abbo, emerged the winner in this year’s elections marred by violence and character assassination.
The Makerere University Guild elections had 17 candidates, with major political parties; National Resistance Movement (NRM), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Democratic Party backing candidates of their choice.
FDC fronted Remi Muggaga who emerged second with 2,761 votes (34.4%) while NRM backed Violet Acumo got 149 votes (1.84%). DP’s fronted Abbo emerged winner with 3,570 votes (44.4%).
But this was not in line with a recent study that revealed that involvement of national politics in campus elections had disastrous effects on operations of the university.
Makerere University deputy Vice-Chancellor (Finance and administration), Prof. David Bakibinga, while backing the report, said: “Much as we feel the students should be given a chance to choose which politician to deal with, we are against the interference of national politicians in guild elections because they destabilise the university.â€
The book, Illuminating students’ voices in higher education: An empirical insights into university based reforms in Uganda, indicated that national level politics get involved in Makerere University student politics especially through funding and provision of strategies for winning. The book was authored by selected students from Nkumba and Makerere Universities. Makerere University’s Institute of Social Research supervised, trained and hosted the students.
Lawrence Mayambala, a graduate in social sciences, in his research, The effects of national politics on Makerere University students’ Guild elections, notes that a leadership chosen in such circumstances is more responsive to the demands of the national politicians than the concerns of the students’ body, leading to increased violence at the university as students whose voices are marginalised, seek to express themselves.
The study that was funded by the Ford Foundation and coordinated through Makerere Institute of Social Research, (MISR) recommends that; the dean of students should ensure that the Guild Electoral Commission is credible and that the commission should ban any candidate who uses political party platform for guild campaigns and that Parliament should amend the Universities’ and Other Tertiary Institutions’ Act, 2001 to include a provision that deters national level politicians from meddling in students’ politics in public universities and other tertiary institutions.
But leading political party leaders described the move as disastrous which could lead to serious abuse of the constitution.
FDC’s Beti Kamya, also Rubaga North MP, said: “That move would be seen as an infringement on the rights of the students to associate, which is enshrined in the constitution. Students at university are above 18 and are adults who have the right to associate and choose any party of their choice.â€
Uganda People’s Congress Secretary General, Peter Walubiri, said: “That study was trash and Makerere has no mandate to recommend so. Makerere is a pinnacle of learning where future leaders are groomed. These are adults who should be allowed to engage fully in the politics of Uganda since they will be part of society once they leave university.â€
Walubiri said for Makerere University administration to think of banning political parties from fronting candidates of their choice would be a breach of the constitution and would be challenged in the courts of law.
Democratic Party’s spokesperson, Betty Namboze also rubbished the decision describing it as outrageous and unconstitutional. She said: “The right of association is a constitutional right and that can only apply when that article is amended. So it can’t work because it is unconstitutional and as DP, we can’t support it and strongly oppose it.â€
NRM’s Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere, who officiated at the launch of the book, also disagreed with the decision to deter politicians from meddling in students’ politics.
“Universities are part and parcel of society and it is difficult to detach the students from national politics or politicians because once they leave here in three years time, they will be out there engaging in national politics,†Kabwegyere said.
He added, “Students, just like any other person have political affiliation and I don’t see what is bad when I support or rally behind a student who is in for my political party. Be it UPC, DP, NRM, let us support them but I don’t encourage setting aside a fund for guild elections.â€
Makerere has for long been considered the “Harvard of Africa†because of its ability to provide quality higher education but also being the largest public university in the country- with nine faculties, seven institutes and five schools, it has had its fair share of electoral hiccups in the choice of guild presidents.
“In recent times, we have witnessed deterioration in the electoral process with occurrences of violence and militarism. Violence has become an established procedure for expressing students’ concerns,†Mayambala noted. He said the guild leadership, elected under such circumstances, can only be responsive to the interest of the national politicians who finance the campaigns at the expense of the students’ interests.
He pointed out that the study is anchored in the Rational Choice Model which contends that individuals will chose a candidate who is most likely to maximise their personal preferences and interests.
Other issues raised in the book include; problems faced by non-resident students at Makerere University, challenges of students staying in privately owned hostels, causes of absenteeism among evening programme students, relationship between fees charged and courses chosen by students, consequences of employing same lecturers for Day and Evening classes, effects of increased enrolment on learning and academic progress and factors responsible for the low participation of female students in campus politics.
DESPITE recommendations from a study banning the involvement of national politicians in Makerere University Guild elections, a Democratic Party (DP) backed candidate, Susan Abbo, emerged the winner in this year’s elections marred by violence and character assassination.
The Makerere University Guild elections had 17 candidates, with major political parties; National Resistance Movement (NRM), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Democratic Party backing candidates of their choice.
FDC fronted Remi Muggaga who emerged second with 2,761 votes (34.4%) while NRM backed Violet Acumo got 149 votes (1.84%). DP’s fronted Abbo emerged winner with 3,570 votes (44.4%).
But this was not in line with a recent study that revealed that involvement of national politics in campus elections had disastrous effects on operations of the university.
Makerere University deputy Vice-Chancellor (Finance and administration), Prof. David Bakibinga, while backing the report, said: “Much as we feel the students should be given a chance to choose which politician to deal with, we are against the interference of national politicians in guild elections because they destabilise the university.â€
The book, Illuminating students’ voices in higher education: An empirical insights into university based reforms in Uganda, indicated that national level politics get involved in Makerere University student politics especially through funding and provision of strategies for winning. The book was authored by selected students from Nkumba and Makerere Universities. Makerere University’s Institute of Social Research supervised, trained and hosted the students.
Lawrence Mayambala, a graduate in social sciences, in his research, The effects of national politics on Makerere University students’ Guild elections, notes that a leadership chosen in such circumstances is more responsive to the demands of the national politicians than the concerns of the students’ body, leading to increased violence at the university as students whose voices are marginalised, seek to express themselves.
The study that was funded by the Ford Foundation and coordinated through Makerere Institute of Social Research, (MISR) recommends that; the dean of students should ensure that the Guild Electoral Commission is credible and that the commission should ban any candidate who uses political party platform for guild campaigns and that Parliament should amend the Universities’ and Other Tertiary Institutions’ Act, 2001 to include a provision that deters national level politicians from meddling in students’ politics in public universities and other tertiary institutions.
But leading political party leaders described the move as disastrous which could lead to serious abuse of the constitution.
FDC’s Beti Kamya, also Rubaga North MP, said: “That move would be seen as an infringement on the rights of the students to associate, which is enshrined in the constitution. Students at university are above 18 and are adults who have the right to associate and choose any party of their choice.â€
Uganda People’s Congress Secretary General, Peter Walubiri, said: “That study was trash and Makerere has no mandate to recommend so. Makerere is a pinnacle of learning where future leaders are groomed. These are adults who should be allowed to engage fully in the politics of Uganda since they will be part of society once they leave university.â€
Walubiri said for Makerere University administration to think of banning political parties from fronting candidates of their choice would be a breach of the constitution and would be challenged in the courts of law.
Democratic Party’s spokesperson, Betty Namboze also rubbished the decision describing it as outrageous and unconstitutional. She said: “The right of association is a constitutional right and that can only apply when that article is amended. So it can’t work because it is unconstitutional and as DP, we can’t support it and strongly oppose it.â€
NRM’s Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere, who officiated at the launch of the book, also disagreed with the decision to deter politicians from meddling in students’ politics.
“Universities are part and parcel of society and it is difficult to detach the students from national politics or politicians because once they leave here in three years time, they will be out there engaging in national politics,†Kabwegyere said.
He added, “Students, just like any other person have political affiliation and I don’t see what is bad when I support or rally behind a student who is in for my political party. Be it UPC, DP, NRM, let us support them but I don’t encourage setting aside a fund for guild elections.â€
Makerere has for long been considered the “Harvard of Africa†because of its ability to provide quality higher education but also being the largest public university in the country- with nine faculties, seven institutes and five schools, it has had its fair share of electoral hiccups in the choice of guild presidents.
“In recent times, we have witnessed deterioration in the electoral process with occurrences of violence and militarism. Violence has become an established procedure for expressing students’ concerns,†Mayambala noted. He said the guild leadership, elected under such circumstances, can only be responsive to the interest of the national politicians who finance the campaigns at the expense of the students’ interests.
He pointed out that the study is anchored in the Rational Choice Model which contends that individuals will chose a candidate who is most likely to maximise their personal preferences and interests.
Other issues raised in the book include; problems faced by non-resident students at Makerere University, challenges of students staying in privately owned hostels, causes of absenteeism among evening programme students, relationship between fees charged and courses chosen by students, consequences of employing same lecturers for Day and Evening classes, effects of increased enrolment on learning and academic progress and factors responsible for the low participation of female students in campus politics.