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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Students at Makerere University are up in arms over university guild election campaigns being conducted virtually.
Unlike past elections, all activities including campaigns, debates, voting, and tallying will be handled virtually as stated in the new Makerere Student’s Guild Statute 2022, which was drafted by the University Council on September 16.
This followed the death of Michael Betungura Bewatte, a UCU student who was killed while taking part in guild campaigns in July 2022. As the University plans told to hold Guild elections, students and former student leaders argue that since University politics is a platform where some students launch their political careers, conducting the election process virtually will deny them a right to hold public campaigns.
Asuman Basalirwa, the former Makerere University Guild President says that introducing virtual campaigns is being used by the University to curtail the political and freedom of association of the students which he says must be changed.
He argues that bycurtailing students from holding public rallies, the University is undermining the capacity of the students to grow into credible leaders.
