The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Nkumba University Council has halted activities related to the impending impeachment of the Guild president and advised the students to follow impeachment guidelines as stipulated.
The students Parliament resolved, on Monday, to impeach the guild president Byron Luswata on grounds that he was corrupt, selfish, arrogant and lacked leadership skills. He was accused of embezzling up to 20 million shillings of the guild council and about 3.2 million shillings meant for the health week activities at the University.
But there was an impasse arose when students refused to attend classes and became violent. They surrounded the University Administration block chanting slogans against their Guild President and issued publications referring to him as a thief. Those who declined to join their protests were either beaten or had their properties confiscated.
Police and other security agencies were called in to intervene. The student leaders and the Administration later agreed to have a process of impeachment followed to as provided for in the university guidelines. This includes, among other processes, a platform to listen to the guild president’s response to all accusations against him.
The University Council Chairperson Dalton Elijah Ssegawa has now advised the students to submit their issues before the university management, and allow the administration to listen to the Guild President before any other step is taken.
“The University Council has considered your submissions and resolved that the guild president prepares his written defence and submit it after five days to the guild parliament and that, the guild Parliament should respect the guild constitution and follow its procedures accordingly,” Ssegawa said in a statement issued last evening.
However, the students disregarded the advice and stated that it is crafted to fail all plans to impeach the current guild president. Richard Odong, a member of the University Parliament said the council members do not understand challenges faced by the students under the current guild administration.
Byron Luswata, a member of the People Power Pressure Group was elected Nkumba University Guild President in April. He is the second Guild President to face impeachment after Kyambogo University’s Jonathan Tundulu.
However, he describes as baseless, all accusations of corruption and incompetence brought against him by his fellow students.
*****
URN
