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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Nkumba University Council has stopped any activities related to the impeachment of the Guild President, Byron Luswata Expedito. The University Secretary, Associate Professor, Francis Kasekende, says the impeachment proceedings spearheaded by the acting Guild Speaker are in total breach of the Guild Constitution.
Luswata fell out with fellow students in November last year when they accused him of alleged incompetence, arrogance, corruption, greed and ego-centrism. Led by Wilberforce Otim, the students also accused Luwasta of embezzling Shillings 20 million meant for the Guild council; another Shillings 3.8 million meant for Health Service Delivery and failure to settle grievances among students.
The student attempts to hold a Guild parliamentary session to impeach the guild president were blocked by security and University management on grounds that accused hadn’t been given a fair hearing. As a result, the University Council sitting resolved on November 7th 2019 that the guild president be served with summons to appear before the student’s Parliament in accordance with the guild constitution.
Council also resolved that the President prepares a written defense and submit it to the guild parliament after five days and directed the Guild Parliament to respect the Guild Constitution. Subsequently, the Guild speaker impeached the guild president on the same date and presided over the swearing in of his Vice Guild President, Joyce Mary Ikiring as substantive Guild President.
The Nkumba University Guild Constitution stipulates that for a Guild President’s impeachment to be successful, the students’ electorate must vote the guild president out of office. This means that the university must have organised a fresh general election for a new guild president, in case one is impeached two months before his/her tenure ends.
In the Executive Meeting of Council sitting on January 23, 2020, members noted that whereas the first instruction of council was followed, the guild speaker threw away the University Council guidelines and impeached the guild president without following procedure.
“In that respect, going ahead to swear in a new person as the new Guild President was a nullity. Therefore, your purported swearing in of a new Guild President cannot be sustained as it was also conducted in breach of the Guild Constitution,” says Associate Professor Kasekende in his January 27th correspondence to the Guild Speaker.
He adds that; “The Executive Committee of Council hence stresses; that H.E. Luswata Byron Expedito is the Guild President of Nkumba University until a new Guild Government is elected.” Dr. Kasekende further stresses that Nkumba University is a chartered institution whole core business is learning.
He argues that its council is committed to maintaining a peaceful learning environment for all its students. Dr. Kasekende has warned the guild parliament and all members of the Student’s Guild to refrain from any further unlawful acts that may threaten the peace at university.
“Any student implicated in any such offending activities shall be immediately suspended pending the sitting of the Student Affairs Committee to answer disciplinary charges that shall be considered against him or her,” says Associate Professor Kasekende.
Luswata welcomed the guidance from the council in an interview with URN this morning, saying he was uncertain of the motives behind the speaker and the guild parliament.
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