Makerere students set up parallel guild

Makerere University students have set up a parallel guild executive after disagreeing over the leadership strategy of the current guild president, Mr Ivan Kata.
The newly-elected 31-member committee is headed by Geoffrey Kasumba as the new guild president and Pamella Amollo as vice president.

It also has Mr Paul Kinyera as the prime minister and Derick Orishaba as minister in-charge of off campus affairs. Earlier on Thursday, the students led by Mr Gilbert Atuhaire, a third year student of Law, demonstrated over what they called abuse of office by the guild president and petitioned Prof John Ddumba Ssentamu, the University vice-chancellor, to suspend Mr Kata. 

The demonstration was contained after the police was called in to calm the sitiuation.
The two-page petition outlines six reasons including the unexplained closure of the guild president’s office for eight weeks, misuse of the guild president’s car, and failure to attend to students’ demands including the death of five students at the university over the last two months.

Other accusations include Mr Kata’s approval of the 60 per cent tuition policy, without consulting the students, and misuse of more than Shs90 million without giving accountability.

Under the 60 per cent tuition policy, students are required to pay 60 per cent of the tuition at the beginning of the semester and 100 per cent by the sixth week of the semester.

Mr Martin Lukanga, a third year student of social sciences, blames Kata for endorsing the 60 per cent policy without consulting the students.
He added that the guild president is even not affected by the policy because he is a government-sponsored student.

Mr Winston Nsibirwa, a resident of Michel Hall, says the move to set up a parallel executive is aimed at restoring order in the students’ administration at the university.
When URN visited the guild offices, they were closed and efforts to speak to Mr Kata were futile.

But Lewis David, the guild speaker, said he is aware of the dissatisfaction of some of the students. However, he noted that their concerns can still be tabled and debated other than disrupting the environment at a time students are busy revising for end of semester examination scheduled for next week.

But in a one-page statement, Mr Cyriaco Kabagambe, the dean of students, warned students against the abuse of the university guild. According to Mr Kabagambe, the parallel guild executive is not known by the university administration.

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