Makerere guild campaigns to be reduced to 3 days, halls out of bounds

Makerere University is in advanced stages of banning students’ campaign rallies in halls of residence, Prof John Ddumba-Ssentamu, the University Vice Chancellor says.
Prof Ddumba-Ssentamu, says plans are underway to reduce the number of students' rallies for the guild elections and that the halls of residence are to be off-limits.
He said that the university management is awaiting proposals from a report by the Dean of Students concerning the recently concluded guild elections, adding that that some behaviour at rallies in halls of residence are below the university’s standards, including a lot of hooliganism.

"We need a neutral ground, like the Freedom Square, rugby grounds and the main playground. Campaigns should be held for at least three days starting with next year's," he said.
Jackson Mucunguzi, the University Chief Security Officer, also says that there is need for Makerere to re-consider tagging campaigns to the halls of residence as it increases students' indiscipline.
Mr Mucunguzi says that the student politics has over time been marred with violence, hooliganism and vandalism of property by students who he says use drugs such as marijuana, and booze during the campaigns.
In the last elections held on April 7th, Paul Kato was elected guild president with 5,205 votes after drawing the largest number from his school, the School of Education. His nearest challenger, Abdu Kareem Ziritwaula managed to poll 4,369 votes.

A day to the elections, during the final joint campaign rally, police fired teargas and live bullets to control students. The area had turned chaotic after opposition politician, Dr Kizza Besigye, found his way into the university campus. The guild election guidelines bar political leaders from outside Makerere, from directly participating in the campaigns.
Mucunguzi argues that since majority of the students do not stay in the halls of residence, there is no reason to tag rallies to the halls. He proposes that rallies be held at the colleges instead.
“We should reduce the number of campaign days; I do not see the logic of having 14 days where students only extort money from candidates. We would rather have these three days in neutral places,” he said.

Pius Nuwabiine, the Chairperson of University Hall says students from rival halls always clash for supremacy during guild elections. He says that the issue of a neutral ground would be good since it would neutralise the hall strength and provide calm and organised campaigns.
"I believe colleges would be better since some students end up not even attending any rally because they are not residents in the halls," Nuwabiine said.
Isaac Otuko, the current guild electoral commission chairperson, says that the advantages of holding rallies at halls of residence are minimal, citing only convenience.

"The option I see would be having rallies at neutral grounds but then it is also not a guarantee that violence will not be there. What we have currently is the hall rivalry between Mitchell and Lumumba halls. The rest of the halls are okay. Maybe if the two halls are sorted, then the rallies can still be maintained in halls," he says.
With its current student population standing at over 30,000, only about 3,000 are accommodated in halls. The rest of the students stay outside the university in the student hostels which keep increasing in number in Kikoni, Katanga, Nakulabye, Kavule and other suburbs neighbouring Makerere.