MUST electoral commission suspends guild swearing-in
Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) guild president-elect Bill Clinton Nasasira.
What you need to know:
- Ms Katushabe was dissatisfied with how the election process was handled and consequently petitioned the dean of students claiming that her victory was stolen.
Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) Electoral Commission has suspended guild swearing-in and appointment of guild secretaries following Jeema’s election petition.
Last Friday, MUST students went to the polls for the guild president and National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Bill Clinton Nasasira was declared the winner with 945 votes followed by Justice Forum’s (Jeema Party) Moreen Katushabe with 785 votes.
Ms Katushabe was dissatisfied with how the election process was handled and consequently petitioned the dean of students claiming that her victory was stolen.
“We experienced the most undeserving electoral process in the history of the university. It was marred with malpractice such as rigging, bribery, intimidation, obstruction of our agents, violence, multiple voting and unregistered students casting votes, and multiple breach of the constitution and electoral guidelines,” Ms Katushabe said after filing her petition on Monday.
She added: “After a thorough consultation from my supporters, my campaign team, agents, party and a legal team in accordance with article 9, we have decided to challenge the election results which have no basis and do not represent the will of Mustarians.”
Following her petition, the dean of students Mr Emmanuel Kyagaba tasked the MUST electoral commission on Tuesday to give her response within three days which prompted the xommission to postpone swearing-in of the guild president which was slated for Friday.
“The electoral commission hereby suspends the ratification of ministers that was due to take place on Wednesday, October 5 2022, pending the conclusion and outcome from the Guild President Petition,” the notice released by the University Electoral commission on Tuesday evening reads.
Whereas the swearing-in of the Guild President was postponed, the Electoral commission insisted on electing guild speaker.
“The election of guild speaker and Deputy Guild Speaker will take place as earlier planned,” the statement reads.
The university Electoral Commission Vice Chairperson Dennis Arikiriza insists that the process was peaceful, free and fair and transparent despite the petition.
"The election process was completely free and fair, those who are raising alarm are propagandists who are seeking useless relevance. The transparency portrayed in those elections was top notch," he said.
