Kyambogo bosses and students clash over guild polls

The Kyambogo University Guild elections have reached an impasse after the university administration announced that elections will not be held this year.

The decision was taken following chaos that disrupted the electoral process, prompting Vice Chancellor Prof. Eli Katunguka to form a committee to review electoral procedures and policies.

According to Prof. Katunguka, the committee, led by Dean of Students Bridget Mugume, will investigate the recent events, make recommendations and help determine the next steps for the university. A provisional government has now been installed to regulate student affairs, a decision that has met with resistance from students.

“We have suspended the elections until further notice. We have set up a committee to investigate and give us information on what actually happened, the conduct of the Electoral Commission and the appointment of an interim government, and these will be headed by the Dean of Students,” Prof. Katunguka explained.

The Vice Chancellor cited the need to ensure peace in the university as the reason for canceling the elections.

“The management took this decision to ensure that there is peace in the university, because these elections went haywire, they were infiltrated by different political parties, and their camps fought, and students were injured. One lost an eye, and the other is still succumbing,” said Prof. Katunguka.

Students protested against the management’s decision and marched to the university’s Senate building after Prof. Katunguka suspended elections on October 25. Fourteen students were arrested during the protest but later released.

The cancellation of the Guild elections stemmed from the establishment of the Guild Electoral Commission by the Guild President and Guild Representative Council on September 2, 2024. However, internal conflicts, resignations and disqualifications led to management canceling the elections.

The students are demanding that the elections go ahead while the management remains steadfast in ensuring peace and resolving pending issues, including a lawsuit filed by a disqualified candidate.

The university’s election committee had released a list of nine presidential candidates, including Humphrey Mugalya of the National Unity Platform, Thomas Rwantozi of the National Resistance Movement and Timothy Mwesigwa Ntale of the Uganda People’s Congress.

However, three candidates were disqualified, sparking controversy. One disqualified candidate has filed a lawsuit, which is pending a decision.

The cancellation of the Guild elections creates a threat of uncertainty at the university. The students’ protests and the management’s stand have created a deadlock, with no clear solution in sight.