The Islamic University University in Uganda (IUIU) plans to hold elections virtually to vote for students’ leaders of the 34th Students’ Union Government.
Unlike the past guild elections where students were voting electronically whilst on campus using the E-Vote App, the proposed electronic voting will be different as students will vote from their respective homes.
The proposed new approach is being implemented due to the closure of universities in Uganda in the wake of the new wave of COVID-19 pandemic. This plan was disclosed today during a meeting Chaired by the Dean of Students (University Coordinator) Dr Sulaiti Kabali.
The process is expected to incorporate all the processes of IUIU elections. Traditionally, the IUIU voting process starts with electing the Chairperson for the Electoral Commission after being vetted thoroughly by the authorities (Shura Committee).
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission works hand in hand with the Office of the Dean of students to make sure that elections are fair and credible. The students aspiring to take positions in Islamic University Students’ Union (IUSU) Government are vetted thoroughly by the university authorities before being allowed to contest.
The vetting process involves checking their CGPA and morality among others. Some of the elective positions in the IUSU Government include Guild President, Lady Vice Guild President, and Guild Speaker.The Guild President heads the Executive of the IUSU Government while the Guild Speaker heads the Parliament of the IUSU Government. The Guild President appoints Cabinet and State/Deputy Ministers to help him run the Government.
The Guild Speaker among others chairs parliamentary sessions involving Members of Parliament (MPs) that are elected from Halls of Residence.
The current Guild President of the IUSU Government is Welunga Yusuf (3rd-year student of Bachelor of Laws) while the Guild Speaker of IUSU Government is Abdirazak Abdullah Muhammad (3rd-year student of Bachelor of Science in Environment Science). The Office of the Dean of Students will soon announce the dates for the elections.
