In a surprising political development, James Churchill Ssentamu, the recently elected 91st guild president of Makerere University and nephew to opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), has met with President Yoweri Museveni. The meeting, which included Ssentamu’s newly appointed cabinet, has raised eyebrows given the sharp political divide between the President and Ssentamu’s family.
Ssentamu, who is the son of Fred Nyanzi—the National Unity Platform’s head of mobilization and a vocal critic of Museveni’s administration—secured his position at Uganda’s oldest university with 3,459 votes. His victory came after a competitive race against John Bosco Rukundo of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), who garnered 3,267 votes.
What makes this meeting particularly notable is the political context: Ssentamu’s uncle, Bobi Wine, has been President Museveni’s most prominent political challenger in recent years, with their rivalry defining much of Uganda’s contemporary political landscape. Fred Nyanzi, Ssentamu’s father, has consistently opposed Museveni’s leadership through his work with NUP.
The young guild president had previously faced challenges within his family’s political party when he lost the NUP nomination to Ismaili Basalirwa, who placed third in the guild election with 3,126 votes. Ssentamu’s decision to run as an independent candidate created tension within certain NUP circles.
As Ssentamu succeeds Vincent Lubega Nsamba, he brings his political pedigree to the university’s highest student office, where he also serves as secretary of the Baganda Nkobazambogo Students Association. His meeting with President Museveni suggests a potentially pragmatic approach to leadership, despite family ties to the opposition.
Ssentamu’s administration faces significant challenges at Makerere, including addressing rising tuition fees and defending academic freedom—issues he highlighted during his campaign. As guild president, he will lead the students’ guild, head the guild cabinet, and represent student interests on the University Council.
