Nkumba University just concluded it’s guild elections with the Electoral Commission (EC) chairman Patrick Iparat Nkumba declaring Amagule Sunday, an independent candidate as the next guild president of the University.
Amagule Sunday who happens to be a third year Law student won the elections with 378 votes with only 74 votes separating him from the first runner up Opira Michael. Isaac Muhwezi, the former prime minister came in the third position with 79 votes followed by Faruku Mubiru of People Power with 37 and Paddy Lwazi with only 08 in the fourth and fifth position respectively.
Unlike in other private and public universities where people power have of late taken the bull by it’s horns and have been winning in most elections, People Power candidate of Nkumba Faruku Mubiru with 37 votes miserably lost in the elections coming in the fourth position.
It is evident that Faruku failed because he did not vigoroulsy campaign. People power candidates normally get endorsement from the people power leaders like Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi and his team. At Nkumba, no people power person from above was even present at the nominations neither at any time during the campaigns.
Another reason could be that the past people power candidate Byron Luswata, who happens to be the immediate past Guild President of Nkumba University did not leave a good image. During his reign as guild president, he was chased out of Campus after students ganged up against him. Luswata had been accused of incompetency and bad leadership.
The students also accused him of betraying the “student cause” after he signed into operation a policy to ensure that every student possesses an ‘authority card’ in order to be able to access university premises. Apparently, all the previous guild presidents had refused to sign it into operation but Luswata signed it and it took effect on October 22nd.
All these past acts by the people power president turnished the name of the cult at the University. It seems Nkumba University students are tired of people power candidates for now.
One last reason we shouldn’t forget is how the security forces have been treating and handling people power activities of late. Nkumba students feared for their lives had they voted a people power candidate or had he taken a lead in the elections, chaos could have erupted and students flogged by security operatives.
Private Universities are also slowly withdrawing their hand towards people power candidates. It seems few want to associate with the group wearing red berrets lest they are man handled by security forces.
