Kateregga Julius aka KJ, a Makerere University student currently in his second year pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Education has been the talk of town after he emerged winner of this year’s guild elections to become the university’s 85th Guild president.
However, many people have been wondering who is this 24-year old student that beat his 10 other rivals? Well… Kateregga is a son of Andrew Sserwada Kajuka and Lovinsa Nabunya, residents of Mityana District. His parents separated when he was around six years, a condition that forced him to stay with his maternal grandmother.
Kateregga attended St Mary’s primary school Kitale, Light High School Seguku , St. Marty’s High School, Katale Bunnamwaya and currently at Makerere University.
According to an interview he had with The Observer, a local newspaper, Kateregga used to hustle in the streets of Kampala, in particular at St Balikuddembe market (Owino) where he used to sell shoes at the same time pursuing his course at the state-owned university, back in 2017.
Kateregga, who competed with big political parties like FDC and NRM further narrated that it was a bit tough for him to compete, given the fact that there were two other candidates running under People Power, a pressure group led by Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine.
“Makerere University is a stronghold of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Democratic Party’s (DP) Uganda Young Democrats (UYD). Although I belonged to UYD, I had to come up with a strategy because all the candidates were good,” Kateregga said.
During his first semester at Makerere, Kateregga was named ‘chief fresher’ at the UYD Makerere chapter who later participated in a strike dubbed “injustices” by the university’s management.
“Students were always suspended for voicing their concerns. So, I remember we organised several strikes, also I was one of the members who crafted the term K’ogikwatako. I was fighting social injustices at the university and in the country,” the justice loving kateregga narrated.
The newly elected Makerere students’ leader who attained mentorship from UYD also said that he was financed by People Power during his struggle for power
“I’m indebted to UYD/DP who nurtured me through the years but I can also tell you that People Power played a big role; logistical, moral and social support. I don’t know if Bobi Wine knew this, but his team printed my posters, bought my overalls, berets, which are quite expensive…all came from the barracks.” He added.
Among the first issues Kateragga has vowed to sort include engaging with the administration to see that all students who were unfairly suspended be reinstated as he promised to take students’ concerns as first priority.
“There are students on suspension, for instance Derrick Obedgui who has been out for a year; I’m going to engage management on this. Students never engineer strikes but strikes are a result of a system breakdown, especially with matters that affect students and lecturers,” he said.
Just like Bobi Wine who announced that he’ll be running for the biggest office in the country, Kateregga has as well revealed that his political ambitions will not end at Makerere.
