Edward Agaba, a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil and Building Engineering student, was officially sworn in as the 22nd Guild President of Kyambogo University on Thursday, May 29, 2026 — but it was an initiative at the same ceremony that may prove to be the more lasting legacy of the day.
For the first time in Kyambogo University’s history, a Braille Guild Constitution was launched — a document that allows visually impaired students to independently read, understand, and interpret the rules that govern their student government. In a university where the Guild Representative Council member representing students with disabilities is totally blind, the timing of the launch was not incidental. It was overdue.
The swearing-in was presided over by Counsel Isaac Ssekabanja, an experienced legal practitioner, at a ceremony that also included the handover of the 21st Guild Cabinet and the Electoral Commission’s final report on the 2026 guild elections.
Electoral Commission Chairperson Atime Brian — a finalist pursuing a Bachelor of Arts with Education — presented the electoral report to formally close out the 22nd Guild election cycle.
The roadmap had been launched on April 13, 2026. The students’ register was displayed from April 20–27. Voting took place on Friday, May 8 — conducted entirely electronically, following Kyambogo University’s transition to a fully electronic voting system after a review of the guild constitution.
Edward Agaba emerged as the winner from a six-candidate field, campaigning under the slogan “Sanitising the System.” He beat five other candidates including Gregory Michael Edigu, Adrian Ssenabulya, Sharon Nuwahereza, James Okello, and Faikah Ibanda.
The following leaders were sworn in at Thursday’s ceremony:
Agaba Edward — Guild President Amutuhaire Claire — Vice Guild President Nahwera Immaculate — Prime Minister Abel Jacob — Deputy Prime Minister
Guild Cabinet Ministers are appointed by the Guild President.
Outgoing Guild President Emmanuel Andama used his farewell remarks to reflect honestly on a tenure that began under unusual circumstances — he took over following the suspension of the former Guild President — and ended with the university stable and a peaceful electoral transition completed.
“Thanked students for entrusting him with leadership after taking over office following the suspension of the former Guild President,” he noted, acknowledging a starting point that carried its own complications.
Andama was candid about the challenges his cabinet faced, acknowledging that not all student issues were resolved — and formally forwarding those unresolved matters to the incoming cabinet. He had one piece of advice for Agaba: remain yourself, and understand that student leadership is fundamentally about presenting students’ concerns to administration for consideration, not about wielding power.
The University Secretary, Arthur Katongole Salongo, echoed that framing, commending the outgoing cabinet specifically for maintaining stability and avoiding strikes — a benchmark that reflects how much of campus governance is measured in what does not happen, not just what does.
The new Guild President kept his inaugural remarks focused and forward-looking. He pledged to continue from where the outgoing cabinet stopped, to work closely with university administration for the betterment of students, and to rely on the guidance of his predecessor as his tenure develops.
He also expressed confidence in the cabinet members he has selected — a team he said he believes in to deliver on the promise of the “Sanitising the System” campaign.
The launch of the Braille Guild Constitution, presided over by Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Justus Kwetegyeka representing the Vice Chancellor, was described as a first for Kyambogo University — and it deserves more attention than a footnote.
A student government constitution is the foundational document of campus democracy. It defines rights, structures, processes, and accountability mechanisms. For years, that document has existed in a form that a blind student simply cannot independently access or interpret without assistance from a sighted person.
The GRC member representing students with disabilities at Kyambogo is totally blind. That a document governing their representation has now been made accessible to them in Braille is both a practical tool and a symbolic statement about whose inclusion the university takes seriously.
The initiative is expected to improve representation and service delivery for students with special needs going forward — and sets a precedent that other Ugandan universities would do well to follow.
