Makerere University council recently recommended a guild constitutional review, citing loopholes in the existing constitution.
Among the loopholes was lack of a governance statute for students’ associations, external influence, monetization of politics and presence of unchecked brigades among others.
In order to review the constitution, students were required to vote for representatives to constitute the constitution review committee.
However, some students have since then distanced themselves from amending the guild constitution -including the self installed students committee.
These have justified this act with excuses that the amendment will promote continuity of the 15% tuition policy, and also turn lucrative for a few.
Whoever the beneficiary is, the constitutional review seems to be a cat-mice battle for supremacy.
‘When the cat is away the mice will play’ is an adage befitting this political mishap.
Due to absence of a guild cabinet, the Makerere University council has taken up measures as it pleases to solve this political crisis.
Among the measures, is (obviously) the need for students involvement in decision making thus need for a student based constitution review committee.
What beats my understanding, however, is how the existing self installed students committee is tarnishing this process.
This committee believes that it can broker better resolutions; but the voted committee will be corrupted to pass laws in favour of the administration.
Despite having tabled all areas that need redress, these fill – minus room for trial, that the voted committee will betray students.
Over the past few days, attacks have been made on those that applied to participate in the constitution review committee election.
With the latest being on some polling assistants that were attacked and forced to let go of ballots that had already been casted.
These were attacked on August 26th, 2022 during the election of the students select committee.
Lest we forget that violent attacks were primarily the reason elections and the students guild were suspended.
Maybe the university administrators have their own intentions, but we can not be sure if the ‘concerned few’ have none.
If it is not for fear of missing out, why would the existing committee find it wrong to vote a constitution review committee, but right to be the sole brokers for better resolutions.
