The Electoral Commission of the Uganda Christian University Law Society (UCULS) has announced Ahabwe Peter as the new president of the highly contested society elections that took place on Friday.
A total of three candidates, all third year students, Ssemwogerere Patrick, Masaba Nasur, and the winner engaged in extensive campaigns at the university a few days that preceded the elections.
The results
Ahabwe garnered 159 votes, Masaba 115 and Ssemwogerere 64 out of 408 total votes from the law faculty. Out of the 71 invalid votes, 62 could have secured a victory for the second candidate, but it seemed luck did not shine in his favour.
“These elections were free and fair,” says Bagonza Daniel, the Chairman Electoral Commission. He also observes the fact that Masaba admitted the outcome of the process and made a subsequent call to congratulate the winner upon his victory.
Some students that were present during the tallying intimated to Campus Bee that the agents of the candidates confirmed that some of their votes were invalid, and would not therefore change their minds and claim unfairness after the declaration of winner.
Presidential debate
Prior to the elections, the candidates participated in a presidential debate on Wednesday night at the university main hall that was intended to check the policies of the candidates especially regarding finances and politics within the association. The debate also gave the candidates an opportunity to express themselves and air out their manifesto to the students and persuade them to vote in their favor.
Candidate sues the electoral commission
Two days to the elections, one candidate for the post of organizing secretary, Nakibuule Joanna Olga sued the Electoral commission. She alleged irregularities in the electoral process after Nalubega Nunira Chantal, a candidate who had not applied for the petitioner’s post appeared as a contender in the race. This arose after the shortlisting was done from the vetting process. The guild tribunal however ruled in her favor.
The petition nearly put a halt to the elections. At the end of the suit, both candidates appeared unopposed in different positions, and all secured the constitutional requirement of 50% votes in their favor.
The majority of the positions in the law society elections were unopposed save for the post of the president that was contested. The majority therefore have been elected to the regime.
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