By Edgar Mwine
Twitter: @mwineedgar
The 25th Annual National Council Meeting of the Uganda National Students Association (UNSA) that started on Tuesday 28th Jan 2014 was concluded of Friday 31st Jan 2014 with the Election of the new National Executive. This Meeting was this year hosted and partially Facilitated by The Management of St. Augustine International University in Bunga, Kampala.
Nominations
UCU’s Former Guild president Wabwire Emmanuel was fronted by the former Prime Minister’s ADC Katabazi Emmanuel while Lt Col Henry Matsiko was behind the candidature of Yesero Kunya Allan (UTAMU). Mbale RDC and UNSA Alumnus Hussein Matanda backed up his son Matanda Abubaker (Guild President IUIU Mbale) while BSU Guild President Mugabe Samson Jotham had the backing of an undisclosed official in the UPDF. It is also reported that Nkumba Guild President Itangishaka Habert was out going NRM leaning UNSA President Kayihura Felix’s favourite. Only Otto Wilson (Kyambogo Course Coordinator) individually offered himself for the job.
These clashing interests of NRM big guys was so disastrous to the election process with each camp accusing the others of voter bribery, intimidation, fake delegates and harbouring intentions to rig the election. The election which was earlier scheduled for Thursday afternoon was postponed to Friday Morning to give time to the organizers to clean up the register and weed out the ghost delegates.
Controversies
The Candidature of Yesero Kunya Allan was initially contested on grounds that he represented an online University with no Students’ Guild. Wabwire Emmanuel was also not a member of the Students’ Guild of UCU Mukono but a Former Guild President of the same institution. But they successfully defended themselves and their candidature was accepted with little satisfaction from the majority delegates.
Elections Results
Matanda Abubaker (IUIU, Mbale) beat 5 others to the Presidency with 85 votes. Wabwire Emmanuel (UCU) was second with 55 votes followed by Yesero Kunya Allan (UTAMU) with 31, Mugabe Samson Jotham (BSU) with 30, Otto Wilson (Kyambogo) with 25 while Itangishaka Habert (Nkumba) got only 12 Votes.
Abubaker Matanda, President elect, UNSA and IUIU Guild President
MUK Guild President Adeke Anna Ebaju easily beat the men she contested against for Speakership with a 110 vote margin. With 167 votes, Anna’s strongest rival Mweteise Bright (Gulu) only managed to get 57 Votes. Others Hopkins Ivan Lubega and Mweteise Bright (SAIU) got 12 and 7 respectively.
Anna Adeke Ebaju, New Speaker, UNSA and guild president MUK
Jumba Saidi Lumanzi (UCC Kabale) is the Deputy Speaker Elect having got 127 votes while his opponents Sebunya Dan, Mukula Linda and Bulera Muzafaru only managed 54, 36 and 12 respectively.
MUBS’ Guild President Acak Pasquin beat Tugeineyo Jolan (UCC Kabale) to the post of Vice President with 128 votes to 104.
Another hotly contested position was that of Finance Secretary. MUST’s Guild President Micheal Jackson Kabushenga and two others; Gidudu John Magomu and Bagonza Moses lost out to IUIU’s Ekima Emmanuel who got 130 votes. Kabushenga got 80 votes less than the winner while Gidudu and Bagonza managed 25 and 22 respectively.
Kyambogo’s Guild President Mugabi John was also unsuccessful in his bid to take the Secretary for International Affairs Docket. He only got 91 votes, 7 less than the winner Kigundu Fatuma of IUIU Kabojja campus. The other contestant Obua Joel only got 25 Votes.
Another Kyambogo University Delegate Ataro Patience lost the bid for Secretary for Women Affairs to Namatovu Sharifah of Muteesa I Royal University who got 77 votes to 68.
The other winners were
Obita Dennis (School of Hygiene, Mbale) – Secretary for Information and Publicity
Tumusiime Brian (Nkumba) – General Secretary
Hindu Aisha (DEC, Kampala) – Assistant General Secretary
Wenani Kenneth (UCU, Mbale) – Secretary for National Affairs
Ogwal Moses (DEC, Lira) – Secretary for Inter-Schools Affairs
To the New Leaders, we wish them All the Best.
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