The “Sanitising the System” candidate has done exactly what he promised — and the Vice Chancellor has already reached out
Edward Agaba has been elected as the 22nd Guild President of Kyambogo University, winning Thursday’s electronically conducted election and becoming the latest victory for the Uganda Young Democrats on Uganda’s campuses.
Agaba, who ran on the slogan “Sanitising the System,” campaigned on a reform platform — positioning himself as a candidate who wanted to clean up how the institution works for students. In a six-candidate race with more than 40,000 eligible voters, he managed to win the trust of his fellow students in what was Kyambogo’s latest experiment with e-voting through the university’s student portal.
Kyambogo University Vice Chancellor Prof. Eli Katunguka was among the first to formally congratulate the President-elect, sending a message that set a collaborative tone for what lies ahead.
“I congratulate the 22nd KyU Guild President elect, Mr Agaba Edward for a good campaign and for winning the trust of his fellow students,” Prof. Katunguka posted. “I also congratulate all those who won in various positions they were contesting. Management looks forward to work closely with all of you to address students issues and ensure a peaceful learning environment. Be blessed.”
Agaba’s victory came in a competitive race that featured five other candidates — Gregory Michael Edigu (“Power Back to the Students”), Adrian Ssenabulya (“Revolution of Solutions”), Sharon Nuwahereza, James Okello, and Faikah Ibanda (“Nothing About Kyambogo Without Us”). Three of the six candidates came from the same Faculty of Arts and Humanities, which created a split-vote dynamic that observers had flagged going into polling day.
In the end, Agaba’s reform message cut through the noise — and the numbers gave him the presidency.
The new Guild President walks into a role that carries real expectations. Students at Kyambogo have consistently raised concerns about tuition and fee policies, academic affairs, limited government allowances, and administration interference in student politics. Agaba made “sanitising the system” his central promise — which means the system will now be watching to see what that actually looks like in practice.
The Vice Chancellor’s message — that management looks forward to working closely with the new leadership — signals an open door. Whether Agaba walks through it on students’ terms or the administration’s will be the defining question of his tenure.
Congratulations to the 22nd Guild President of Kyambogo University.
