In a debate organized by African Youth Leadership Forum (AYLF), UCU presented two candidates, Prisca Amongin (from the business faculty), and Maureen Akatukunda (from the Law faculty) for the guild presidential debate scheduled for candidates to woo their supporters with a political jargon.
The debate was intended to cover 7 areas inquiring into the candidates’ knowledge of the constitution of Uganda and the guild; current affairs; plans regarding inter-university relations; students’ welfare; projects, initiatives and legacies they had regarding the campaign; and questions regarding their personalities. The candidates delivered on a number of questions to the expectation of the judges.
Akatukunda summed up her arguments in three principles that she presented for her campaign. “I intend to deliver with integrity, Transparency and Accountability…” she said.
Amongin on the other hand summed her campaigns in six principles derived from the name ‘PRISCA’ “Promotion of the student welfare; Restructuring student policies; Infrastructural development; Security for the students; Campus promotion; and Accountability”
When asked how they will juggle between academics and leadership, “I will ask for help from the students with academics as I guide them through leadership” said Akatukunda.
Amongin offered to delegate her responsibilities. “Using team work, I will make sure I delegate some of my responsibilities so as to find time for my books.”
The candidates did not however satisfy the supporters who kept on booing any time their opposite candidate stood up to the pulpit to answer the judges’ questions. Students blew vuvuzelas; whistled; and screamed as loud as they could the names of the two candidates “Maureen” and “Amongin” throughout the debate.
Chaos intensified and supporters from both camps engaged themselves in fist fights, beat each other with sticks, threw stones and chairs at each other and wrapped campaign posters around the faces of their adversaries. The security at the event could not control the students as they simply went along with the chaos and found a camp to back.
The candidates were later returned to answer the remaining questions after things calmed down.
Tribalism has been cited as one of the reasons students will not vote a particular candidate. There is bias among the students towards particular tribes that are dominating UCU politics.
One student when asked who she supported simply said. “We are tired of the ‘shees’ (a popular description for people from western Uganda) dominating different positions in the guild. I am voting Prisca,” he screamed.
Quoting from chapter 3, article 9 of the guild constitution on equality of tribes and races, both candidates promised not to judge anyone because of their skin complexions, or tribal backgrounds and to freely interact with everyone.
There was debate within the supporters about the dominance of lawyers at the University. Bitterness and scorn was invoked from the students when a one presidential candidate, Maureen, a law student, cited from a number of Ugandan constitutional provisions to back her argument. “Booooo…” was the reaction she received from the students during the length of the response. “Does she have to rub the constitution in our faces” they said.
At the end of event, a number of students confessed to having changed sides after being disappointed by the way their candidates answered the questions.
Election dates have been drawn closer. There will be elections next week on 2nd November a shift from the intended 8th as indicated by the election guidelines.
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