Political parties reject proposal to ban political parties from guild elections

Political Parties have rejected the proposal by the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University to ban political parties from the Guild elections.

In an interview with KFM Prof Barnabas Nawangwe yesterday called for the ban of political parties saying they breed external interference in guild elections.

The proposal followed the death of Bewatti Betungura, a 25-year old student of Uganda Christian University who was stabbed to death last week during the violent guild election campaigns at Makerere University.

The incident prompted the cancellation of the elections by the university council.

But Nawangwe’s proposal has rubbed politicians the wrong way.

The Secretary General of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Richard Todwong says the university only needs to be strict on the conduct of students during campaigns and regulate interference of outsiders.

“The Universities have been the nursery bed for nurturing future leaders and what it should do is stop foreigners from interfering with politics at campus”, Rubongoya said. 

While, David Lewis Rubongoya, the Secretary-General of the National Unity Platform (NUP) says it is wrong for the University to deny students their right to associate with a political party of their choice.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna