Four Makerere University students have summoned the University Council to court over suspension of the guild elections.
The four students including Shamim Nambassa, Lawel Muhwezi, Kelvin Luyombya, and Muzafaluh Kabuulwa have charged the university on its decision to halt the guild leadership elections.
In July, this year, the University council suspended the students guild and indefinitely deferred elections for the university’s 88th guild president after Betungura Bewatte, a student of Uganda Christian University (UCU) was stabbed to death in a campaign clash between student supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) and that of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
In a letter addressed to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe and copied to the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, her deputy Thomas Tayebwa and the First Lady, Janet Museveni who doubles as the Minister of Education and Sports, Ms Lorna Magara said the elections for the 88th Makerere university students’ guild leadership were suspended indefinitely due to the violent scenes that erupted during the campaign rallies.
The University Council then explained the standstill was done because they needed adequate space and time for investigations concerning the death of the student.
“Makerere university council is appalled by the violent events that have characterized the electoral campaigns for the 88th Students Guild leadership, which resulted in the loss of the life of one of the young people participating in the campaign activities. Management and the Council have repeatedly engaged the Student leaders at the Guild and SCR levels to address the violent behaviour, but the engagements have not yielded any improvements,” Ms. Magara said.
The wake of events however, the students have filed a case at the High Court Civil Division and want the Court to declare that the suspension of guild elections, students’ guild, care taker government and the senior common room was illegal, contrary with the 1995 Constitution, the University and other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001, and the Makerere University Guild constitution as amended.
Others who have been sued include the University Council Chairperson Lorna Magara and the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
Last month, Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe suspended Lumumba Hall speaker Namwoza for holding an ”illegal” online meeting which was attended by former Guild aspirants, intended to push the reinstatement of the Guild leadership.
The students also want the court to declare the decision by the Vice-chancellor to suspend student, Suleiman Namwoza illegal and unfair and consequently release an order quashing the suspension. They also want a permanent injunction restraining the respondents from enforcing the impugned suspension orders.