Makerere Starts Consultations on Guild Constitution Review

Makerere University Student's Guild Constitutional Review Commission has invited students to submit their proposals in writing suggesting amendments to the guild constitution. The Commission chairperson Muhammed Kiggundu invited the students to submit their views in a September 21st, 2022 letter.

“The purpose of this communication is to inform our fellow students that the Commission has already embarked on its assignment and made very good progress with the review of all necessary documents,' part of the letter reads. It adds "As part of the process, the commission shall consult with the students and various stakeholders to inform the ongoing review process as established laws and guidelines." 

This comes at a time when a group of students led by the former Makerere University Guild President Shamim Nambassa has already filed a lawsuit in the High Court contesting the ongoing constitutional review process. 

The applicants want the high court to issue an interim order stopping the exercise, saying that it is illegal and contrary to the 1995 Ugandan constitution, the University and other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001, and the Makerere University Guild constitution. Nambassa told URN that the constitutional amendment can only take place with the approval of 2/3 of the Guild Representatives Council, which didn't happen.

//Cue in: According to our …   

Cue out: … in court today.”//  

Kelvin Luyombya, another student also told URN that the time given to students will not be enough for them to submit their proposals. “Once again Makerere students have been slapped in the face with the impunity of the CRC requesting to physically meet students while most of the students are off campus. It's further disappointing that students have only been given two days out of the 30 days to present their views”, he said.

Background

In July this year, the Makerere University council resolved to halt the 88th guild elections and suspended all activities of the senior common room, caretaker government, and guild leadership structure after the chaotic campaigns that resulted in the death of Bewotti Batungura, a student from Uganda Christian University.

The Council later resolved to form a constitutional Review Commission to review the Guild constitution before restoring the Guild leadership. The commission was supposed to be elected by students through universal suffrage at every college, and hall of residence. It had to include representatives from each of the collage, halls of residence, Jinja and Mbale Campuses, and disabled students.