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Kyambogo students protest impeachment of Guild President
Soldiers patrolling the university on Thursday. URN Photos
Police on Thursday was engaged in running battles with students of Kyambogo University following the impeachment of the students Guild President Mr Jonathan Tundulu by the Guild Representative Council (GRC).
The GRC on Wednesday moved a vote of no confidence on Tundulu citing lack of leadership skills and disrespectful character.
Eighty eight Guild Representative Councilors participated in the tensed session that was supervised by Ms Mildred Tibananuka, the Kyambogo University Dean of students.
An overwhelming majority of 74 guild leaders voted in favour of the impeachment, 10 abstained from the process while 4 voted against the impeachment.
However, this did not go well with the students’ fraternity who accused the university management of conniving with external forces to remove their leader. They protested the move.
“It’s not right for them to do that, he is our president, they did not consult us as students before removing him. We want Tundulu back and that’s our stand as students,” said one of the students.
‘’If only they had actually sat down and listened to what Tundulu wants for the interest of the students, we would not have to go through all this,” another student said.
John Victor Walaka, who contended with Tundulu in the guild elections alleges that the GRCs and the guild ministers were bribed by university management to kick out the guild president because he is opposition.
Tundulu, who at the time of the demonstration was hiding in one of the students’ hostels outside the university, said he was just ambushed with an impeachment in the GRC House.
Impeached. Jonathan Tundulu commenting on the situation.
He accused the student leaders of acting out of emotions and personal gains.
Prior to his impeachment, Tundulu had on September 27 sacked his entire cabinet after ‘’their alleged failure to give accountability to respective ministries’’.
Tundulu says that his cabinet of 15 ministers had deliberately refused to write accountability reports of their respective ministries which comprised the demands of the students’ community.
“The demonstration is basically between the students and the student leaders. This kind of intimidation is unacceptable. Students have their grievances and a lot of questions which need to be answered,” Tundulu said.
However, when contacted, Professor Eli Katunguka, the university’s vice chancellor, dismissed the students’ complaints as mere allegations stating that they were getting petty.
“We shall comment on that tomorrow in a press conference but the students should stop spreading falsehoods. I am not involved in any student issues,” Professor Katunguka said.
