ABBO SUSAN SWEEPS MAKERERE UNIVERSITY GUILD ELECTIONS 2007/2008
MAKERERE University has voted its first female guild president after more than a decade of male dominated leadership.The victory of Democratic Party flag bearer Susan Abbo comes 12 years since Makerere last saw a female taking the top students' leadership.Ms Abbo beat 16 rivals in the election held on April 5.Ms Abbo, a third year law student polled 3,570 votes (44.14%) while the second placed Remmy Mugaga polled 2,761 votes (34.14%). In third position was Andrew Tayebwa who got 1235 (15.3%) from the 12 polling stations.Ms Abbo replaces fellow Law student and FDC diehard Gerald Karuhanga and is the third woman to win the University's top students leadership position since Sarah Kagingo who reigned in 1995 and Juliana Norah Njuba who won in 1987. Ms Violet Acumo Engeu, the flag bearer of the ruling National Resistance Movement was fourth with 149 votes, while Rashid Muhammad polled 104 and James Mugenyi 46.Releasing the election results at 9.30 pm Thursday, the Makerere Electoral Commission publicist, Eve Kakumba said the total number of votes cast were 8087 out of which 27 were invalid.
Ms Kakumba attributed the delay in releasing the results to the election exercise that ended between 6.00 and 6.15 at the various polling stations.Elections turned violent at Lumumba, Mary Stuart, CCE Complex and Africa Halls when the angry supporters of the losing candidates started throwing stones and broken bottles at election officials hence disorganising the vote counting.The supporters who were heard shouting 'plan B' (to mean chaos) started fighting each other, overpowered the unarmed police officers and blocked them from carrying the results to the guild offices where the EC had its base.According to one police officer at the scene, the rioting students shattered wind screens of the vehicles parked at Mary Stuart Hall. The act prompted the police to deploy armed personnel who shot in the air to disperse the rioting supporters at the various halls to enable the officials carry the results to the tally centre.However, Mr Mugenyi (sixth) one of the candidates who lost told Daily Monitor that he was satisfied with the results."I would be more satisfied with the winner if she incorporated our manifestos into her work plan because all of us had the vision for a better Makerere," Mr Mugenyi said.He advised Ms Abbo to ensure a violent-free Makerere, and to improve the image of the university.
Ms Kakumba attributed the delay in releasing the results to the election exercise that ended between 6.00 and 6.15 at the various polling stations.Elections turned violent at Lumumba, Mary Stuart, CCE Complex and Africa Halls when the angry supporters of the losing candidates started throwing stones and broken bottles at election officials hence disorganising the vote counting.The supporters who were heard shouting 'plan B' (to mean chaos) started fighting each other, overpowered the unarmed police officers and blocked them from carrying the results to the guild offices where the EC had its base.According to one police officer at the scene, the rioting students shattered wind screens of the vehicles parked at Mary Stuart Hall. The act prompted the police to deploy armed personnel who shot in the air to disperse the rioting supporters at the various halls to enable the officials carry the results to the tally centre.However, Mr Mugenyi (sixth) one of the candidates who lost told Daily Monitor that he was satisfied with the results."I would be more satisfied with the winner if she incorporated our manifestos into her work plan because all of us had the vision for a better Makerere," Mr Mugenyi said.He advised Ms Abbo to ensure a violent-free Makerere, and to improve the image of the university.
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