KAMPALA — Three leading presidential candidates in the Makerere University guild elections have jointly decided to boycott a Zoom presidential debate hastily organised by the beleaguered Jackson Twijukye-led guild electoral commission, calling the debate “an absurdity bordering on madness” after all serious candidates were victimized, suppressed and subjected to a campaign of defamation.
In a joint statement, Miss Judith Nalukwago, Mr Joseph Tumusiime aka Big Jose, and Mr Joshua Mutabarura urged Makerereans to stay away from the Zoom debate scheduled for 5pm this evening in protest, accusing the guild electoral commission and acting dean of students of preventing “any fair competition”.
“It is not right for us to participate in matters that have become an absurdity bordering on madness and are, in fact, contempt of court,” said Ms Judith Nalukwago, a medical student who on Friday, 30 April, obtained a court order blocking the university from cancelling her candidacy.
“Save your data,” said Mr Joseph Tumusiime, a social sciences student.
“Tune in to Galaxy FM’s _Firestorm Kikankane_ Makerere Guild Presidential Debate this Sunday from 6pm to 8pm.”
Mr Joshua Mutabarura, a law student, called for unity against what he termed as the guild electoral commission’s “illegalities” and “spinelessness.”
“The EC is being used to abuse the rule of law and democracy, which is a shame. We must resist their spinelessness and illegalities,” said Mr Mutabarura.
The guild electoral commission on Saturday, 1 May 2021, dubiously published an expanded list of guild presidential candidates including four new entrants of unknown backgrounds, while blacklisting the already well-known trio of Ms Nalukwago, Mr Tumusiime and Mr Mutabarura who are holders of genuine certificates of academic standing previously issued by academic registrar.
