KAMPALA.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate, Ms Gracious Kadondi, has been declared the winner of the Makerere University Guild presidential race.
Kadondi’s win was welcomed with celebrations at the campus as her supporters gathered to chant, sing and wave banners following the announcement of results by the University Electoral Commission board via a virtual session.
The victory makes Kadondi the 92nd Guild President and the fifth to be elected under the university’s electronic voting system, introduced in recent years.
The race featured 13 candidates, with Gracious Kadondi (NUP) securing 6,801 votes.
Hannah Karema (IND) came in second with 5,787 votes, Peter Kyanja Claveri in the third position with 1,493, Daniel Nyaika with 1,147, Mark Nzanga with 595, Mike Mujuzi Flugensio with 408 votes, Jimmy Tebakor (NRM) with 184, Tracy Mbabazi with 148 votes, Ashraf Ssemanda with 121, Timothy Sserunkuuma with 68 votes, Jackson Lubango with 65, Timothy Bulumba with 61 votes, and Cohen Atuha with 35 votes.
For the better part of Thursday, the campus had been teeming with activity, particularly at the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility, where the virtual tally session was projected. Security personnel, including the UPDF and FFU, were stationed around the campus to maintain order.
At the NUP camp, excitement quickly built up as results started trickling in, with supporters breaking into chants and victory songs, while others waved banners in celebration of the win.
Earlier in the day, the election process kicked off smoothly across campus, with a flurry of activity as students moved up and down halls of residence and lecture areas to participate in the exercise.
Many students were seen using their mobile phones to log into the electronic voting platform, with some facing difficulties accessing the system to cast their votes. Others gathered in small groups, discussing the race and sharing views as voting progressed.
The guild race had attracted significant attention, with candidates from different political affiliations competing in what has become one of the most closely watched student elections in the country.
Moments before the announcement, Ms Kadondi pledged to prioritise reforms in the university’s electoral process, promising a return to physical campaigns and voting.
“We need a system that provides clear validation and evidence, including declaration forms, so that every candidate and voter has confidence in the outcome,” she said. She added that future elections should not only be free but also seen to be free and fair, ensuring transparency and trust in the process.