KAMPALA – Makerere University Convocation will this Friday elect a new executive Committee to run the affairs of the cluster for the next four years at an exercise to be staged at the Auditorium of the Yusuf Lule, Central Teaching Facility, starting at 9:00 am. However, the new leaders will to wait in assuming office up April, 2023.
Dr Tanga Odoi – the current chair of the Convocation, confirmed on Thursday. Makerere University Convocation is an association of alumni and current staff of the University.
The association derives its legal mandate from the Universities and other tertiary institutions Act (as amended 2003).
“The current executive’s term, which I head, expires on April 2, 2023. We are doing an early election to make sure that we induct people who are coming in; we help them gain foot,” said Odoi.
Odoi explained that while the current executive was elected in December 2018 – it assumed office on April 2, 2019 – hence their tenure.
The Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act (2001, as amended in 2006) establishes Convocation in every university. Article 70 (1) of the law says: “There shall be a Convocation of the University, which shall consist of the graduates of the University and members of staff and such other persons as the University Council may authorise.”
Article 70 (2) also says: “The Convocation shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be conferred on it by the statutes and in particular may meet and discuss any matter within the sphere of competence of the University and transmit recommendations arising out of such discussions to the University Council.”
The Convocation has different elective positions including, the Chairperson, Vice, Executive Secretary (automatic), Treasurer, Publicity Secretary, and seven Committee Members. Read; Gudelines-and-Roadmap-Mak-Convocation-Elections-Dec2022 here
Eight people have already expressed interest in the top position of the Convocation and campaigns have been on-going.
These interested in replacing Tanga Odoi include among others; the former Makerere University Police commander, Jackson Mucunguzi, journalist Charles Odongtho, and former MP Gerald Karuhanga.
Others are; Ezra Byakutangaaza, Daniel Bateeze, George Baryamureeba Mugabi, Henry Kisekka and Dr Anthony Tibingina.
It’s the first time in the Convocation’s history that a contestation for the election of its leaders has attracted a big turn-up. A quick survey around the campus reveals how interested candidates for the different positions were campaigning through the traditional pasting of posters.
But the University academic Registrar Prof Buyinza Mukadasi, who is the Executive Secretary of the Convocation, and returning officer, revealed that the election has been competitive even before.
Buyinza told the pining of posters around the University campus was an informal exercise because contestants would only be nominated at the annual General Meeting scheduled for December 30.
Buyinza said his duty was confined within the supervisory roles of the election exercise, delivering the results to the current chairperson of the Convocation as opposed to determining when the new office bearers would be confirmed.
