Professor Eli Katunguka the University Vice Chancellor has made it clear that only photographs of aspiring candidates that will bear no symbols shall be used on ballot papers.
“I wish to reaffirm the university management position by stating that no candidate will be allowed to use political party or pressure group symbols on the ballot papers for guild presidential and guild representative council elections 2020” Katunguka says.
Katunguka says this has been the university policy since its inception and the same is clearly reflected under Regulation 22 of the Election Regulation and guidelines of 2020/2021 issued by the office of the chairperson of Kyambogo Electoral Commission 2020/2021.
He requested all the aspiring candidates to submit their photographs without political party or pressure group symbols by 10 am Monday 16th march 16, 2020.
Vice Chancellor says that failure to do this will leave the university with no choice but to print the ballot papers without their photographs.
Axam Ssembatya, the chairman electoral commission says that following the banning of symbols, all candidates should abide by the law and act accordingly.
He says that he is going through hard times since he continue to get intimidation messages from some university administrators which the electorate has to know about for transparency since he represent you in this position.
Trust Nduwayo Mugisha, one of the presidential candidate says there are some students, who will just come to vote symbols, and logos and when they fail to get them on ballot papers, they will get confused and end up voting a person they never planned to vote for.
Jameson Bagonza a Kyambogo university student says that banning symbols will make students get hard time in finding out their candidates since some of the students are always not around when candidates are campaigning, and they will only come to vote and minus symbols, such a student will even fail know who is who easily.
Tumusiime Vicent Kyambogo University second year student says that banning symbols in University elections will weaken leadership and this might lead to under performance and that it infringe on the students’ rights.
He says that political parties have a special way how they bring light in university politics because it attracts the outside political figures which makes politics in university fan.
This is not the first time universities banning political parties, in 2016, Bishop Stuart University (BSU) banned political party activities at the institution.
The University vice chancellor, Prof Mauda Kamatenesi, speaking at the swearing-in of the new students Guild council, warned that party politics were against the values of the institution.
“I stand to remind you again of the mission, vision and values of this University that include being non-partisan. You are all requested not to bring political party politics in this University as any such groups are violating what we stand for,” said Prof Kamatenesi.
