Having longed to be a guild president, this was a dream come true for him. With a race filled with so much uncertainty and anxiety, he could not help but wonder what the odds would be. They turned out to be in his favor. Tiffany Uwimana from The Legacy had a chance to sit down with him and hear the story of his experience as he ran for the top student leadership position at Makerere University.
Q: Congratulations upon your victory in this race, one that was quite unpredictable.
A: Thank you. I can agree that it left me on edge during the race— the vote counting right through to after the results were announced. I won by 27 votes which was a marginal win but I thank God for enabling me to emerge at the top.
Q: The readers would like to know who you are, the course you study, the hall of attachment and any other interesting facts about you.
A: I am Robert Maseruka, a third year student offering a Bachelor of Journalism and Communication. I am attached to Nkrumah hall. (Note from the editor: Non-residents at Makerere University are allocated halls of residence to which they are “attached”). Before I ran for the guild race, I anchored news at Ndejje University TV for the Live at 8 news bulletin and hosted a youth political news programme show called Open Bar in my free time. I was tapping into my passion for broadcast that is deep-rooted but when time came for me to run for the guild presidency, I had to unfortunately put a stop to it.
Q: That is interesting! What drove you to run for the election? Are there any previous leadership positions you held?
A: I have always had a passion for leadership and always felt like it was my calling. When I joined the university in my first year, I was nominated Class Coordinator and that began my path of leadership. After that, I was the GRC representative for the School of Languages, Literature and Communication and here we are now.
Q: Why the pro rata government?
During the campaigns, it stood out as it was part of my manifesto and I chose to call my government that because I want the students to be involved and to feel included in everything we do as a cabinet.
The Guild President, Robert Maseruka being sworn in at the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium on 24 April 2023
Q: There have been questions raised as to how you managed to get into the race at the last minute, almost two weeks to election time. What do you have to say about that?
A: That is a misconception that many people had but I was in the race right from the beginning. I had always wanted to run under the National Unity Platform party, however, when we [Nattabi Margaret, Luyombya Kelvin and Robert Maseruka] went for the primaries, I did not make it as the flag bearer. Nattabi Margaret did. That did not deter me from achieving my dream so I ran as an independent. When Nattabi was disqualified, she and Luyombya both endorsed me and I am grateful for the massive support I gained from them. Thereafter, I set out to work harder than ever to prove to the students as to why I felt I was viable for the position.
Q: How did you manage to pull that off and maneuver through the new dynamics of the online campaigns and elections era? Were there any challenges faced and if so, what were they?
A: I must point out that with every policy, there is an upside and downside as is the case with the online campaigning system. It is cost-friendly, however, it creates a detachment between the candidate and the students. When it came to the election day, there were various technical difficulties where the system did not allow many students to vote. This brought about uncertainty among the students, and one of the candidates, Oremo Hillary, filed a petition. But I am glad that that was ironed out and here we are.
Q: Speaking of the petition that sparked so many speculations in regards to how unfair the system was, how was the whole issue concluded?
A: The petition was by Oremo Hillary Odwe who lost by 27 votes, but it was later thrown out because the issues that were presented were not valid as every candidate had experienced the same challenges. However, I must point out that I did not look at it as a loss for him but rather a win for the Department of Journalism and Communication that raised close to 5,000 votes. Hillary is also a student in the Department of Journalism and Communication. That showed how strong we are as a department.
Q: Currently, there are many grievances among the students of the university, including over the government students’ allowances, that were finally released. What are some of the other issues you feel need to be addressed and the measures you plan to put in place?
A: As the 89th Guild we are aware of the various grievances that the students face and even though most of the emphasis may seem like it is on the government students, the private students are very much thought of. In a bid to reach out to them, we are planning to start a Guild Trust Fund that is meant to reach out to the private students that are struggling with tuition. We plan to reach out to the alumni and several other people who can make this attainable, and create awareness of this project so that it can impact many students who can benefit from it.
Q: What is the future of Makerere politics?
A: I hope to see many more students participating and taking on more leadership roles because from here, a foundation is laid that could set a pace for one’s future endeavors. It is also my plea that the university can gradually revert to the physical campaigns and elections as it is a more reliable way for the leaders to connect with the voters. Currently, students vote for people whose posters make the most rounds, or based on the aesthetic of the poster.
Q: How do you think the university can adjust to the changes that have come with the 21st century to make student life easier and the environment more favorable?
A: I acknowledge that the university is doing its best. However, they should put more emphasis on practicals for some courses like engineering. On many occasions, people have graduated when they are not confident and when they get onto the job-seeking scene, they cannot execute to the maximum.
Q: Any final words to the students?
A: I am here to serve them wholly and I implore them to cooperate fully on where it is needed and to always forward issues to us where they are aggrieved. They should focus and work hard in all their ventures so that they can emerge the best, yet again raising Makerere high.
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