Africa-Press – Uganda. Tanzania’s former President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has cautioned university students about the danger of party politics in institutions of higher learning.
Addressing students during the inaugural Guild Leaders’ Summit at Makerere University on April 15, Mr Kikwete, who was chief guest, said party politics at learning institutions may not be ideal.
“Well, countries are different. We have had that experience in Tanzania but the problem we had was now even lecturers became political activists. They come to the classrooms dressed in party uniforms, we thought this was just a bit too far. So, we said okay fine, the students are free to be members of the political parties of their choice but they will not organise [them] at the university,” he said.
He added: “All political parties [can] be allowed to establish branches outside and they will do their political activities outside. If you make this university [Makerere] a bedrock of political activity, I am sure you may even choose lecturers [saying]: ‘this one is not from our party [and] we don’t want him and the lecturer can also say that this one is a cadre of Bobi Wine (alias Robert Kyagulanyi, the leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party), he will fail this exam.”
Mr Kikwete’s statements were prompted by an earlier panel discussion of former student leaders who discussed the issue of having political parties at universities.
Last year, Makerere University banned party politics at the institution.
Former Guild President Anna Adeke said: “Enabling students to identify themselves with political parties whose values they consider important to them is very critical. It is such a transitional stage for them. In no time, they will be out there in the world and will need to easily transition into these political parties and national politics as a whole.”
Ms Adeke is the Soroti Woman Woman Member of Parliament.
Ms Prisca Amongin Nangiro, a former guild president at Uganda Christian University (UCU), said the institution has no party politics as per the University Charter and all aspirants contest as independents.
“Some candidates may lean [to a certain political party] but if you get discovered, it is a crime,” she said.
In an interview, former Makerere University guild president Ivan Bwowe said while it is true that academic institutions should prioritise education, universities train students in public service, political leadership, and judiciary
“Therefore space should be created within the education structure and without impeding the major goal of obtaining academic qualifications to make sure that we have a proper citizen being churned out by the university,” Mr Bwowe said.
In a speech read for him by Vice President Jessica Alupo, President Museveni said he was one of the pioneers of student leadership in East Africa.
“I started working on changing the people around me, changing Uganda through the student movement, and in 1968, our student group visited the liberated areas of Mozambique while still a university student. Our student groups in the mid-1960s triggered the resistance against sectarian politics. Therefore I recognised the importance of student leadership, however, it must be anchored on correct ideas by making a correct diagnosis of the problems of society and how to solve these problems,” Mr Museveni said.
European Union (EU) Ambassador Jan Sadek said they are committed to empowering youth, offering them opportunities and supporting them as key drivers of change.
The Executive Director of the Guild President Leadership Academy (GPLA), Mr Masesa Demiano, said the summit intended to bring together previous and recent learners of higher institutions to re-ignite civic participation and contribute to the strengthening of the country’s democracy.
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