Did the speaker force a legislator out of the august house?

MAKERERE - Law School Guild Representative Councilor (GRC) has expressed her frustration with the conduct of the guild speaker, the reason she says she resigned fomr her position. Marion Kirabo says that the Speaker frustrated any constitutional or democratic process in the house during the debate on the 15% fees increment proposal.

Kirabo, a third year Bachelor of Law student resigned as a legislator last week after falling out with the guild speaker, Isaac Kwagala.

In her resignation letter dated 28^th August 2018, Kirabo said she was surprised by the conudtc of the Speaker. “I rarely questioned his guidance as he had manifested an incorruptible persona with students best interest at heart,” Kirabo told students at a panel discussion at the Main Hall.

She faults the speaker for treating the Guild Council with disrespect following his decision to bypass the house. This was after the speaker handed over the seven member committee report, which recommended tuition raise to the University Council instead of the Guild Council that gave them the mandate.

The two Law School representatives to the 84^th Guild Council were both appointed members to the seven member committee that recommended 15% cumulative tuition raise, effective academic year 2018/2019, after benchmarking in Nairobi. Kirabo said that “although I supported the new policy, the students had to be consulted and the report had to be debated but the speaker failed to convene the house.”

The former legislator also alleged that the house speaker arm twisted votes, to favor his personal interest, on whether to discuss the spate of suspension of students from the University or to pass the new budget. She maintains that the suspensions were an urgent matter. It was as a result of the students’ dissatisfaction with new tuition policy ‘which we were responsible for and the speaker had no right to overrule the house and overlook the matter."

Elvis Lubanga, a fellow house representative called her resignation unfortunate. He narrated another incident where a member of the gallery pelted a clay mug at the speaker during a house debate. It missed the speaker but didn’t spare his deputy. He agreed that “the students leadership is compromised and under threat, but students must have hope on few leaders they can trust.”

“I voted for Kirabo and I have a lot of faith in her leadership; she is young, passionate and ambitious,” said Emmanuel Wakooba, a Bachelor of Law student. He added that “I respect her decision to step down and we will continue to give her support as her electorate.”

When contacted for a comment about the allegations, the Speaker said “about her resignation, I decline to comment. I am sorry I can’t help you with your course assignment story.”

Attempts to reach to Makerere University Electoral Commission were futile. However Agasha Joan, the Speaker of Law School said that when a position falls vacant, it is within the constitution to hold a by-election.