Campaigns are in high gear at Nakulabye based UMCAT school of Journalism and Mass Communication ahead of this years Guild elections slated for 20 July.
Three Candidates ;Thembo Johnson , Ronald Mukasa and Naiga Harriet are aspiring to take up the School’s top Guild presidential seat.
During the general Campaigns event in the School Main hall , this Writer who was in attendance noticed that a lady believed to be from Ronald Mukasa’s team was distributing sweets to attendees asking them to vote for her Candidate.
” Hi, how are you- Please Vote for Mukasa Ronald” the lady appeared before me and said with a Smile beaming on her face as she grabbed my hand only to fold two sweets in my left palm.
She went desk to desk doing the same thing, One student was Overheard saying ” As I have not got Sweets, Who is distributing them ?
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Joweria Nassaka, a first year student at the institution , says she was also given two sweets but states that her vote cannot be bought with Just sweets or any other hand outs.
” I am not a Kindergarten Pupil, Giving me sweets undermines my integrity- I will vote for a Candidate with a satisfying Manifesto not one who gave me Money or anything ” She added.
She went on to fault the weakness of the Schools Electoral Commission saying their are no significant regulations against voter bribery.
The Electoral Commission Chairperson , Hussein Musisi dismissed Joweria’s remarks that there no rules in Place against Campaign misconduct.
“According to the electoral laws, a Candidate involved in any form of Campaign misconduct faces the axe if found guilty, The body investigates matters of misconduct or Complaints presented to us and we make decisions accordingly ” he said.
He added that the Electoral body has not received any written complaints regarding Voter bribery.
Story by Ronald Twine
