Kunya, the lion roaring in the East 

By Eriah Lule 

“The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.” said Plato. A very significant quote  Kunya Dan the newly elected president of Uganda Christian University Mbale University College.

Despite his physical disability, he was able to run for the top political office at the college. Kunya aims to bridge the gap between college administration and students in order to resolve issues with blended learning, which was implemented by university administration during the post-Covid era.

“I am very eager to increase student engagement with the administration in order to build a bridge between the two parties, given the fact that I am a social worker”. Kunya said.

The 30-year-old is in his second year of a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration program. Kunya believes he will use his course to run the college student fraternity in the most creative way possible.

Gerald Wambalya, the outgoing president, stated that his administration attempted to bring the two parties, students and administration, to the same table, and that he believes they laid a very solid foundation for the new incoming government to operate on.

“I believe with collective efforts rendered the new incoming government have at least where to start from in harnessing all policies with the administration”, he said.

But who is Kunya 

born to Kunya Fred and Mukimba Rose of Namutumba district, formerly Iganga district in the eastern part of the country. Kunya is the couple’s second child, one of four children. 

Kunya is currently employed by Opportunity Bank as the Finance Inclusion Officer, where he is responsible for all formal banking clients, regardless of gender or disability. 

He was also a community-based trainer with world vision from 2018–2019. Kunya is part of the Makindye Sports Team, a Paralympic team in the capital Kampala.

Kunya plays wheelchair basketball, volleyball, and table tennis. He holds a diploma in tourism and hotel management from Muteesa 1 Royal University and a certificate from the Village Savings and Loans Association.

According to Kunya, it was the institution’s core values that attracted him to join. He is a commercial farmer with farms in both Namutumba and Namisidwa districts in the eastern part of the country.

“I deal in maize, Rice, Ground Nuts and Onions on a commercial scale”, he said.

Kunya, after his studies, thinks of specializing in the Village Savings and Loans Association as well as being an agro-entrepreneur.