By Samantha Mwesigye
As our term of office draws to a close, I find myself returning often to Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” This verse has guided me through a journey filled with lessons, stretching moments, and victories that remind me leadership is not about perfection, but about faithfulness, courage, and service. This year has shaped me more deeply than I imagined, and as I look back, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and to grow.
When we took office in November 2024, we committed to a four-point program: tuition, student life, security, and accountability. By January 2025, after appointing our ministers and various office bearers, we began to work as one team, united by a shared promise to make our government the most impactful yet. Looking back, I can confidently say: Tusonge Mbele has not just been a slogan — it has been our reality.
As part of our commitment to student security, we initiated the Guild Lighting Project, aimed at installing lights in dark and unsafe road sections used by students. We successfully secured lighting for the stretch from Ankrah Hill to Bugujju, with contributions from both the university administration and generous donors. While installation is still underway, we expect the lights to be fully up by Christmas, another step toward ensuring that every student feels safe moving around campus.
One of the initiatives closest to my heart is the fully funded Presidential Scholarship, launched last semester to support students struggling with tuition. The first beneficiaries received relief that allowed them to focus on their studies, and we continue to explore how this support can be sustained in the future. This programme reflects our core conviction that financial barriers should not silence a student’s dream.
Our commitment to student life delivered some of the most memorable moments on campus this year. We hosted two excellent Freshers’ Days in a row, each marked by a sense of excitement, community, and excellence also showing what we had done for student life as we provided a safe environment for students to get away from books. And of course, both of them lit up the sky — literally — with fireworks that welcomed new students in a way UCU won’t soon forget.
Our Cultural Gala remains one of the defining highlights of the year. It was a powerful reminder of the beauty, diversity, and creativity within our student community. It showed us what happens when identity, culture, and talent come together.
Digitally, we pushed boundaries. Our 100-day accountability campaign on X kept students informed about our work from the very beginning, increasing transparency and engagement in ways we had never seen before. This grew our X and WhatsApp Channel numbers significantly. In addition, our new Guild TikTok page surpassed 2,000 followers within just a few months, showing how much students desire active, open communication from their leaders.
None of these milestones would have been possible without the dedicated team behind me. I am deeply grateful to Prime Minister Thomas Mugisha, whose steadiness, wisdom, and commitment have been central to our success. Each ministry and office carried out its mandate with excellence, and I celebrate them all.
We also faced shortcomings—moments that tested us, sharpened us, and made us better. I embrace those lessons because they strengthened both me and the government I had the honour to lead.
As we prepare to hand over, I do so with pride and gratitude. We served. We delivered. We grew. And above all, we proved that with God on our side. Tusonge Mbele.
Samantha Mwesigye
President of the 26th Guild Government
