By Timothy Okurut
Eunice Nantongo Wangabira was announced winner in the tightly contested race for the Law Society seat. Wangabira got 561 votes against her opponent, John Albert Muwanika who got 424 votes. The other winners were Allan Ninsiima who is now the new Speaker, Olga Chantal Mugenyi who is the Organising Secretary, Denis Amanya who is the General Secretary, Patience Babirye Bahati who is who is Finance Secretary, and George Kalule who is Academic Affairs Secretary.
An earlier opinion poll run by UCU Focus TV indicated that Muwanika was the favourite to win the seat leading the polls by 52%. During the Launchpad debate two days before voting day, Wangabira pushed through to speak amidst loud chants from Muwanika’s supporters that erupted momentarily during the debate.
However, the tide turned, with Wangabira managing to secure the victory. Speaking after the announcement of the results, the jovial Wangabira expressed her gratitude to the students for supporting her. “I would like to thank all the students who have entrusted me with the capacity to represent them.” She further went on to pledge her commitment to serve the students in the School of Law relentlessly. “My promise is that we have the agenda 2025 to fulfill and it’s something I’m going to fight for till I leave office,” she said.
The voter turnout had many students participating largely at the presidential level and absconding from casting votes in the other positions. Nonetheless, the Law Society Electoral Chairperson Andrew Marvin Kinobere who also served as the day’s returning officer branded the vote as successful in view of the number of students who were on semester. “We had about 35% turn up to vote, which is a good number considering the number of those who are on semester,” he said. He also affirmed the credibility of the vote disregarding the probability of an electoral petition. “We have delivered a free, fair and clean election, the candidates as per now seem to be content with the results.”
He defended the success of the various candidates saying everyone who was declared winner won with more than 50% of the votes cast. “The students made their voices heard and we don’t expect any form of appeal whatsoever against the election.”
Wangabira’s presidency breaks a three year stretch that saw the society’s highest seat being taken by men.
