"You see Mr. Dean if you had been truthful and said the truth I know in your heart you know what is transpiring, I know if you received the money right now you are able and if you did not receive the money the future will prove. That is odd and you know Mr. Dean you seem to be implicating Makumbi alone, yet when I was in your office we spoke in English and Runyankole our language which we all understand; I complained about Arthur, Remmie, and Makumbi.” Things went out to burst between Ronald Ainebyona a student of Social Sciences at the university and the Dean of students Mr. Cyriaco Kabagambe. Ainebyona claimed to have given a 5 million bribe to Kabagambe together with the Chairman of Electoral Commission Makumbi Peter and other members of the Commission and in return, they would ensure his name appeared on the list of those vying to stand for Guild President.
“I personally gave 5.6 million to my tormentors who I have talked about.” Said, Ronald Ainebyona – Student, Makerere. According to the university electoral laws, Ainebyona did not have the requirements to stand for Guild President opting to give a bribe. “These are people who have solicited money from me and other candidates except that I am the only one that has come out publically to expose it on promises that they would process for us all the required requirements for us to be nominated as Guild Presidents.” Everything could have gone unnoticed if Ainebyona’s name was not found missing on the list of the contestants. “They had breached the contract and trust we had. As comrades in crime, I was intimidated that I would be suspended from this university.” He is later seen to have asked for a refund of his money, a process that had seemed impossible. “Before I filed this petition, I had a mediation session that included the Dean of students, the Chief Security Officer and an agent of the Internal Security Organization and we came to an amicable conclusion that they would refund my money yesterday. Yesterday I followed them up to 8 pm but to no avail.”
The Dean, however, denied bribery allegations. “The student is saying the Chairman of the Electoral Commission asked for money to bring it to me. I had no reason to ask for money because the qualifications for standing as Guild President are very clear, they are in the constitution.” When we talked to the former Chairman of the Electoral Commission who resigned last week, he denied the allegations and said Ainebyona shouldn’t implicate the Dean either the Electoral Commission because he never possessed the requirements of a Guild candidate. “In the constitution, it does not show anywhere or stipulate that the Dean should be the one to verify anyone’s academic documents neither does it mean that the Dean should influence himself in these activities.” Said, Makumbi Peter – Former Chairman, EC (Makerere University).
“I have witnesses who carried the money who was my task force members chairman and everything and we went to the Guild offices and the three people I implicate got my money physically. On top of that; he is running away where is he going?” Said, Ainebyona. “I want to show you this document that it was the Academic Registrar who was verifying and if you verified Ainebyona who brought to me this document as verified to run as Guild candidate 2018/2019 with a signature of the Academic Registrar and the stamp; this document is forged according to the results we got from the Academic Registrar.” Said, Makumbi. “Here I have Makumbi that we should meet and conclude everything, what was he concluding?” Said, Ainebyona.
Makerere University management postponed Guild President Elections that were scheduled for Friday, March 6, 2018, over anticipated election violence. Corruption continues to haunt the walls of the oldest institution with some of the staff members alleged to be part of these corruption scandals. But the question is, will Makerere University ever regain its glory?
