Drama ensued at Kyambogo University on Monday, when support staffs at the institution passed a vote of no confidence in their executive members over what they termed as "high level incompetence."
The development comes after the executive members finished just one year in office. They have been relieved of their duties and offices as per a petition signed by 115 members of the union.
Staffs gathered at Kyambogo's Main Hall West End on Monday, under their umbrella body the National Union of Educational Institutions (NUEI), and unanimously asked the executive members to relinquish their positions to pave way for fresh elections.
According to Henry Namiti the assembly chair, the decision of the assembly takes immediate effect and they are already drafting letters to cause fresh elections. They resolved to withdraw their monthly contributions to the national union unless fresh elections are held very soon.
A member of Kyambogo University NUEI identified as Henry Maxson Okello, says during their meeting of December 10, 2018 support staff expressed concern about the failure by the branch executive to hold a general assembly to update staff on the issues affecting them.
He explains that the kitchen staffs have spent more than six months since they lost their jobs to outsourcing of catering services at the university and no explanation has been made by the branch executives on their fate of Edgar Barigye, the Kyambogo University NUEI Branch Chairperson On December 16th wrote to the Chief Security Officer at the campus to halt the assembly, saying it was illegal and that the only authorized officials to call the NUEI assembly are the Chairperson, the Branch secretary, Vice Chairperson and or branch trustee.
"It was discovered that the intentions of the said meeting are not good and it may cause unrest in the University, which is a very big security threat," Barigye said in a letter. Adding that; "The purpose of this letter is to request you to intervene and prevent such illegal assembly from taking place in the University."
Okello says the letter asking the Chief Security Officer to deploy police, military and other security organs to stop their assembly is a confirmation of the arrogance by the executive members towards their electorate. He listed some of the grievances the members have against the executive leaders.
During the assembly, the staff also accused some of their leaders for refusing to relinquish their lower offices even after they were appointed and coopted into the national union secretariat.
"Three members of the executive were elected to the national union headquarters including the branch secretary but they have refused to go. This tendency is causing a lot of conflict of interest in the branch affairs," said Joshua Odoki, a member.
Pastor Michael Eladu, the union's branch representative to Kyambogo University Council, says although members have move a vote of no confidence in their leaders, they are still in office until the laid down procedures are followed to eject them from office.
