Makerere University student leaders made a bold step in the fight against corruption as they launched a national student-led initiative aimed at helping in corruption reduction in Uganda. This launch was led by the 90th Guild President of Makerere, Vincent Lubega Nsamba, at the Anti-Corruption Dialogue, held at Makerere University on September 13, 2024.
Themed “Universities Without Walls: Revolutionising University Institutions as the Engine for Transformational Sustainability, the event brought prominent figures headed by Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke, the head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, who was the chief guest. He called on students to reflect on their role in fighting corruption before blaming the government.
“As much as you blame the government, what have you done to ensure that corruption is fought? Each one of us has a role to play,” said Brig. Gen. Isoke. He called for students to have an analytical way of studying policies, rather than just criticizing without action taken.
Col. Edith Nakalema, the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit, praised the organizers of the dialogue and commended the participants for being actively involved in discussions that help shape the future of the country.
The Vice-Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, thanked the students’ guild for resuscitating Makerere guild dialogues. He promised to support further discussions on such critical national issues, saying that Makerere University was far from being a “glorified secondary school” as some critics have claimed, citing the institution’s involvement in developing electric cars as a sign of its progress.
This dialogue came at a time when Uganda was experiencing waves of anti-corruption protests, something that underlined the gravity of handling graft right from the grassroots to higher echelons of society.
