Gracious Kadondi has been declared the National Unity Platform (NUP) flagbearer for the upcoming 92nd guild presidential election at Makerere University after emerging victorious in the party’s internal primaries held at Makerere Kavule.
The exercise, overseen by the party’s Institutions Wing, attracted several aspirants seeking to carry the NUP ticket in one of the most closely followed student political contests at the country’s premier university.
Kadondi secured a decisive win after polling 580 votes to finish ahead of four other contenders.
Mike Mujuzi came second with 286 votes, while Daniel Nyaika garnered 261 votes. John Mubiru obtained 54 votes and Cohen Atuha trailed with 15 votes.
Lawrence Kato, who presided over the People Power guild presidential flag bearer primaries, declared Kadondi the winner after the final tally.
“Having added up the total number of votes cast, I therefore declare Gracious Kadondi who has obtained the highest number of votes,” Kato announced while releasing the results on March 9.
Kadondi is a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Optometry at the College of Health Sciences.
She has also served as the Female Guild Representative at Makerere University and has been active in several student leadership roles.
Over the years, she has served as the representative for the School of Health Sciences, Information Minister of the Optometry Students Association, and class representative for optometry students. She has also represented the College of Health Sciences in the Makerere Wezuule Initiative.
The NUP leadership welcomed the outcome of the primaries, describing the process as a demonstration of internal democracy within the party’s university structures.
NUP Secretary General Lewis Rubongoya said he was pleased to witness the exercise.
“Was pleased yesterday to witness this democratic exercise through which the Makerere University NUP Chapter elected the flag bearer for Guild President. Comrade Kadondi Gracious emerged winner. We shall be rooting for her as she faces the next challenge ahead,” Rubongoya said.
Kadondi will now carry the party’s flag into the 92nd Makerere University guild presidential race where students will elect a successor to outgoing guild president Churchill Ssentamu, who ran as an independent.
The position has in recent years been dominated by candidates aligned to the National Unity Platform.
Vincent Lubega Nsamba won the guild presidency in 2024, while Robert Maseruka held the position in 2023, both running under the NUP banner.
Before them, Lawrence Alionzi also secured the guild presidency on the same political platform, highlighting the party’s growing influence in student politics at Makerere University.
With the primaries concluded, attention now shifts to the main guild election where Kadondi will seek to extend NUP’s dominance in the leadership of the Makerere University students’ guild.