Makerere University Student Stabbed to Death Ahead of Friday’s Guild Elections
Uganda: Makerere University Student who has been identified as Michael Bentugura Dewate was stabbed on Thursday, July 14, and later died at around 8:30 during final political campaigns ahead of Friday’s guild elections.
Christine Juma 
Dewate was stabbed in a scuffle between supporters of warring political parties. Following his demise, the University council suspended the election of students’ guild leadership.
He was stabbed with a broken bottle during an alleged brawl between opposition party supporters, the National Unity Platform (NUP), and the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
According to the details from the eyewitnesses, a fight broke out between supporters of the NUP camp led by their guild candidate Lawrence Alionzi alias Dangote and supporters of the FDC camp led by their candidate Justus Tukamushaba after the latter attempted to force their way through the entrance to the university Rugby Grounds where the NUP candidate was holding his last rally.
Student Michael Bentugura Dewate who was stabbed to death on Thursday 14th.
"We had gathered at the Rugby Grounds to listen to Dangote when supporters of the FDC candidate tried to force their way in. They started pelting stones and broken beer bottles at us. Police intervened and fired teargas forcing students to flee. Several students, including myself, were injured.
Another eyewitness added that he saw one student emerging from the crowd to go and stab Dewate.
"This boy was in the NUP camp but he kept exchanging words with some people from the FDC camp. Someone emerged from the crowd and stabbed him with a broken bottle in the neck and disappeared into the crowd
However, Ms. Lorna Magara, the chairperson of the university council, stated in a Thursday evening letter addressed to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, and copied to the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, her deputy Thomas Tayebwa, and the First Lady, Janet Museveni, who is also the Minister of Education and Sports, among other key stakeholders, that the elections for the 88th Makerere University students' guild leadership were suspended indefinitely due to the violent.
"Makerere university council is appalled by the violent events that have characterized the electoral campaigns for the 88th Students Guild leadership, which resulted in the loss of the life of one of the young people participating in the campaign activities.
The University Management and Council have repeatedly raised concerns about the persistent cases of indiscipline and violent altercations among members of the Students Guild and the Students Senior Common Room, which often resulted in damage to University property and injury to University Students and staff. Management and the Council have repeatedly engaged the Student leaders at the Guild and SCR levels to address the violent behavior, but the engagements have not yielded any improvements,” Ms. Magara noted.
She also added that immediate investigations commence in order to comb out the culprits.
“Management shall investigate all cases of violence in the electoral campaigns for the 88th Students Guild leadership and report to the Council for appropriate action," she concluded.
