UNTOLD STORY! Why Makerere University’s Hadijah Mutesi will be UNSA Vice President
Hadijah Mutesi
Details have emerged as to why Students are determined to entrust Hadijah Mutesi, the 87th Guild council Representative for the School of Languages, Literature and Communication at Makerere University as the Vice President for Uganda National Students Association (UNSA) in the forthcoming elections.
UNSA is an Umbrella organization for all students in post primary institutions in Uganda and Ugandan students studying abroad. Its operations are supported by the Uganda Parliamentary Education Act 2008 Part VI Section 30.
Began her elementary education journey from less pronounced schools in Kyankwanzi district, Mutesi, never imagined she would shoot for the supreme institution of learning in the country, Makerere University.
Mutesi was admitted for a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communication program at Makerere University under the government sponsorship scheme in the 2020/21 academic year.
While at university she social networked with several of her classmates who indeed appreciated her leadership capabilities and elected her to be their GRC in the 87th guild house. In her leadership in the guild, she championed a mentor-ship program using the Female caucus where they oriented younger girls from year one and above that were passionate about leadership.
Mutesi , a third year student started her leadership journey a head girl in her Primary Six, progressed to Assistant sports prefect in her Form One, Dormitory captaining Form Two, Head Girl in Form Three and Vice President in Form Five, Deputy Speaker MAK at School of Languages Literature and communication in her year one first semester, GRC school of Languages Literature and Communication ( SLLC) in her year one second semester.
She volunteered in Abenakyo foundation, championed the construction of more halls of residence for girls at Makerere University, participated in the COVAB medicine strike that advocated for all medicine students to start earning their allowances. As a leader, she has championed the release of students marks at Makerere University, championed the support EACOP initiative, mobilized and exposed the ills of society using her social media handles like twitter which has helped students to get help for example the Karamoja hunger, forced marriages of younger girls, and so forth. She has attended policy advocacy training at Parliament where she fronted policies that uplift students.
She participated in the 2022 employment Amendment bill, attended National Youth Symposium where she presented girls who needed to be empowered into leadership space regarding their backgrounds. She moved upcountry to mobilize and made research about the challenges faced by underprivileged students and exposed them to the concerned people.
“I come from a humble background, studied in remote schools but studied hard and I was able to get a scholarship on government at Makerere University,” she says.
“So I want to be an inspirational to someone out there regardless of where they come from to keep their dreams a live,” she adds
Raised in a struggling family involved in subsistence agriculture, Hadijah was not discouraged by the harsh childhood circumstances and indeed capitalized on her low roots to hold her academics in high regard. She did her PLE at Ubaidah Islamic Primary School, advanced for UCE at Yashagaa Secondary School, before attaining UACE at the same.
Her dream to get to Makerere University was enlightened by a district quota she attained having been amongst the best performers. This is a girl who had started her journey barefooted in schools that didn’t even have electricity to enable her to do some extra late night reading. But she shot through all these tough times to pursue her dream.
During the Makerere University Guild trip to Arusha in Tanzania, she tabled peaceful conflict resolutions at the borders of East African countries.
‘’In her leadership journey, Mutesi started serving as a primary standing as the Head girl of her former school, pioneered promoting students’ talents during her secondary level and stood for the rights of fellow students’’, said one of the students.
Mutesi wants to advance her leadership to the national level. She currently eyes the Vice Presidency of the Uganda National Students Association from where she wants to act as a voice of the girl child. Given her entrenched leadership journey, odds are without doubts that she will be considered fit for the UNSA job.
Five student leaders to the District Students Council (DSC) represent each school council, which elects a District Executive Committee (DEC). There is a Coordinator at every district level and the District Education Officers are patrons at that level.
Universities and other tertiary institutions are not part of the District Students Council, but send three(3) representatives (at least one being female) direct to the National Students Council (NSC) where districts also send 3 representatives (at least one being female).
Although the National Students Council (NSC) is the supreme organ of UNSA, each of the structures is semi-autonomous and has powers in all matters within their jurisdictions. They however, report to the upper structures and seek their approval on issues outside their mandate.
The District Coordinators, National Secretariat Staff, members of the Board of Trustees and the Alumni representatives are ex-officio members of the NSC, which is the supreme organ of UNSA. The NSC elects the National Executive Committee (NEC) to oversee the running of the affairs of UNSA on its behalf.
Objectives of UNSA include; guiding and supporting all the students of Uganda in the promotion of their academic pursuits and the achievement of successful careers.
Others objects are;
To foster the mobilization of students towards matters pertaining to their welfare and national development.
To participate and seek for the preservation of Fundamental Human Rights as stipulated in the constitution of the Republic of Uganda 1995.
To promote unity and maintain cordial relationships among students and other organizations with similar objectives.
To be actively involved in the search for a relevant education system in Uganda in conjunction with the authorities concerned.
To ensure and promote mutual relationships among students and between the students, their teachers / administrators, and to negotiate with the Uganda Government on any matters concerning students generally and to establish and maintain solidarity.
To instill in the students a spirit of discipline, interest and sense of awareness in National matters, principled pride in the positive aspects of their cultural heritage and to formulate means by which students can advance this heritage.
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