BY OUR REPORTER
As Team George seeks a second term in Makerere University’s student leadership, the key question is simple: what practical improvements will students actually experience? A second term is a chance to build on past work, finish what remains undone, and show clear accountability.
Academic Welfare and Student Success
Students need timely release of examination results and clear communication on academic policies. The leadership should follow up on missing marks, retakes, appeals and graduation clearance, and engage management on lecture timetables, learning materials, library services and internet access. A reliable channel for reporting academic grievances and tracking their resolution would make a real difference.
Accommodation and Campus Infrastructure
Safe, affordable accommodation remains a pressing concern. Priorities include water supply, sanitation, lighting, waste management and accessible facilities, as well as hostel safety, overcrowding and maintenance. Problems affecting students with disabilities also need better reporting.
Recent Guild reporting from September 2026 highlights feeding costs, accommodation allowances and shortages of residential space as concerns raised by student leaders. The university says its nine main-campus undergraduate halls house about 4,400 students, roughly 10% of the undergraduate population. The remaining majority depend on private hostels, which makes inspections, safety and decent living conditions an important advocacy area.
Financial Welfare and Cost of Living
The leadership should push for transparent tuition payment arrangements and timely notice of financial deadlines. It should also strengthen referrals for students in hardship, raise concerns about the cost of meals, transport and learning materials, and engage the relevant offices on scholarships and financial aid.
Digital Services and Administrative Efficiency
Reliable campus Wi-Fi and accessible digital learning platforms are now basic needs. The team should press for clearer communication on registration, fees, results and graduation, set up a digital complaints and feedback system, and track delayed responses and administrative bottlenecks.
Health, Mental Wellness and Safety
Priorities here are access to health services and confidential psychosocial support, firm action against sexual harassment, bullying and gender-based violence, and better awareness of reporting channels. Concerns about campus security, emergency response and safe movement around campus also deserve attention.
Employment, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Students need stronger career guidance, internships and employer networking. The team can connect them to research, innovation and start-up support, and encourage skills training, mentorship and alumni engagement, ensuring these opportunities reach all disciplines and not just a few faculties.
Accountability and Inclusive Representation
Leadership credibility depends on openness. The team should publish regular updates on promises made, actions taken and matters pending, hold open forums across colleges and halls, and keep transparent records of student funds, subject to applicable rules. Women, students with disabilities, international students and those facing financial strain must all have accessible channels to raise concerns.
A Practical Implementation Plan
First 30 days: audit and listen. Review the previous manifesto, identify unfinished commitments and explain delays, and gather concerns through forums and a simple digital survey.
Days 31 to 90: deliver early results. Publish a student welfare action plan, assign each priority to a responsible Guild official, and open a complaints tracker alongside formal engagement with university offices.
Every semester: measure and report. Publish progress reports showing completed, ongoing and delayed commitments, hold accountability forums, and document management responses and next steps.
Conclusion: Continue, Complete, Introduce
A strong second term rests on three categories: continue what is working, complete unfinished first-term commitments, and introduce new initiatives that answer emerging needs. The team should also be honest about what the Guild can deliver directly, what needs university approval, and what requires government intervention. Since the Guild exists to link students with the administration, structured engagement and consistent follow-through are the clearest measures of its value.