Lapyem garnered 1,201 votes, while his closest rival Peter Gordon Ekebu came a distant second garnering 649 votes. Davis Mark Mazina garnered 288 votes while Henry Jumba trailed with 240 votes.
Thomas Lapyem Awany, a third-year
Law student has been elected as the new Gulu University Guild President.
Lapyem was declared winner of the
hotly contested guild presidential election at about 10:55 Pm Thursday night defeating
three other contenders.
Lapyem garnered 1,201 votes, while his closes rival Peter
Gordon Ekebu garnered 649 votes. Davis Mark Mazina however garnered 288 votes
while Henry Jumba trailed in the election with 240 votes.
Jackson Ashaaka, the Gulu
University returning Officer told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that the
elections were free and fair.
“The process went on well
starting at 8 am and ended successfully by 6 pm, there was no case of
malpractice and the turn-up of voters was fairly ok,” Ashaaka told URN in a
telephone interview.
Lapyem now replaces Herbert Ayiko
as the 20th University Guild president. He told URN in an interview on Friday
that he was excited to have been entrusted by the students to take up the mantle
of the Gulu University Guild president.
Lapyem says he will use his
position to lobby for a University teaching Hospital to help the community and
students in getting better medical treatment. He adds that they plan to have a
constitution that is student-centered, to help advocate for policies that support
the students.
//cue in: “there are pertinent…//
Cue out:… to students problems.”//
Lapyem lost his first bid for the
student’s top leadership position at the University last year after being
defeated by Ayiko. Ayiko at the time garnered 607 votes while Lapyem polled 399
votes.
Meanwhile, yesterday’s election
also saw new women and private sponsored representatives elected.
Winnie Brenda Atim and Desire
Ainebyoona were elected as women representatives while Ronald Opiyo and Fred
Komakech got elected as the representatives of the privately sponsored students.
