By Editorial
The recently conducted vetting process for the DUSA Council and Congress aspirants has sparked debates over the inclusion of the outgoing council members. Article 8 of the student constitution gives a clear indication that the Electoral Commission shall conduct all activities related or incidental to an election.
The participation of the incumbent council led by Aloys Otieno raises fundamental constitutional questions, placing ECD’s eligibility and competence under scrutiny. Aloys was accompanied by two of his colleagues- Arnold Bazenge and Jonah Karanja in what presidential candidate Ian Agina termed as unfair during an interview with Involvement Newspaper.
Provisions in the constitution allow a sitting council to only participate in appointing members of the ECD, after which it resumes its official duties for the remainder of its term. Having been dormant in student affairs for over a year, the council’s sudden interest in the elections raises eyebrows.
Having chosen an electoral commission to conduct the process, it is time for the council to sit back and let it perform its duties. Let the events that led to the cancellation of the 2019 election not be repeated. Students trust the people you put in place to lead them to a new dawn- prove to them that you made the right choice.
These being the first elections since the incorporation of the new constitution, they act as a litmus test for the commission, with fair representation and equality of vote highly expected. Students expect nothing short of this- neither do we.
The commission should uphold its mandate as stipulated in the constitution, and ensure that the forthcoming elections are conducted without interference from anyone not part of it- be it students, faculty or administration.