By Samuel Owino
The ECD (Electoral Commission of Daystar) has announced the date 23rd January 2024 for the voting of the draft constitution.
In a statement issued by the ECD to the students via emails, the body states that the voting will be conducted online on Microsoft Outlook.
“To ensure a smooth and transparent electoral process, guidelines, code of conduct, and rules of voting will be communicated. This will be, strictly, an online voting conducted on Microsoft Outlook. Familiarize yourself with these materials, ensuring you are well informed and confident in exercising your right to vote.”
The constitution being voted for has new changes that the Review Committee, given suggestions, decided to change a little under the Deputy President’s office. The draft constitution was announced on 15th December last semester.
A few notable changes have been noticed in the new constitution including raising the GPA requirements for anyone who wants to vie for any electoral seat and the election period to be held in the September semester instead of the normal January semester.
The GPA requirements, stated under Article 37 chapter 6, under qualification for elections suggest that one, among other requirements, has to have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 to be eligible for election.
Another major change in the constitution is the change of the election period from the January semester to the September semester. This is given under Article 61 part one which states that a transitional committee that will take over from the current government shall govern the school from the end of term of the current government in the third week of April to the thirteenth week of September 2024.
The Constitution Review Committee comments on the dates and says that it was a typo. The committee acknowledges the error in the said dates and promises to make changes to the dates.
“That will be corrected, we acknowledge the mistake there. However, I want to state that the University Act does not allow for the extension of tenure.” Noella, the Constitution Review Committee communication officer states.
The transitional committee shall consist of fourteen members. Seven members represent each office of the council and seven members represent each school.
The committee will be formed by the senate headed by the Dean of Students and employing applications open to all students.
The qualifications for application are one has to be in session during the May semester and one has to have served only one term in DUSA (Daystar University Students Association). Other requirements are the general requirements for one to vie for a seat in the association.
Some students have not been happy with the draft constitution specifically, the push of elections from the January semester to September semester, and Lewis Sekento has been rallying students to vote no and to oppose “unfair review.” Lewis Sekento is a student in the School of Business and is the lead in the opposition of the proposed draft constitution under the platform O.U.R (Oppose Unfair Review)
“This is all about the constitution, this is what all the future leaders will want,” Lewis says. He also says that it is impractical to have the elections and graduation in one September semester, the two are important to have them in one semester.