By Muduku Derrick Brian
How often is the campaign manager for a defeated candidate offered a top position with the winner? Rarely.
But that’s what happened to Kivuna Jonathan Ahurira when the aspirant he directed lost the race for Uganda Christian University (UCU) Guild President.
“I was home after a long day’s work when I got a surprise call from the victor, Racheal Sserwadda, informing me of her intention to appoint me Vice President,” he said. “I felt surprised but joyful.”
Ahurira, a UCU student working toward a Bachelor of Business Administration, gave Sserwadda, a Law student, the greenlight, but it was not over yet. He had to go through another hurdle of being vetted by the UCU Guild Parliament – where a vast majority seconded the appointment.
As expected, many in Ahurira’s camp in the campaign to elect Ayebare Phillip Bravo saw this move to support a rival as betrayal. In fact, some said Ahurira disengaged with the campaign team when he sensed a loss looming.
But Ahurira disagrees, noting, “I endured and stayed in spite of some disagreements in the strategies to use during campaigns.”
Ahurira noted that during the campaigns, he worked tirelessly because he also saw Ayebare’s contest as an opportunity the candidate presented for him (Ahurira) to serve as a student leader.
“My strong footprint, values, and willingness to serve the students at UCU spoke for itself, even to the rival camp,” he explains.
But what gave Sserwadda the confidence to have trust in someone who was in a rival camp?
“Ahurira created a healthy competition during the campaigns,” she said, noting that her deputy’s “respectable character” pushed her to choose him.
“Ahurira has a great virtue of servanthood, which is one of the main pillars of UCU,” Sserwadda said. “He was among the first people to call and congratulate me upon becoming Guild President, in spite of the fact that we were in rival camps. That was admirable.”
Sserwadda’s victory in the elections held on November 24, 2021, entered her into the annals of UCU as the institution’s third female Guild President in its 25 years of existence. Blessed Murungi was the first female Guild President in 2014. Two years later, in 2016, the institution got another female Guild President in Prisca Amongin.
Ayebare, who lost to Sserwadda, said the university is in “safe hands” with Ahurira as the Vice Guild President.
“His inclusive nature will be of great need,” Ayebare said. “He does not make a decision without consulting people.”
Ahurira expects to build on the leadership experience he has garnered as a class leader at UCU for two years as he takes the mantle of guild government leadership. He says UCU has taught him “the virtues of humility and being a good listener.”
It is not just at UCU where Ahurira has garnered experience in leadership. While in primary school at Molly Integrated Primary School in western Uganda, he was elected Head Boy and, later, as health prefect in secondary school at St. Joseph’s Namagunga Secondary School in central Uganda.
A Guild Vice President stands in for the Guild President where need be and also oversees all student social clubs and associations within the university.
When not in politics, Ahurira is a Christian music minister whose face is not hard to catch during worship services at UCU’s Nkoyoyo Hall. He is a vocalist in Mustard Seed choir in the university.
“I like prayer and I put God first in every task that I undertake,” he said. “The [Christian] environment at UCU makes it even easier for me to pray as I go about my work.”
Ahurira is a son of Ngwendere Colleb and Ishokye Faith. The couple lives in Kiruhura district, western Uganda.
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