Nambassa defied odds to become Mak guild president
Being a guild president of a premier institution like Makerere has never been an easy walk for the girl child. In fact, out of the 87 guild leaders the institution has had, only five have been female with the first being Norah Njuba in 1987.
When the 87th guild race had just begun, Nambassa Shamim had been perceived to be an underdog despite holding the National Unity Platform party flag. Many had already stereotyped that by the virtue of her being a woman, she would not achieve much from her efforts. However, she beat all odds and massively trounced her would be competitors.
“I thank all the students for voting wisely. We are here to serve the students because they believed in us,” the university’s fifth female guild president said as she vowed to stay on course to champion student representation at the Hill.
The 23-year-old student that wrote history by being a female guild president at a time when the university marks 100 years in existence.
Beginning her political career as a head girl at Nabisunsa Girls’ School in her ‘A’ level, Nambassa says that she never imagined that at some point she would lead the ivory tower.
At university, she kick started her leadership ambition by running for GRC health sciences a docket from which she was scooped for a cabinet appointment as minister of Academic Affairs in the previous cabinet. It is from this ministry that she based to warm up for the topmost seat of guild president.
Nambassa strongly believed that as the 87th guild president she would work on the health services, advocate for the removal of the 15% tuition policy and to put the authorities under pressure to renovate the halls of residence.
She contested on NUP ticket and won the guild presidency election with 5610 votes (or about 54%), beating 9 other male contestants.
Speaking on the task ahead of her as a youth leader after her victory, Nambassa said she plans to task government to rectify the damages inflicted by COVID-19 pandemic.
Nambassa who has defied odds and gender definitions of society, her life as a leader from students and youth politics at village level to mainstream key decision-making processes right from her teen years to-date. Pushing forward the values and principles that stand for equality-equity for all.
Nambassa Shamim, 23, is a born of Kamuli-Nkwizi village in Kanyangeya parish in Kasese district in Rwenzori sub-region.
She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy in her fourth academic year. She went to Parental Care Primary School in Kasese for her Primary Leaving Examination where she excelled and joined the renowned Nabisunsa Girls for both O and A level. It is from here that she joined Makerere University.
