In another historic victory, Ruth Ajiambo has been elected as the Guild President of Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Jinja Campus.
Ruth Ajiambo polled 307 votes beating her sole male rival, who walked home with a paltry 184 votes to become the second female student to take on the juicy guild presidency.
In her maiden interview, Ajiambo, who is in her early 30s, outlined her vision for a campus where every student feels represented, supported, and empowered.
Ajiambo’s campaign promise of unity, progress, and inclusive leadership resonated with students, who overwhelmingly supported her bid for the top guild seat.
“…this victory is not mine alone, it belongs to every student who believed in our vision…,” she said.
The second-year student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in human resource management has identified three key priorities for her term in office namely strengthening academic support and career development programs, enhancing student welfare, and promoting inclusive campus life.
“…we will establish a Guild Advisory Council to ensure all students’ voices are heard and represented…,” she explained.
To address the concerns of different student groups, Ruth Ajiambo says she plans to designate guild liaisons and host regular town halls and feedback forums.
“…we will work tirelessly to ensure every student feels heard and supported,” she assured.
Ruth Ajiambo also outlined plans to enhance campus life, including expanding extracurricular activities, sports, and cultural events.
“…my administration will partner with organizations to bring more sponsorship and recognition to our campus events…,” she said.
To maintain open communication with students, Ruth Ajiambo plans to introduce a monthly digital newsletter, create active social media updates, and host regular live Question &Answer sessions.
“…my leadership will also have a digital suggestion box and periodic surveys to ensure students can provide feedback and suggestions…,” she added.
Ruth Ajiambo acknowledges limited resources and communication gaps between students and administration as key challenges.
“…we will work on building stronger collaborations with campus leadership to increase transparency and prioritize student concerns…,” she says.
Ajiambo clad in green is a staunch supporter of the Uganda Youth Democrat (UYD)the youth wing of the oldest political party the Democratic Party (DP)led by the Constitutional and Justice Affairs Minister Hon Norbert Mao whom she cites as a role model along with long-serving politician Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga currently serving as Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister/EAC Affairs Minister.
In her free time, Ruth Ajiambo says she enjoys listening to pop music, travelling, adventures and cooking
When it comes to food, the girl from Busia has a soft spot for traditional Ugandan dishes.
Ruth Ajiambo’s favourite meals include boiled yams(mayuni) with goat stew, crushed groundnuts(binyewa) with smoked fish, and boiled sweet potatoes called emboli in Lusoga or lumonde in Luganda.
These dishes, Ajiambo says, remind her of home and bring joy.
With her vision, leadership style, and commitment to serving the student body, Ajiambo is poised to make a positive impact on MUBS Jinja Campus.
“…I believe in teamwork, shared goals, and transparent communication,” she said, adding, “…together, we can achieve great things…”
As Ruth Ajiambo begins her term, students are optimistic about the future of MUBS Jinja Campus.
“…We look forward to working with her to build a brighter, more inclusive campus community…,” said some of the students who talked to Watchdog Uganda.
It should be noted that Ruth Ajiambo’s election as guild president of MUBS Jinja campus follows closely after Rose Nabwire’s historic victory as the 28th Guild President of MUBS Main Campus, becoming the first female to hold the position.
What is remarkable is that both Ajiambo and Nabwire hail from the same district highlighting a strong moment for female leadership in Uganda’s universities and country as a whole.
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