James Churchill Ssentamu, Makerere University Guild President, addressed the press on Friday, rejecting calls from the public and his family to apologize and resign after his public engagement with President Yoweri Museveni. Churchill, son of opposition NUP national mobilizer Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu, faced significant backlash, particularly from NUP supporters, for posing for a photo with Museveni. Critics accused him of betraying his family’s political stance, given his father’s connection to NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi.
At the press conference, Churchill clarified that he could not follow his father’s advice due to their differing roles and work environments. He emphasized that his father’s position as NUP national mobilizer does not make him an advisor to the guild president. Churchill acknowledged his family’s firm stand against oppression but maintained that the circulated photos should not be seen as a betrayal. Instead, he described them as a result of balancing personal beliefs with his public responsibilities, which he pursued independently.
Churchill further explained that posing for photos with Museveni was part of his official duties as guild president, representing over 45,000 students during Innovation Week. He urged Ugandans to embrace tolerance for diversity and accused opportunists of using the photos to spread falsehoods and stir division among his family and students. As guild president, he noted that Makerere, a public institution, positions Museveni as a high-ranking visitor above the chancellor and university council chairperson.
Churchill stressed that engaging with the president is part of his duty to hold leaders accountable, both as a citizen and guild president. He argued that shirking these responsibilities would make him a populist rather than an effective leader. While acknowledging the pain caused by the ruling government’s actions, he noted that his role often requires sharing workspaces with government officials. Churchill urged the public not to judge his family, particularly his father, for his actions as guild president.
