By Isaac Akugizibwe

KIU, Main Campus-KIU Guild Union Parliament's immediate past speaker is leaving the prestigious position when he is a totally changed young man. Ivan Kazoora has himself admitted that among others, the greatest achievement during his term of office was Mindset Change.

Kazoora also a former member of parliament representing the school of mathematics and computing took over from Angela Mbabazi who had served as Guild Speaker from December 2020 to April 2022.

He was a simple common student but with big dreams when he took over the speakership of this University's students' think tank in April 2022. After serving for one year, he's seen a complete transformation from his former self.

"Serving as Guild Union speaker has really changed my life so much. I must admit that I've learnt a lot most especially in administration. I now know how systems work, I know how to do things the right way," a jovial Kazoora narrates.

"By the time I entered this office, I knew very little about leadership but all this has turned around. It has also taught me survival and adjustment skills and I can now work in any environment no matter the conditions," he adds.

While serving as Guild Union speaker, Ivan Kazoora has also been exposed to different environments, ideologies, and People as well as leadership trainings which turned him into a total quality person capable of anything anywhere in the world.

"One of the greatest events I attended was the African Youth Symposium organized by the African Union. I met youths from several African Countries, made friends and that added a lot to my social capital.

That's one of the activities but there were so many others that I wouldn't have attended as a mere student. So being a Guild Union speaker changed a lot in my life," he explains.

During his term, he worked so hard to transform students as well. Through organizing different workshops, trainings and camps, Kazoora and his Guild Union compatriots were able to influence change of mindset among several students who looked at life differently. To him, this was the greatest achievement of his reign.

"We have ensured that all student change their mindset through a number of programs where we partnered with very commendable organizations and initiatives. One of the key partners we had was the Institute for National Transformation Uganda," he said.

Kazoora feels he gave his best while in charge of the Guild Union Parliament and that those things that he did not manage were issues that could only be handled by the administration. With one semester to complete his first degree, he will soon be out there in looking to make ends meet.

But he is confident that the contacts and the name he has made for himself will bail him out immediately after he graduates from KIU.

"I will not stop here, I have big plans after graduation and now because of my connections as Guild Speaker, I am assured of something that can get bread to my table after my studies," he assures.

Kazoora's transformational leadership gained him trust from both the students and the administration and will forever be remembered and his connections with resourceful people out there will surely be key in his next agenda.