Students’ Union REMO Officer Resigns

Current LUSU REMO Officer, Max Kafula, has announced that will be stepping down from his position.

Kafula took to his social media to inform the student body of his decision to resign, effective 27th of May 2022.

Max Kafula was originally voted in as BME PTO in March 2020.

Max explains in his statement that since his initial election, he has implemented reforms to alter his title and role to what it is now the Racial and Ethnic Minorities Officer.

Max stated: “Since becoming your officer, I have done nothing but dedicated myself to the best representative I can be for my liberation forum, community, and Students’ Union.

“I am proud of the work and the reforms that I have managed to implement throughout the two years as being an officer.”

In his statement, Kafula also details what he has achieved during his two years in the officer role, including: “implementing the first ever SU Anti Racist Long term policy”, “reforming and delivering anti-racist training to societies, forums, JCR’s and staff”, “rebuilding the BAME forum”, and “the introduction of the Sugarhouse renaming policy”, amongst others.

Max states that he is “proud” of everything he managed to achieve in his role “against all odds”, and is grateful to his “team, family, and friends” for the support they have offered him.

Following the announcement that he will be resigning with “immense regret” from his role as Racial and Ethnic Minorities Officer, Kafula details the reasoning behind his decision.

Kafula explains that during his time as a LUSU officer, he found himself contacting the police “on numerous occasions” for his own safety as a result of “severe racism and hate crimes”, a factor which took a toll on his mental health. He states that he can no longer continue and must now “put [his] mental health first”.

Kafula also believes “it’s time for a new voice” and “a new generation of students to lead and enact change”, stating “it’s time for a new person to take charge”.

The final reason listed in Max’s statement regards what Max describes as “institutional defects within the Students’ Union” with have become “too much to cope with”.

Kafula states, “LUSU is broken”.

He details that he believes “LUSU are capable of achieving amazing things”, but recently he has found it difficult to “defend” the union.

The statement reads, “It is impossible to stand in front of students and ask them to trust an institution that has failed to protect other students time and time again”.

Max addresses the recent “allegations and evidence” of an FTO attempting to dissuade an opposition to run for office, describing it as “shameful and disgraceful”, claiming that the alleged lack of consequences this officer has faced is a “failure of the institution holding your elected officials accountable”.

Max continues, “The LUSU that I know today is not the same LUSU I once had held dear to my heart”.

The statement goes on to reiterate Max’s personal view that “LUSU is a broken institution that has lost its values”, and he states that he “cannot in good conscience remain to be part of a broken system”.

Max acknowledges the mistakes he claims to have made, apologising for not ensuring the success of the Sugarhouse renaming campaign. Max says “For that I’m sorry. I am also sorry for not delivering as much as I could have done to prevent further racial incidents and to bring change quick enough”.

The statement concludes: “To future officers and specifically the next Racial and Ethnic Minorities Officer. I hope that you will have had a better experience than I did. I hope you keep your passion and determination for change alive. Please be true to yourself and never let anyone tell you what you can and cannot achieve.

“I am not sure how I will be remembered. To some, I’m an officer that brought change, for others I was part of the establishment that didn’t change anything. I’ve been called many things over the past two years. I’ve been labelled as ambitious, brave, brilliant, caring, and divisive.

“What I do hope is that I wished to be remembered as someone who gave it their all”. He says he wants to be known as someone who tried to be the best and carried on even when he was told not to. “I want to be remembered as someone who tried to do good. Most importantly, I did things my way”.

Max told the Tab Lancaster: “I would like to say that LUSU is a broken institution and students deserve better” and he “would also like to thank those within the institution who helped me and I wish them nothing but the utmost respect”.

A spokesperson for Lancaster University Students’ Union said: “We are aware that Max Kafula, Racial and Ethnic Minority Students’ Officer has announced his intention to resign his role from the 27th of May.

“The students’ union will look to fill the role through co-option – subject to approval from the Democracy Committee – until the new officer year begins by which time a successor will hopefully have been found.”

Related articles recommended by this writer:

• ‘A sign of growth and a show of respect’: BAME students on renaming The Sugarhouse
• ‘We have a responsibility to do better’: Lancs students on The Sugarhouse keeping its name
• ‘The university must do better’: Lancaster reacts to racism on campus