By BigEyeUg Team
Guild President of Makerere University, Ssentamu Churchill James, has probably crossed your radar in recent times as a young man steadily carving his own voice in the country’s youth political and social conversations
On the 14th of February 2026, he was one of the invited student leaders to openly talk about relationships, leadership, emotional well-being and responsible decision-making at the Valen Teenz Summit UG 2026 that took place at Next Media Park. When he took the mic, he gave teenagers a reality check about dating too early.
He advised the crowd that while high school might feel like the perfect time to experiment with romance, it’s actually a minefield of rules, restrictions, and potential trouble.
“When you’re in high school, there are things you’d want to experience but will get you in trouble, “ he cautioned, urging teens to hold off until they’re done with school.
He didn’t frame it as a lecture or scolding, but rather, he painted patience as a kind of freedom. Drawing from personal experience, he recalled having a crush on one Martha back in high school who was the talk of the school.
“Martha was the most beautiful girl at school, and everyone talked about her,” he explained, emphasizing that whatever wasn’t done back then can now be done freely with no rules breathing down their necks. “Once you’re out of high school, you’ve got all the time in the world and way better opportunities to explore relationships responsibly,” he added.
