General
Makerere gives illegal occupants one month to leave her land
Makerere University has ordered the illegal occupants to vacate her land at Kabanyolo, Katalemwa, Makindye and Katanga in one month. In a letter dated 15th October 2015, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe instructed all persons who encroached on the University land to vacate it with immediate effect.
Touring the aforementioned land on 15th October 2015, the University’s Senior Legal Officer, Mr. Goddy Muhumuza said: “The letter indicates that upon receipt of the notice, they only have one month to leave the university land. We therefore expect the illegal occupants to have left these places by 15th November 2015.”
Mr. Muhumuza pointed out that Makerere University is facing a challenge of land encroachment, which has resulted into several land disputes.He added that the institution has been to court on several occasions to secure her land from the illegal claimants.
“We have a challenge with the illegal settlers; they come and occupy the institution’s land, develop businesses on it and also construct permanent structures. When time goes by, they claim to own it. I would like to emphasize that this is Makerere University land, bought purposely for expanding university activities as well as boosting students’ practical learning,” he stressed.
The Makerere University Chief Security Officer ASP Jackson Mucunguzi said that the University will tighten security on her land. Inspecting the Kabanyolo disputed land, ASP Mucunguzi noted that Makerere University will need to fence her land to avoid more wrangles. He observed that the best way the University would safeguard her land from further encroachment by Atlas High School would be fencing the said land. “If this land was covered with a fence, it would have been difficult for the School to make extensions towards it. I believe that putting a fence will be the first hand security. You need to protect the land to give a serious impression to people that you really do not need encroachers,” he said.
The Deputy Regional Police Commander Kampala North, SP Alfred Bangambaki said that Makerere University should collaborate with the claimants to open up land and re-demarcate the boundaries to understand the exact measurements of each party. According to him, this would bring consensus among the disputed parties.
Makerere University owns land in four places of Kampala suburbs of Katalemwa, Kabanyolo, Makindye and Katanga. This land was bought purposely to expand the university activities and boost student’s practical learning. The four places occupy 82, 551, 14, 38 acres of land respectively. The institution also owns land outside Kampala estimated to occupy more than 700 acres.
The team that inspected the land comprised: Makerere University Senior Legal officer Mr. Goddy Muhumuza, Makerere University Chief Security Officer, ASP Jackson Mucunguzi (ICSC), Deputy Regional Police Commander Kampala North SP Alfred Bangambaki (ICSC), Deputy Commandant Land Protection Unit UPF SP Charles Mutungi, OC Makerere University ASP Graciano Nkuruziza, Detective ASP Chelimo Robert OC CIID Makerere University , Land Surveyor Ms. Awor Catherine, Pastor Grace Kityo from Makerere University Directorate of Estates and Works and representatives from Makerere University Public Relations Office.
Written by: Proscovia Nabatte, Mak Public Relations Office
General
Makerere University and Xiangtan University Advance Strategic Partnership in Chemical Engineering
Makerere University and Xiangtan University are set to update their close to 20-year academic partnership, with a new focus on launching a joint Master’s degree program in Chemical Engineering and expanding student and staff exchange initiatives.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a recent visit by a delegation from Xiangtan University to Makerere University headed by Professor Dingyu Ou, in the company of Mr. Tang Fei and Professor Gilbert Gumshabe, the Chinese and Ugandan Directors of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University respectively.
While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify academic offerings and contribute to national development through training in Chemical Engineering. Through this new initiative, the University will better prepare graduates for the petrochemical industry and support the country’s industrial growth.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated that the proposed collaboration aims to address Uganda’s growing need for industrial expertise, particularly as the country develops its petroleum sector. The two universities here are working toward a 1+2 training model, which will enable Makerere students to gain practical experience and access advanced laboratory facilities at Xiangtan University.
Professor Nawangwe further reiterated that “our relationship with the people of China, not just for Makerere but also for a big part of Uganda, has been opened wider by the establishment of the Confucius Institute, considering that many other collaborations like one being discussed now have come through this collaboration.”
The head of the Xiangtan delegation, Professor Dingyu Ou, expressed appreciation for the meeting, and acknowledged the history between the institutions. “As mentioned, we have a very long relationship and a very stable friendship between our two universities.”
Professor Ou extended appreciation for the support provided to the Confucius Institute at Makerere, the care shown to his colleagues, and looked forward to the successful start of the Chemical Engineering collaboration.
Assuring the delegation of Makerere’s readiness for the collaboration, Ms. Hawa Ndagire Kajumba the Lead, Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Makerere University Advancement Office, aligned with the Vice Chancellor’s emphasis of University goal to have both theory and practice imparted to the students.
She said “the curriculum of the university and Uganda as a whole is moving towards competence-based education training to ensure students are equipped to demonstrate those skills in the actual field, particularly regarding petroleum exploration.”
Ms. Ndagire Kajumba also emphasised a shift in strategy for the partnership office, saying, “we are moving away from just signing MOUs that collect dust, and moving towards those that are more collaborative to benefit our faculty and students, just like this one.”
Professor Gilbert Kumushabe aligned his remarks with those of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Ndagire Kajumba, and described the method used at Xiangtan University as “actually competence-based teaching.”
Based on his recent visit, Prof. Gumoshabe shared that students in China are divided into groups with dedicated teachers to perform practical, hands-on work beyond the theoretical lecturers. He expressed gladness that the same was being adopted for the Ugandan context.
Both institutions are now working to finalise the specific agreements for the joint degree and exchange programs. Beyond academic training, the collaboration will advance cultural and professional exchange.
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