General
Lion Gudrun Bjort Yngvadottir Visits Makerere University
On 7th February 2016, the Second Vice President of Lions Club International; Lion Gudrun Bjort Yngvadottir paid a courtesy call to the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University. This was during her three days trip that aimed at meeting and fellowshipping with the Lions Fraternity in Uganda.
In accompaniment of her spouse Dr. Jon Bjarni Thorsteinsson and other Lion delegates, Lion Gudrun Bjort Yngvadottir was welcomed to the Ivory Tower by the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe who represented the Vice Chancellor Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu.
During the insightful meeting attended by some members of Makerere University, Gudrun Bjort Yngvadottir shared ideas on how Makerere University and Lions Club International can partner to promote basic education in Uganda. According to her, Makerere University and Lions Club International have similar interests in helping students to attain basic academic and valuable life skills. She therefore called upon the two institutions to make a workable relationship to build a transformative career of young Ugandans.
“Makerere University is one of the best institutions of higher learning in Uganda. It has embarked on providing better quality education with the aim of promoting and bettering the lives of Ugandans. As well, Lions Club International is spotting all the opportunities that can help to provide education to children at local level. This means that if we come together and have a relationship with a focused aim, we can be part of the team that will improve the education system of this country. We can corporate with Makerere University and see that a Ugandan child attains the basic education he needs,” she said.
Lion Gudrun Bjort Yngvadottir was happy to visit Makerere University, a remarkable and renowned university around the world to have mentored and nurtured many prominent people in Africa. “I am happy to be here and I am hoping for a close relationship between the university and the club to tap into the available opportunity that can change the lives of Ugandans,” she happily remarked.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe commended the constructive ideas shared by the Vice President and pledged to fully engage the University Management on how the institution can better collaborate with the Club. Prof. Nawangwe acknowledged the tremendous work done by Lions club International in developing the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the Ugandan community through its financial and moral support.
“We thank Lions Club International and Lion Clubs of Uganda and its partners for the wonderful job done in pulling our country out of poverty. On behalf of Makerere University I welcome Lion Gudrun Bjort Yngvadottir, the 2nd Vice President of Lions Club International and her spouse Dr Jon Bjarni Thorsteinsson to the legendary Makerere University. I believe that your visit will open stronger collaborations between Makerere University and Lions Club International,” he said.
He applauded the Club’s spirit of giving back to the community that has enabled to improve Uganda’s health and education sectors when he said, “I am aware that the Club constructed a nursery school in Masaka, an orphanage in Kasese and two dormitories for the disabled in Mbarara. The Club also built Rugarama Church of Uganda Eye Hospital in Kabale. It has also enabled Cataract surgeries in many parts of the country.”
The International Association of Lions Clubs (Lions Clubs International is the largest and most active voluntary organisation in the world. with a membership of over 1.4 million men and women in more than 46,000 clubs. In July 2017, the Association will be celebrating 100 years of existence.
Lions around the world are united by a spirit of giving and dedication to helping others. The Association is funded by Lions Club International Foundation through grants that are geared towards local and global humanitarian efforts.
In Uganda, Lions Club International together with its partners have improved peoples’ lives by investing in cubing down the looming vision problems that affect Uganda’s population. The Foundation has also responded to to major catastrophes, provided valuable life skills for youth and partnered with government ministries to fight preventable diseases through immunisations and other health interventions.
According to District Governor, 411B (Uganda & Tanzania), 2016-17, Mr. Venie Tinkumanya, about USD 345000 has been geared towards compressive Eye Care project which is about to start in the Acholi region. The Club has invested USD 3.5million towards elimination of River Blindness and USD 5 million towards elimination of Trachoma in Busoga and Karamoja regions.
“LCI has managed to build and equip five major eye departments in five Regional Referral Hospitals of Masaka, Mbale, Lira, Gulu, and Arua. Lions club International has also constructed ten primary schools in Busoga region, some bore holes and facilities for the disabled in many parts of the country,” he said.
After paying the courtesy call to the Vice chancellor, Vice President headed to Makerere University Lions Leisure Park, an activity project for the Lions Club of Kampala Central. Lion Gudrun Bjort Yngvadottir together with club members planted a tree as a sign of togetherness in maintaining environment and fighting against climate change.
She thanked the members for the tremendous work they are doing in keeping up with their mission that calls for empowering volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions Clubs. “I am glad that we have managed to influence many lives for the years we have existed as lions. Let us keep up with the spirit as we drive the world to a better place to live in,” she said.
According to Prof. Charles Ibingira, Principal of College of Health Sciences, the leisure park is an environment conservation project of Makerere University and Lions Club of Kampala Central that was initiated with the aim of protecting and conserving the environment.
“This is project signifies our togetherness in fighting against climate change. The place has been well maintained with good environment that enable students to rest or read their books from here. Prof. Ibingira thanked Assoc. Professor Lawrence Mugisha and his team for not only maintaining the leisure park but also building as strong foundation of Lions Club at Makerere University.
Born in Iceland, Gudrun Bjort Yngvadottir was elected the 2nd International Vice President of the Lions Club International at the Association’s 99th International Convection that was held in Fukuoka, Japan on 28th June 2016. She is the Vice Director of the Institute of continuing Education at University of Iceland. Gudrun Bjort Yngvadottir is the first highest ranking female international president of Lions Club International, she believes in woman emancipation and very passionate in uplifting the rights of women around the globe.
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General
Minister Janet Museveni Lays Foundation Stone for School of Graduate Studies Building, Commissions the School of Law Building and the renovated Lumumba Hall
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, has laid the foundation stone for Makerere University’s School of Graduate Studies building, whose construction is now underway.
The Minister laid the foundation stone for the USD8 million project during a brief function held on Wednesday 18th December 2024 at the site opposite Makerere University’s Lumumba Hall. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the State Minister for Primary Education, Hon. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, University Council Chairperson Mrs. Lorna Magara, and Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe.
Others in attendance included Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, Professor Henry Alinaitwe; Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, Professor Buyinza Mukadasi; University Secretary Mr. Yusuf Kiranda; Dean of Students Winfred Kabumbuli; Guild President Vincent Lubega Nsamba; and the Vice Guild President, Joy Eve Serunjogi among others.
The building is a donation (in-kind) from the late Hasmukh Patel, an industrialist and former Chairman of Tororo Cement who passed away on August 29, 2024, after a short illness. The journey to this befitting donation to Makerere University started in December 2022, when Hasmukh Patel accompanied by some members of his family and friends visited the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe to declare his donation. From December 2022, a number of meetings were convened involving the Minister of Education and Sports, the University leadership, Mr. Hasmukh Patel, his family and Tororo Cement regarding this donation. Living true to his commitment during those meetings, his family and Tororo Cement are implementing his wishes to construct the building, which will house the School of Graduate Studies at Makerere University.
Before laying the foundation stone for the School of Graduate Studies building, Hon. Janet Museveni first unveiled a plaque to officially open the new building for the School of Law. She then headed to Lumumba Hall, where she unveiled another plaque marking the completion of its renovation.
The First Lady, who had initially laid the foundation stone for the School of Law building on May 17, 2022, returned to the main campus to officially open the completed structure. Funded by the Government of Uganda to the tune of UGX 7.3 billion, the new three-storeyed building features lecture rooms, tutorial and seminar rooms, a library, a moot court, offices, a cafeteria, a lactation room, and other teaching and learning facilities. Construction was undertaken by M/S CK Associates, with Symbion serving as a consultant.
The renovation works for Lumumba Hall commenced in June 2023, with the site handed over to the contractor, National Enterprise Corporation (NEC). Funded by the Government of Uganda to the tune of UGX 9 billion, the project involved extensive renovations to restore Lumumba Hall to its original splendor. Lumumba Hall now accommodates about 725 students.
Lumumba Hall was the first hall of residence to undergo renovation, followed by Mary Stuart Hall, which has also been handed over to NEC for refurbishment. These renovations, which began last year, are a result of the Government of Uganda’s efforts to improve the nine (9) halls of residence at the main campus.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Janet Museveni thanked the University Council and management for their dedication to rebuilding the institution. She expressed confidence that the physical restoration efforts would also rebuild the character of young people.
“There is a restoration of dignity that comes to an institution or a community when we choose to rebuild and it is not only physical, there is a spiritual restoration that comes as well. For Nehemiah, it was not just the rebuilding of a physical wall it was the rebuilding of broken lives and a broken covenant. It was the rolling away of the reproach they had suffered as a nation,” she said.
Adding; “I therefore salute the Council and the management of Makerere for your dedication to the rebuilding of this University. I am confident that as you rebuild physically, you are rebuilding the character of our young people. My prayer is that the physical restoration is translating into the spiritual restoration of this great institution.”
The first lady, Hon. Janet Museveni recalled her earlier visit to Makerere University, where she observed the dilapidated state of the halls of residence, which prompted her to initiate the renovation works.
“I remember taking a tour of the halls of residence in this University and Kyambogo University in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. My heart bled when I saw the state of the halls of residence. Like Nehemiah, I took my burden to the Lord and now see what the Lord has done! Commissioning of the refurbished Lumumba Hall today is a testament to the faithfulness of our God. It is even more gratifying to know that other projects are ongoing and these include: the renovation of Mary Stuart Hall, the construction of the Perimeter Wall, and improvements at the University Hospital, including setting up an operating theatre and ICU.” She said.
Hon. Janet Museveni also expressed gratitude to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, for his leadership, which facilitated the realization of the Tororo Cement project. “This Project would not have been possible without the guidance and leadership of the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Nawangwe, who drew my attention to this offer by Tororo Cement, and requested me to endorse this Project, which will be named after Mr. Hamukh Patel,” she said.
Adding: “I am informed that the construction of this building is estimated to cost 8 Million US dollars and will consist of: lecture and seminar rooms, smart classrooms, laboratories, an innovation space, a conference hall, offices and other facilities. We remain forever grateful for this donation, which will increase access and contribute to improving the quality of postgraduate education.”
Speaking at the event, Vice Chancellor Prof. Nawangwe commended Hon. Janet Museveni for prioritizing the development of Makerere University, which has seen remarkable progress under her leadership. “Hon. Minister, from the time you took over the Office of Minister of Education and Sports and the Higher Education Sector, Makerere University in particular has transformed tremendously. Most notable is the infrastructure revolution at Makerere. On several occasions, you have come to Makerere to lay the foundations for new buildings and to open completed buildings, including our iconic Main Administration Building,” he said.
“When you inspected the halls of residence in 2021, I could see the frustration in your eyes, looking at the dilapidated state the halls were in, especially Lumumba, part of which had been condemned for 2 years,” Prof. Nawangwe said.
“Hon. Minister, I am sure that today, after seeing the glamorous new building for the School of Law and the glittering renovated Lumumba Hall, you are in a completely different mood compared to that visit in 2021. We are as delighted as you must be and your efforts are the reason for our happiness today. Our law students and professors can now comfortably study, work and conduct research in the best building for any school of law that I have seen,” Prof Nawangwe added.
Reflecting on the Graduate School Building, Prof. Nawangwe recalled when he received a proposal from Mr. Hasmukh Patel in 2022 who had initially intended to donate the Main Administration Building, which had been destroyed by fire, but opted to donate School of Graduate Studies Building after finding that the main building reconstruction had already started.
“Hon. Minister, in the morning of 13th December 2022, a miracle happened in my office in the Frank Kalimuzo Building. General David Muhoozi and Major General Apollo Gowa walked into my office with the Late Hasmukh Patel. Gen. Muhoozi introduced Mr. Hasmukh Patel as the Chairman of Tororo Cement, who after learning about the destruction by a fire of our Main Administration Building, expressed the wish to reconstruct that iconic building. On reaching Makerere, Mr. Hasmukh Patel found a contractor already on site, and he told us, that he would all the same donate a building to Makerere University as a gift on our 100th anniversary,” Prof Nawangwe said.
“He said it in such a simple way, that I thought I was dreaming. That evening, at the invitation of Mr. Patel, I visited the building that Mr. Patel had built for a school at Bukoto and I told him that a similar building for Makerere would be just what we needed for our School of Graduate Studies and Research that we needed. The University Council unanimously voted to thank Mr. Patel for his magnanimous offer and, you, Maama Janet graciously endorsed the project. I later visited Mr. Patel in Mombasa and was amazed at the humanitarian work he was doing among the communities. He was such a rare human being,” Professor revealed.
“Today we are here to witness the laying of the foundation stone for this, the largest academic building at Makerere University, and the first such donation I know by an African philanthropist to a university in Africa. The building will have lecture and seminar rooms, a conference hall, innovation spaces, PhD student rooms, computer and other laboratories, a restaurant, staff offices and other facilities. I thank Tororo Cement and the family of the Late Hasmukh Patel for honoring his wish and I wish to assure Mr. Patel, who must be in heaven smiling at us, that we will honor his legacy in this building and that we will put the building to its best use in the service of humanity, which is what Mr. Patel lived for,” Prof Nawangwe added.
On her part, the state Minister for Primary Education, Honorable Joyce Moriku Kaducu acknowledged Hon. Janet Museveni for prioritizing the Education sector in her leadership, which has led to the tremendously development of the sector.
“On behalf of the education sector, we want to thank you as the mother of the nation, indeed you are a big gift and a blessing to the nation and education at large, all this achievement would not have been possible if it was not under your visionary leadership and the guidance you have offered,” Minister Kaducu said.
Hon. Kaducu also hailed Makerere University for playing a very critical role in sensitizing, disseminating knowledge, and raising awareness to the public on the message of the Parish Development Model, which is intended to create wealth among citizens.
“As President Museveni is preaching the message of wealth creation, I want in a special way to thank Makerere University for playing a very critical role in sensitizing, disseminating knowledge, and raising awareness to the public on the message of the Parish Development Model (PDM), and they have a committee that monitors and informs government. They are indeed part of the team promoting wealth creation in this country,” she said.
Mrs. Lorna Magara, the Chairperson of the Makerere University Council said that the construction of the Graduate studies building speaks to the University’s mission of being a research-led institution because it comes as a dedicated building to house the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, which marks the resolution of a critical gap in our institutional framework
“At the heart of Makerere University’s current strategy is the promotion of a research-led institution, with a strong focus on graduate training. The establishment of a dedicated facility for the School of Graduate Studies, which also houses the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, marks the resolution of a critical gap in our institutional framework. The late Patel’s timely and generous contribution will undoubtedly advance graduate training and research for generations to come. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your exceptional support,” she said.
Mr. Manish Varsani who represented the Patel family took the first lady through how Mr. Hasmukh Patel started the idea of donating the building to Makerere. He explained that, Mr. Patel intended to present a gift that was coming from the bottom of his heart, and he teamed up with General Muhoozi who led him to Prof. Nawangwe’s office.
He also recalled when Mr. Patel met H.E President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Museveni in Bukoto where he (Patel) had donated a building to a school and told the President that he would want to donate the same building to Makerere University as a gift to the First Lady Janet Museveni because he loved her so much, and in response, the President said he would take the message back to the First Lady.
The Guild President Lubega Vincent Nsamba asked the First Lady to consider constructing another hall of residence for the female students to solve what he described as an accommodation imbalance.
“Maama Janet Museveni, allow me to report to you that we still have only three halls of residence gazetted for female students against the six halls of residence gazetted for male students. These halls of residences were built back in colonial and independent times when the female students were fewer compared to their male counterparts, and to me Maama, this accommodation imbalance is something that should be addressed,” he stated.
“To me Maama, this speaks to the sense of how there is a dire need to invest in another additional hall of residence for the girl child here at Makerere University, and Maama, without any fear of contradiction, we humbly request that you consider building an additional hall of residence named after you in recognition of the contribution and honor of the service you have made for this country as a mother and as an educator,” he said.
