General
Contractor Hands Over Completed St Francis Extension Works to Chaplain
On Thursday 8th June 2017, the Chaplain Makerere University St. Francis Chapel, Rev. Canon Amos Turyahabwe received keys and architectural designs from Excel Construction Company Ltd, a company that was contracted to manage the extension of the chapel from a sitting capacity of 300 to 1,200.
The handover ceremony of the Chapel grounds from the Contractor to the Chaplain, paves way for the official opening of the “new” chapel scheduled to take place on 9th July 2017. The Archbishop of Uganda, Most Rev. Stanley Ntagali is expected to officiate at the grand opening.
Touring the completed construction works amidst hymns of praise from the Choir and believers, the overjoyed Chaplain confirmed that the expanded Chapel can accommodate 1200 people. The Chaplain remarked that the extension of the chapel was a community achievement and applauded members for supporting the fulfillment of the work of God.
Makerere University Dean of Students, Mr. Cyriaco Kabagambe who represented the Vice Chancellor-Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu requested the Church to involve students in all activities and programmes of the Chapel.
“I request that you deliberately involve students in the activities of the Church. Let them be number one in all the programmes and make them feel the presence of God,” he said.
Mr. Satvinder Saini, the Site Engineer of Excel Construction Company Ltd attributed the timely completion of the extension project to the maximum cooperation with the Chaplain, the University Management, the Chapel Council and the community at large. He revealed that Excel Construction Company Ltd did everything possible to retain the originality of the Chapel.
“We tried our level best to maintain the original designs of the Chapel. The designs inside and outside remained the same. The monuments we came up with were extracted from the art that was in the church,” he said. Mr. Saini stated that appealed to the church users to preserve and protect the facility.
According to Mr. Jesse Tukacungurwa, the Project Manager, the completion of the extension was a great achievement. He said, “This is a great day and we must rejoice for this achievement. “Everyone has contributed in their own way. The project has taken us almost a year, but finally here we are! We thank God for guiding us and all those who have contributed towards the success of this project.”
The Chairperson of the Project Technical Committee, Eng. Paul Alex Ekirikubinza said that the accomplishment was a collective effort. They worked with a number of teams who faithfully dedicated time towards the great cause.
“We recognize all those who have worked tirelessly towards this project. I applaud the voluntary spirit. What we are seeing here today is evidence to us that there is no limit on what God can do. This is the culmination of the work God is doing,” Eng. Ekirikubinza said.
He thanked the Chaplain, Church Council, University Management, Project Manager, Contractor and the community at large for fully backing the extension project and urged them to continue supporting the work of God.
The handover of the Chapel site to the Chaplain was also witnessed by Eng. Fred Nuwagaba-Director, Makerere University Estates and Works; Makerere University Directorate of Legal Affairs; Makerere University Public Relations office; St. Francis Chapel Council; representative members of St. Francis Community and well-wishers.
Article: Mak Public Relations Office
The Director of Makerere University Jinja Campus, Associate Professor Ronald Kakungulu-Mayambala, has urged students to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding policy aimed at creating a safer and more inclusive learning environment.
Speaking during the safeguarding policy sensitization meeting held today Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at the Civil Service College, Jinja, Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, emphasized the importance of awareness and adherence to the policy, which seeks to protect students, staff, and other stakeholders from all forms of abuse, harassment, exploitation, and discrimination.
“As Management we want every student to enjoy their stay at the University without being tormented and that can only happen, if students know their rights by reading about different policies on our website. You are meant to be living in a safe environment. We do not want anybody’s dream to be shattered or somebody to drop out from University,” Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, said.
In his speech, Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, also called upon students who have complaints but do not know the reporting lines, to approach staff safeguarding champions to make sure that they live in a safe environment.
Addressing guests, Emmanuel Muchake, the Guild Administrator at Jinja Campus, pointed out that the launch of the safeguarding policy is timely because as a University, without creating a conducive environment for teaching and learning, they will not have students graduate.
On Friday, April 4,2025, the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Right Honourable Lukia Isanga Nakadama, officially launched the Safeguarding Policy and commended Makerere University for crafting a policy that lays out the University’s framework for embedding viable safeguarding measures into its ethos and all institutional activities and processes to: Identify, detect, and act swiftly on safeguarding risks.
The Safeguarding Policy was developed in response to the growing need for institutions of higher learning to implement proactive measures that address concerns related to student welfare, mental health, gender-based violence, and power imbalances in academic settings.
Some of potential safeguarding risks in Institutions of higher learning include emotional distress, Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH); material loss, financial exploitation, discrimination and neglect, unfair and illegitimate response to civic engagements, cyber security/threats, psychological and emotional harm, substance abuse and physical assault. Discrimination and neglect which are often high risks for students with disabilities and international students.
The safeguarding policy sensitization meeting in Jinja Campus brought together students and staff in a meaningful dialogue on safeguarding issues affecting learning.
The event was graced by Dr. Rodney Rugyema, from the Dean of Students Office, who emphasized the University’s commitment to the well-being of all its members. In his remarks, he highlighted the importance of safeguarding policies in preventing abuse, harassment, exploitation, and other forms of misconduct within the Jinja Campus community.
“Safeguarding is not a one-time action, but a continuous culture of care and accountability. We all have a role to play in ensuring a safe and respectful space for learning and growth,” Dr Rugyema, said.
The sensitization session covered key topics including; recognizing signs of abuse, understanding reporting procedures on the MakSafeSpace and fostering mutual respect among peers.
Participants were encouraged to actively engage and reflect on their roles in upholding safety standards both on and off campus.
Students who attended the sensitization welcomed the initiative, with many expressing optimism that the policy would improve campus safety and encourage victims to come forward without fear of retaliation.
“We have seen issues go unreported in the past because students didn’t know where to turn. This policy provides clarity and assurance that the university is taking these matters seriously,” noted, a third-year student.
The University plans to conduct a series of sensitization workshops and distribute printed copies of the policy to ensure that every member of the campus community is well-informed. This initiative is part of Makerere University‘s broader strategy to reinforce its values of integrity, respect, and protection for all.
The Safeguarding Sensitization Meeting concluded with a collective pledge to uphold safety, dignity, and mutual respect within the University community.
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