General
Prof. Nawangwe Commissions state-of-the-art Fire Detection & Protection System for Senate Building
By Bernard Buteera
On Monday afternoon the 13th of March 2023, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, commissioned the state-of-the-art fire detection and protection system for Senate Building, one of the buildings that houses the academic documents and records for the University.
In a speech read for him by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs, Prof. Umar Kakumba, the Vice Chancellor thanked all the key partners; Mastercard Foundation and the Government Uganda, through the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), for funding the project to completion.
The Vice Chancellor pointed out that, learning from the horrific incident when the Main Building was gutted by fire in September 2020, the University could not risk having another sensitive building like Senate not to have fire detection and protection system.
“I would like to thank the Government of Uganda, through Mak-RIF and our partner Mastercard Foundation, for funding such an important project in the University. This fire detection and protection system is very essential for our institution in order to protect the lives of our stakeholders and our academic records.” Prof. Nawangwe noted.
Prof. Nawangwe further thanked Mrs. Patience Mushengyezi and the entire committee that steered the project right from phase 1 to completion.
“I would like to thank Mrs. Patience Mushengyezi, the PI and her team for the thoughtfulness and for the passion that came through during the proposal writing. The University Management can have strong proposals, but it doesn’t have a strong team to support in implementation, then all the good proposals would go to waste.” Prof. Nawangwe remarked.
On his part, Prof. Kakumba, thanked the University Management for supporting the first phase of the project through Mak-RIF.
“I would like to appreciate my Colleagues in Management for delivering the first phase of the proposal for digitization of our records under Mak-RIF. Digitization of our academic records is very critical to the institution.” Prof. Kakumba noted.
Prof. Kakumba also thanked Mastercard Foundation for the recovery support, which supported in the second phase of the project, which was the installation of fire detection and protection system.
“When our building got burnt, the first partner to extend a hand of support was the Mastercard Foundation, for which we are very grateful. Mastercard Foundation has supported Makerere University in many other projects, and we thank them very much.” He remarked.
Prof. Kakumba called upon the Estates Department and all other stakeholders, to ensure that the fire detection system is well maintained and serviced for effective and efficient use of the system.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Finance and Administration, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, thanked the University Management, the Government of Uganda, the Academic Registrar’s Department, and the Mastercard Foundation for making the project possible.
“We all know what happened when the main building got burnt, it was a reflection that we could have done better. I hope that the people who have installed the equipment will give us manuals and offer training to staff on safe evacuation in case of any fire alerts with a fire exit plan in every room.” Prof. Alinaitwe remarked.
“I would like to join my colleagues to thank Mastercard Foundation for funding this project and many others in the University. Mastercard Foundation is here to catalyze us, we should look at this project as an example, so that we replicate it in other buildings across the university with our own resources.” Prof. Alinaitwe remarked.
Prof. Alinaitwe acknowledged the need for the University Management to enhance the issue of access control beyond the archives rooms in the Senate Building to other facilities at the University.
“We need to install CCTV cameras across all the facilities in the university, and be able to use them all the time.” Prof. Alinaitwe noted.
The Academic Registrar, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi thanked members of the University Administration for always gracing events that celebrate achievements, such as the completion of the Fire detection and protection system.
“It feels good when you’re part of a progressive agenda. I wasn’t really in stewardship when the project started, but I have heard good things about it. I would also wish to convey our regards to Mastercard Foundation for enabling us to progress towards the achievement of our vision and dreams.” Prof. Buyinza remarked.
Prof. Buyinza further thanked the Digitizing Academic Records and Processes (DARP) Committee led by Mrs. Patience Mushengyezi for the job well done.
“I sincerely thank my colleague, Mrs. Patience Mushengyezi and her team, for having a heart for the institution, serving beyond self, and the visionary leadership you’ve offered to your team.” Prof. Buyinza pointed out.
On her part, the Principal Investigator (PI) of the project, Mrs. Patience Mushengyezi, thanked the University Management, Mak-RIF and Mastercard Foundation for the tremendous support rendered to the project.
“It gives me great pleasure that we are commissioning the Fire Protection and Detection System for Senate Building, including the banks housed in this building. This is a dream come true!” Mrs. Mushengyezi remarked.
Mrs. Mushengyezi informed the gathering that the project was mainly funded by Mak-RIF under the Government of Uganda for the first phase, which was mainly digitizing the academic records, and Mastercard Foundation which supported the second phase of the project, which was the fire detection and protection system.
“This project was a multiphase process; the first phase was to prepare for system and digitization of our records, and the second phase was mainly the installation of fire detection and protection system. We are very grateful to Mak-RIF and Mastercard Foundation for funding the project to completion” Mrs. Mushengyezi informed the gathering.
The DARP project was implemented in collaboration with East African School of Library and Information Sciences (EASLIS), College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), Directorate for ICT Support (DICTS) and the College of Education and External Studies (CEES).
Bernard Buteera, is the Communications & Web Officer of Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
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.
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