I BOUGHT THE NEW VISION OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6 TO SEE HOW MAKERERE UNIVERSITY HANDLED THE ISSUE OF THE BURNT MAIN BUILDING AND DONORS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO SEE IT RECONSTRUCTED.
By William Kituuka Kiwanuka
Mitchell Hall
Makerere University
(1980 - 1981 / 1982 - 1983)
On Tuesday, October 4 it was made public knowledge that The new vision was to have a Magazine featuring on Makerere Centennial Celebrations inside the news paper of Thursday. I was eager to get the copy, so I went to one vendor on Wednesday morning and I paid in advance for the Thursday paper.
Early Thursday morning, when I called on the vendor, he had religiously kept my copy. So, at home, I went through the headings on each page. To my surprise, I did not see any mention of the burnt Main Building, nor current progress of the construction and timeline to completion of the job. It surprises that in the Magazine, Makerere University had no mention of the donors who responded timely to see the Ivory Tower reconstructed. An organization gets US $1m (From Mastercard Foundation equivalent to about Ushs 3.7bn) and gives you after your negligence, and you have no drive to openly say that you using such Magazine opportunity! Some people are in responsible positions, but you wonder what type of world they were brought up in. To me, this is common sense.
Makerere University has celebrated 100 years since it was started as a Technical entity, no scandal of such magnitude had been seen until 2020. The structure of the Main Building had a lot of wooden infrastructure, but there was least bother to have a Fire Hydrant in close vicinity. As if that was not bad enough, the fire had opportunity to light again many hours after it had been extinguished. The strength of materials used then that were destroyed say the metallic structures that made the Tower as well as the strength of the blocks used may not be replaced to the strength of those destroyed.
Makerere University would use the opportunity of the Celebrations of Centenery through the Centennial Magazine to apologize that the Iconic Tower was no more, but all efforts were in place to see the reconstruction and completion of the works before the close of 2023 and also ensure that it is kept safe thereafter.
Makerere University has the obligation to ensure that those who contributed to the reconstruction of the building are thanked. Stanbic Bank Uganda must have genuine information of all who contributed through the accounts (the dollar and shillings) that were opened for the purpose.
We are all aware that Government had given the University the leeway to fundraise, before the Vice Chancellor had gone into gear to see various sections mobilized, Government then told the Minister of Finance to look for shs 21bn to reconstruct the Main Building. This move I am convinced followed positive response by donors in form of contributions, however, nobody is ready to say so.
I for instance using my fundraising skills reached out to possibly not less than 500 (individuals and organizations / institutions) to help in funding the reconstruction. The appeal letter is included in this article. One would be fooling me to say that this effort did not yield good money for the University.
Anyway, that is our Uganda.
What surprised me again, I did not see a feature by the University Convocation. I know that before graduation, all are required to pay money to the Convocation. I just cannot see how this skipped those who worked on the Magazine.
Anyway, there are areas that are shameful and the University needs to shape up more so as it prouds itself as a leading research centre.
Below is the appeal letter I sent out to fundraise for the Reconstruction of Makerere Main Building:
SUPPORT THE RECONSTRUCTION OF MAKERERE UNIVERSITY MAIN BUILDING (IVORY TOWER)
In the early hours of September 20, 2020 many were shocked to read the messages from the social media platforms of Makerere University that the iconic building - the Main Building at the University as old as 79 years was on fire.
The challenge at hand is reconstructing this Iconic building.
Information about Makerere University and the Main Building can be accessed on the web address below:
https://makmainbuildingreconstruction.blogspot.com/2021/04/support-reconstruction-of-makerere.html
PROFESSOR NAWANGWE THE VICE CHANCELLOR SAYS THAT, "THE UNIVERSITY WILL NEED UP TO USD 5,714,285.7 TO RESTORE THE MAIN BUILDING”.
Unveiling the official contribution channels for support towards the restoration of Iconic Main Administration Building the Vice Chancellor appealed to all well -wishers to make contributions through:
STANBIC BANK – UGANDA
SWIFT CODE FOR STANBIC BANK UGANDA: SBICUGKXXXX
ACCOUNT NUMBERS:
1. 9030017778608 (USD)
2. 9030017778535 (UGX)
In case of any clarifications or advice to the University that you remitted some funds, you can please contact:
Dr. Umar Kakumba,
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)
Emails: dvcaa@mak.ac.ug
Or: umar.kakumba@gmail.com
Mailing Address
Makerere University
P.O. Box 7062,
Kampala, UGANDA.
NB KINDLY SHARE THIS APPEAL TO ANY OF YOUR FRIENDS OR INSTITUTIONS THAT YOU IMAGINE CAN SUPPORT THIS CAUSE.
I thank you.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
Alumnus of Makerere University
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