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Tracing St Henry’s College Kitovu’s 100-year journey
The administration block of St Henry’s College, Kitovu. The school will celebrate a century this weekend. PHOTOS/ALMAHDI SSENKABIRWA
What you need to know:
- The school started with 22 students, but in the last century, it has grown into an academic giant and has a student population of 1,500.
In 1922, St Henry’s College Kitovu was established, and just like a crawling baby, it had no idea what the future would hold.
The pioneer students were deprived. They were barefooted and slept in a grass-thatched house opposite Our Lady of Sorrows Cathedral cemetery at Kitovu Hill.
Under the guidance of the White Fathers, the school founders, the students participated in the construction of the first buildings of the now present day St Henry’s College in exchange for exercise books, rosaries, pens, and medals, according to available records.
“Available records show that the college started in three small buildings of sun-dried bricks. The stubborn students of that time were punished by carrying bricks from the valley to the building site or to carry buckets of soil from one place to another at the building site,” Brother Augustine Mugabo, the head teacher, narrates.
The school started with 22 students, but in the past 100 years, it has grown into an academic giant, boasts of better infrastructure and has a student population of 1,500, according Brother Mugabo.
The school has also maintained its high academic performance in national exams, churning out some of the top students in the country.
Brother Mugabo says some of the former students are the professionals setting the pace in Uganda and Africa’s social, economic and political agenda.
“This milestone is worth celebrating, and we thank the Almighty for having brought us this far,” he says.
On July 16, the college will celebrate its centenary under the theme “a century of bounteous harvest with innovation”.
One of monuments set up to mark the event is a Shs3.5 multibillion 2,500 sitting capacity multi-purpose hall, which is under construction.
The building will house a community centre and conference rooms. Already, Shs700m out of Shs3.5b has already been raised from old boys and other well-wishers .
Brother Mugabo says residents will receive free hands-on training in various skills such as making chalk and soap, bakery, book keeping, administration, embroidery, and designing as a way of giving back to the community.
“We want the community to feel that they are part of the school they have seen grow over the years. They will be required to come with only materials to use and we shall facilitate the trainers,” he says. Brother Mugabo adds that the training sessions will be conducted during holidays and their students will also benefit.
The school will also launch a multi-billion modern science laboratory, which the government constructed.
Brother Mugabo lauded the old students, staff, well-wishers and parents for supporting the college.
Mr Apollo Kivumbi, the president St Henry’s College, Kitovu Old Boys Association (SHACKOBA), says they have contributed to all college projects.
“I salute all the old boys and other well-wishers who always supported the college. Our campaign is still on to raise more money to complete the community centre ,” he says.
The college was named after Henry Streicher, the first bishop of the Vicariate of Villa Maria, (present day Masaka Diocese), who had been named after St Henry. St Henry ruled over Bavaria and was emperor of the Holy Empire from 1002 to 1024 AD.
In the earlier years of the school, its students were mainly sons of chiefs and wealthy families who could afford the high school fees of about Shs5 a term.2
Its establishment was meant to relieve St Mary’s College, Rubaga, Kampala, of its expanding student population pressures having started 16 years earlier.
Originally, SHACK motto was “Kyosimba onaanya --- kyolyaako ettooke” , loosely translated as: “The plantain you plant without labouring too, much yields more fruits.” However, it later changed to: “For Greater Horizons.”
Inspired to do art.
“I was at St Henry’s College Kitovu between 1972 and 1973 for my A-Level. Our Art teacher Francis Musango Gwa Mbogo advised us to take Art seriously as one of the ways of self-employment. This prompted me to pay him a visit to his home. I found him painting and we had a comprehensive engagement that inspired me to love art,” Gen Elly Tumwine, former security minister.
Talented. “I was elected Mr SHACK in 1993 and subsequently elected entertainment prefect. It was not easy amidst many talented students. I was also the school team goalkeeper between 1993 and 1994 .We know some traditional schools which have gone into oblivion, but SHACK has stood the test of time and we commend the administration for that,” Daniel Kazibwe, alias Ragga Dee, musician.
SCHOOL HEADS, SOME OLD BOYS
Past head teachers:
•Fr Laberge Adrian-1922-1926
•Bro Eugiene Marie Paqette - 1927-1942.
•Brother George Lord- 1942-1945
•Brother Norbert Vandal-1946-1951
•Bro Felix Baribean - 1951- 1958
•Bro John Leonard Aubin 1958- 1964.
•Bro Aidan Michael Mulabannaku: 1964- 1978.
•Brother Leonard Byankya: 1979-1982
•Brother Anthony Kyemwa: 1983-1987
•Brother Michael Butolwa: 1988-1992
•Brother Godfrey Kakinda: 1993 -1994
•Brother Joseph Kawuki: 1995 – 2001.
•Brother Francis Matsiko: 2001-2011
• Brother Augustine Mugabo: 2011- todate.
Some of the prominent Old Boys:
• Buganda Kingdom premier Charles Peter Mayiga
•Gen Elly Tumwine, former security minister
•Bombo General Military Hospital director, Col Dr Ronald Nangamba
•Al Hajj Kaddu Kiberu, director Peacock Paints
•Daniel Kazibwe, aka, Ragga Dee, artiste
•Lawrence Lugwana-Kaggwa,
managing director Nile Plastics
•Prof Nicholas Kiggundu ,senior lecturer at Makerere University
•Mr Simon Lugoloobi, former CEO of Crown Beverages Ltd
•Mr Herman Kasekende, the CEO of Standard Chartered Bank, Zambia
•Eng John Byabagambi, former State Minister in charge of Karamoja
•Mr Robert Kasozi, chief operations officer CBS FM
•Prof Bernard Bashaasha, principal School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences ,Makerere
• Dr Herman Kigoye Byansi, proprietor of Byansi Hospital
Additional reporting by Wilson Kutamba
