Makerere Ivory Tower reopens with new chancellor

President Museveni on October 2 opened the Makerere University Main Building, which was reconstructed after it was burnt four years ago, with a major call to the university leadership to turn their focus on reforms in the social sciences studies.

Mr Museveni said the challenges that Uganda and Africa are faced with are due to the ancient social sciences taught in the education system.

“When you hear the crises in West Africa, war, what. Young people dying in the ocean is because of this gap in social science. Social sciences must move up and must catch up with history. Must go from social sciences of colonialism to social sciences of liberation,” President Museveni said at Makerere University.

Mr Museveni was accompanied by the First Lady, Ms Janet Museveni, who is also the Minister of Education and Sports.

The President told the university that the change in science and technology in society has a direct impact on the way people are governed and, therefore each student must be taught the new laws of social sciences.

“There are a lot of problems there. The paralysis in Africa is because of those sides of social science. The correct ideas of how to organise society. And, therefore, challenge you and challenge Dr Kiyonga to audit this,” he said.

Fifteen years ago, President Museveni often described arts courses, like social sciences and development studies, as non-priorities in the transformation of the country. Based on his opinion, many lecturers teaching arts courses were side-lined during salary enhancement of teaching staff.

He now said political economy should be introduced as a paper in all courses regardless of whether it is in science or art discipline.

“Have a paper to understand the laws that govern the changes in society. Which are these laws? I tell you, law number one is when there is change in science and technology, there are concomitant changes in society,” Mr Museveni said.

New chancellor

The President also installed a new university chancellor, Dr Crispus Walter Kiyonga.

Dr Kiyonga, whom Mr Museveni described as an outstanding cadre of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), has been tasked to spearhead the reforms. He is also a member of the NRM central committee.

“He has been very active in our efforts since 1980 when we were involved with UPM (Uganda Patriotic Movement). I congratulate him for becoming the chancellor of the university,” Mr Museveni said.

Dr Kiyonga said in his deployment, he would want to deepen the relationship between the university, the community and the central government.

“The struggle to develop and transform Africa is a revolutionary duty. It is, therefore, the duty of all patriots of Uganda and Africa wherever they may be to do what they can in support of this effort. Makerere University is a prominent and historical central learning and knowledge-generating institution in Africa. Makerere, therefore, has a duty to keep abreast with the development of Africa and some of us who get the opportunity to do some work here, have some duty and obligation to keep this assignment under central focus,” Dr Kiyonga said.

He said the university works must move in tandem with the government development agenda.

“Can the research agendas of the university speak more clearly and more directly to the development agenda as spelled out by the government? Can the students be more involved in different forms of extensions in the Ugandan population and communities? Can a significant quantity of land that the university has be used to create agro-industrial parks for practical learning and incomes,” Dr Kiyonga said.

Dr Kiyonga said he would want the students and university staff to keep with the President’s pace on the liberation struggle and transformation of Uganda and Africa.

Funding

Prof Nawangwe said the reconstruction of the Ivory Tower was done by Ugandan architects and engineer trained by Makerere University and the funds were entirely from the government.

“Out of the reels and ashes of the old building rises a magnificent structure built with the most modern technology reflecting the architectural image of the former and yet completely transformed to embrace the latest technology,” Prof Nawangwe said.

He said the building will accommodate the Makerere University Museum and they will also be honoured to host the Luweero War Museum.

“As an architect I can affirm that this building will stand and proclaim to the world. We build for the future for centuries to come. 

“My heart is overflowing with joy as you can see. Thank you very much your excellency, maama and the entire government for wiping our tears and bringing new smiles on our faces ,” Prof Nawangwe said.

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