A longstanding promise to establish Bunyoro University continues to face significant hurdles, with delays in land acquisition and funding threatening its timely operationalisation.
Despite a directive from President Museveni in 2001 to establish a public university in the oil-rich Bunyoro region, the project is still entangled in bureaucratic and financial setbacks.
The President first emphasized the need for a public university during his visit to Bunyoro in 2011 to promote the expansion of tertiary education in the region.
A decade later, in 2021, a delegation led by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, along with key members of the Bunyoro Kingdom and parliamentary caucus, met with President Museveni, reaffirming the pledge.
The delegation outlined plans for the university’s headquarters in Hoima, with constituent colleges in Masindi, Kibaale, and Hoima.
The President’s approval in 2021 fueled hopes that operationalization would begin soon, with funding expected to commence in the 2022/23 fiscal year and the first admissions slated for 2024/25.
However, the project has stalled over land acquisition issues, particularly regarding 100 acres of land offered by Dr Henry Wamani, a landowner in the region.
The land’s use is conditional on the government compensating Dr Wamani’s pine plantation to the tune of Shs4.9 billion.
This condition has sparked major concerns among MPs, who met with the Bunyoro University Task Force Management Committee on January 29, 2025.
The Education Committee members were dismayed by what they deemed an exorbitant cost and questioned the land’s future security for the university.
The chairperson of the Bunyoro Parliamentary Caucus, Jacob Karubanga (NRM, Kibanda South County), explained that Dr Wamani had offered 20 acres for immediate development.
The remaining 80 acres would only be available after a 15-year wait for the trees on the land to be harvested or if the government pays the Shs4.9 billion.
The land has been rated as the most suitable for the university by the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development.
The delay has caused frustration among stakeholders, who see the land deal as a significant barrier to the project’s progress.
Education Committee chairperson James Kubeketerya urged the task force to expedite the procurement of land, noting that the university’s inclusion in the 2025/26 budget would depend on resolving the land issue.
The future of Bunyoro University hangs in the balance as the region waits for the government to address these challenges.
If the land acquisition and funding hurdles are not resolved soon, the promise of a public university for Bunyoro may remain just that — a promise.
