Government is nearing completion of the exercise of opening and upgrading existing roads leading to the site chosen to host a public university in Buhimba Town Council, Kikuube District.
The task, which involves opening and upgrading 12.5km of new and existing roads, was launched in August by the Bunyoro University Taskforce Management Committee (TMC) and local leaders in Buhimba Town Council.
This followed the handover of land titles for 100 acres to the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, in July.
The land, located in Nyantwe Cell, was donated by Dr. Henry Wamani, a former lecturer at Makerere University’s School of Public Health.
Kikuube District Local Government is executing the road works under a memorandum of understanding with the TMC.
“The task (road works) is progressing well, and we hope it will be completed in the coming days,” Prof. Samuel Kyamanywa, chairperson of the TMC and Vice Chancellor, says. “This is a key part of the preparatory work for the establishment of a public university in Bunyoro.”
He adds that the completion of the road works is expected to be followed by the launch of the construction of the university.
“The establishment of a public university is a step-by-step process,” he states. “I thank the people of Bunyoro region, and Uganda in general, for embracing the processes we have so far taken. I call for more support from the public as we move to the next steps.”
Prof. Grace Kyomuhendo Bantebya, the vice chairperson of the TMC and first Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of academic affairs, reiterated her appeal to Ugandans, especially the people of Bunyoro, to prepare to seize the opportunities the university will bring.
“This is a public university open to all Ugandans, but I urge the people of Bunyoro to prepare their children to join and benefit from it,” she said. “Since it is a science-based university, we must raise performance standards in our secondary schools to feed it effectively.”