Makerere eulogises former VC Wandira as a man of integrity

The Makerere University fraternity has eulogised their former vice chancellor (VC) Asavia Wandira as a man of integrity and a diplomat, who served the institution with dedication.
He passed on yesterday at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala.

“He served the university when it was facing a number of challenges and he managed to keep it intact. We are now ranked highly in the work and on the continent, it is because of those former leaders, who managed to keep the culture and integrity of the university,” the Makerere University VC, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, said in a telephone interview yesterday.
Prof Nawangwe also said Wandira will be remembered as one of the prominent VCs that Makerere University has had. Wandira served as the university’s VC for two terms from 1972 to 1975 and between 1979 and 1986, respectively.

The former VC, Prof John Ddumba Ssentamu, who said he was a student at Makerere during Wandira’s reign, described him as an orator.
“His death is a great loss to this country since he knew much about the history of this country. He was also an intelligent man since becoming a VC during those days was not easy,” Prof Ddumba said.
Mr Patrick Ibembe, the chairperson of Busoga College Mwiri Old Boys, said they would like to remember their fallen Old Boy Wandira for his refinement and composure.

“The late Wandira resided in Willis House at Mwiri. After graduation, he taught History at Mwiri, where his wife, Ms Nabbanja Wandira, also taught. The couple were parents of the late Tony Wandira, who was also an Old Boy of Mwiri. The late Wandira has been such a big figure in the Mwiri Alumni. Mwiri has produced 12 Vice Chancellors including the current Makerere University Vice Chancellor Nawangwe. Any big school is as big as its alumni,” he said.

Background
Asavia Wandira first served as Makerere University VC from 1972 to 1975, after which he left Uganda for the University of Swaziland as a professor of Education.
Upon return to Uganda, he was named Minister of Education in 1979 and bounced back as Makerere University VC from 1979-1986.
Prof Wandira was also commissioner on the Constitutional Review Commission that sought people’s views on the 2005 constitutional amendments.

He was also instrumental in the formation of Busoga University as he was the chairperson of its pioneer board of directors that worked on its establishment in the late 1990s.
He last appeared in the public in 2012 when Makerere University made 90 years of existence to give a speech on the political history of the institution.
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