Govt releases Shs2.54b for Kigezi College renovation
Kabale Municipality officials led by mayor Sentaro Byamugisha as well as members of the Kigezi College Butobere board of governors, during the ground-breaking ceremony of the school’s renovation. PHOTO/ROBERT MUHEREZA
What you need to know:
- The funds will be used to renovate three dormitories - Makobore, Bikangaga and Bwankosa - the administration block, staff room, library and computer laboratory.
Kigezi College Butobere, located in the central division of Kabale Municipality was established in 1957. Throughout the years, most of the college’s infrastructure has become dilapidated, making the once academic giant the sector’s laughing stock.
After years of lobbying for financial help, the school, was in 2017 allocated Shs3.06 billion to renovate dilapidated buildings, most still bearing leaking asbestos sheet. However, over four occasions, the money was re-voted to Kabale Municipal Council but was never utilized due to unforeseen circumstances, according to the school’s Board of Governors chairman Moses Ntahobari Turyomurugyendo.
Last month, government released Shs2.54 billion for the partial renovation of the school. “We are extremely grateful to the government because the long awaited dream of renovating our school has been realized. It’s our appeal to the contractor to ensure value for money by producing quality works as detailed in the bills of quantities,” Mr Turyomurugyendo, also an old student of the school said.
Vidas Engineering Company Ltd will execute the renovation works that are expected to be completed in a period of three months.
The funds will be used to renovate three dormitories - Makobore, Bikangaga and Bwankosa, the administration block, staff room, library and computer laboratory. Some of the money will also be used to remove asbestos sheets from Lumumba hall. “The funds released will only renovate 40 percent of the dilapidated infrastructure. We require an extra Shs7billion to have renovate the dining hall, all classrooms, main hall, teacher’s houses improve drainage and water systems,” Mr Turyomurugyendo said while handing over the bid document detailing bills of quantities to contractor for immediate execution of works.
“It’s our humble appeal to the government and its partners to help raise the remaining funds for the full renovation of our school which also includes fencing the school land and the construction of the main gate.” Former students, including the Mayor for Kabale municipality Mr Sentaro Byamugisha and the LCIII Southern Division of Kabale Municipality Mr Isaac Rushoga expressed joy and excitement that the renovation works will attract more students to the school thus regaining the lost glory of this traditional school.
Mr Byamugisha blamed decline in the students’ enrollment on the school’s dilapidated infrastructure despite old student’s efforts of improving its academic standards by providing scholarships for brilliant students and lobbying for better qualified teachers.
“I am sure that once the renovation of this school is complete, it will attract more students to this school,” Mr Byamugisha said. Enrollment at Kigezi College Butobere stood at about 2,000 students in the early 1990’s as each class had four streams.
“By 2015 enrollment had declined to less than 100 students. After I assumed office in 2016, I teamed up with other old students and we designed strategies for increasing student enrollment. We started by disbanding the old Board of Governors and embarked on fundraising drives to get money for sponsoring brilliant students. However, the dilapidated school infrastructure dragged us back. Now we have 300 students and with the planned renovation of the school, I am sure enrollment will increase,” Mr Byamugisha said.
Getting fund
The journey of getting funds from the government started in October last year, when Turyomurugyendo wrote to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education requesting for the authorisation to utilize funds allocated to Kigezi College for the purpose of renovating it. The response from Mr Turyomurugyendo came shortly after the deputy secretary to the treasury, Mr Patrick Ocailap issued a letter dated September 3, 2024 guiding on the supplementary budget for the financial year 2024/2025 where he asked all the accounting officers to execute the supplementary budgets as authorized under their respective entities to make formal requests and provide detailed item allocations and revised work plans on the Program Budgeting System (PBS).
In March 2023, the then permanent secretary Ministry of education and sports Ms Ketty Lamaro issued a letter to the town clerk of Kabale Municipality halting the tendering process to procure a contractor for the renovation of the school pending the revision of the scope and re-issuance of solicitation document by his ministry. “This is in reference to correspondences from the ministry of education and sports providing guidance on the procurement of contractors under the UgIFT programme for Kigezi College Butobere in Kabale municipality, Sir Samuel Baker College in Gulu and Busoga High School in Kamuli Municipality. Whereas I am aware that the tendering process for the planned civil works is under way, this is to inform you that the Ministry has reviewed the allocations for the planned civil works in the respective schools, you are required to halt the tendering process pending revision of the scope and re-issuance of solicitation documents by the ministry,” the March 2, 2023 letter signed by Ms Lamaro read in parts.
Star group
Prominent old students...
.... of Kigezi college Butobere include the former chancellor of Makerere University and current Chancellor of Kabale University Prof Mondo Kagonyera, former Bank of Uganda governor Prof Tumusiime Mutebile (RIP), former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, Rtd Gen Henry Tumukunde, the state minister of finance in charge of general duties Mr Henry Musasizi, former Solicitor General Peter Kabatsi and among others.
