Alumni raise Shs54m for Makerere multimedia lab

The alumni of the Makerere University Department of Journalism and Communication, have raised Shs54m of the Shs420 million needed for the construction of a multimedia lab at the institution.
Mr Charles Odongtho, a member of the fundraising committee, said the Friday fundraising dinner in Kampala raised Shs28million in addition to Shs26.3million which was raised during an evening tea event a month ago.
The acting head of the journalism and communication department, Mr Adolf Mbaine, said they launched the appeal for the multimedia resource centre after realising that the challenges that existed 10 years ago, are different from today’s and may not be the same in future.
He said they aim to complete the project by the 2020/2021 academic year.
“The beauty is that the programme is based on the alumni and the industry players some of whom have been guest lecturers, offered internship opportunities and employment to our products,” Mr Mbaine said.
Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor, asked Parliament to support the university when it asks for approval for a license to operationalise a television and radio station.
Prof Nawangwe said besides training, the broadcast stations will enable dissemination of research conducted by the university to push the economy forward.
He added that the university is proud of the department for producing good quality human resources for the country, saying such fundraising drives are what has sustained great universities such as Havard.
The Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, in a speech read by Finance State Minister David Bahati, asked the alumni to continue fundraising for the multimedia resource centre.
He gave an illustration that if each of the alumnus contributed Shs200, 000 towards the cause, the department which is celebrating 30 since inception, would be able to have a resource centre and a training television and radio station, as well as equipment to train students in the 21st Century multimedia skills.
“Sometimes it is hard to raise money when alumni have gathered, but if each one of you contributed Shs200, 000, you would be able to foot the Shs420 million the department is looking for,” he said.
He said the university would help government to streamline its communication to enable the country achieve its vision 2040 aspiration using the Shs30 billion research funding that government injected into the university.
Dr Fred Kakooza, the fundraising coordinator, said the university has already allocated the television and radio station two floors on Mitchell Hall, where the media lab will be located.