Architects offer to restore Makerere main building

The Uganda Society of Architects has pledged to offer technical expertise in the efforts to restore Makerere University’s Ivory Tower to its former state.
The Ivory Tower, which is the main symbol of Uganda’s oldest university, was left in ruins by fires that broke out in the wee hours on Sunday.

The building was left visibly cracked, tainted with smoke, and the windows blown out.
In a statement released on September 23, the architects said the building is representative of the Uganda’s history and education, which should be restored.

“We believe in the preservation and maintenance of our heritage and as such are ready and willing to participate in restoration efforts of the Ivory Tower,” Ms Jacinta Kabarungi, the president of the architects’ society, said in the statement.
Ms Kabarungi also told Daily Monitor in a phone interview yesterday that despite the significance of the building, the old structure cannot be maintained.

“It is very evident from what is currently on ground that the university walls cannot stand. Due to the age of the building, you could see the cracks in the walls and such extreme heat affects the stability of the building,” Ms Kabarungi said.
Ms Kabarungi, however, said the new structure would be a revamp of the original design of the structure, to maintain the look and legacy of the building.

The vice chancellor of Makerere University, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, welcomed the offer.
“That is very welcome. All stakeholders who wish to contribute in one way or another are welcome,” Prof Nawangwe told Daily Monitor yesterday.