Katureebe asks graduates to protect environment

The Chancellor of Uganda Management Institute (UMI), Justice (rtd) Bart Katureebe has urged graduates to lead the fight against environmental degradation in the country.

“I would like to urge our graduates to celebrate this day by planting a tree of your choice and going on to nurture it as a celebration of your achievement today. I note as well that the World is slowly but surely being hit by water scarcity,” Mr Katureebe said.

He made the remarks during the Institute’s 21st graduation ceremony on Friday at the Mbale Branch.  At least 344 graduates were awarded diplomas, degrees, and masters in different disciplines.

“We come to the end of the cycle of the 21st graduation ceremonies in UMI at a time when Uganda and countries in this region are hit by a heat wave unseen in the recent past. It would be a lie if we see it as an unanticipated weather phenomenon. We have, unfortunately, actively invited the weather rage upon ourselves,” Justice Katureebe said.

“We are not only reaping an unbearable weather pattern, but also the life-threatening landslides that have cost precious human life,” he added. 

The UMI Director General, Dr James Nkata, said Mbale is set to be UMI second permanent outpost following the city leadership giving the Institute land to construct a permanent station.

“The process to start construction is already underway. Our procurement entity and the projects department are set in earnest to see that the construction starts and is completed in time,” he said.