Kyambogo varsity dangles its unused land for investors
Kyambogo University Council Vice chairperson Sarah Babirye Lubega, Vice Chancellor Prof Eli Katunguka (right), and university engineer Patrick Kalule (2nd right) during the tree planting ceremony at the main campus yesterday. PHOTO / PRECIOUS DELILAH
What you need to know:
- The VC made the revelation during a tree planting ceremony at the university’s main campus yesterday.
- Prof Katunguka said the university needs more than Shs360b to develop the land that is partly being utilised for farming because of limited funds.
Kyambogo University Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Eli Katunguka has revealed that plans are underway to partner with private investors to develop more than 147 acres of the institution’s idle land.
The VC made the revelation during a tree planting ceremony at the university’s main campus yesterday.
Prof Katunguka said the university needs more than Shs360b to develop the land that is partly being utilised for farming because of limited funds.
“The whole project was costed at Shs360b and that is a lot of money. So when we start the private public partnerships (PPPs), we shall generate money from investors to continue developments on the land,” he said.
“We plan to put up accommodation for students, business centres, and recreation centres. We also plan to put up a hospital, a hotel and a guest house, but none of that can be achieved if we don’t have money from government, which is very unlikely or from investors,” the VC added.
Prof Katunguka also noted that funding from the government has declined, leaving them with no option, but to look to investors to complete the master plan.
“Kyamgogo University developed a master plan in 2013 and it is supposed to end in 2030. It prescribes what is supposed to be constructed on the university land, all structures are well mapped out. However, nothing has happened because of underfunding,” he said.
“We are aware that funding of universities is declining every year and this is a global trend not only in Uganda, so, we are encouraged to be innovative and find ways on how we can generate income for the university,” Prof Katunguka said.
Tree planting campaign
Mr Patrick Kalule, the university engineer, revealed that they will be planting more than 1,200 trees to cover more than 7km of the campus fence as a way of conserving the environment and stopping encroachers and land grabbers.
The trees will be planted around the land borders to indicate where the university land stops.
Mr Kalule said the land has a lot of “porous” boundaries that make it easy for land grabbers to take advantage.
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“There are threats on our land, we are trying to emphasise our boundaries. Currently, there is an area of about 10 acres occupied by encroachers. So, we have put up concrete bollards to indicate where our land ends and we are negotiating to solve the land issues,” Mr Kalule said.
