Prime
Museveni endorses call for public varsity in Bunyoro
Bunyoro Kingdom's King (Omukama) Dr Solomon Gafabusa Iguru I, Queen (Omugo) Margaret Karunga Adyeeri and President Yoweri Museveni at Karuziika palace on May 14, 2019. Mr Museveni in recent electoral campaigns promised the sub-region a public university. PHOTO/HANDOUT
What you need to know:
- Bunyoro has been pushing for a university since 2015 when Parliament passed a resolution approving their request.
President Museveni has okayed the operationalisation of the Earth and Applied Sciences Public University in Bunyoro Sub-region.
The decision was reached during a meeting with Bunyoro Parliamentary Caucus members led by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja at State House yesterday.
Through a memorandum of understanding read by chairperson Jacob Karubanga (Kibanda South), Bunyoro MPs said the operationalisation of a public university in the sub-region would foster and create opportunities for technological and economical transformation through research and innovation.
In response, the President said his concept is to have zonal universities across the country and advised that a taskforce be set up to guide on the courses that would not only help the students but also the country.
“Let us not have white elephant courses. Let us have courses that will help these children and the country to have innovation skills,” he said.
Mr Museveni noted that children should always be guided to do courses that will meet the world job demand not the ones that will leave them on the streets after school. He gave an example of Mbarara University which is concentrating on sciences and creating change in society.
The President appealed to the leaders in Bunyoro and the country at large to support his intergrated efforts of eradicating poverty and increasing household incomes for economic transformation through commercial agriculture.
Ms Nabbanja hailed the President for approving their request, saying the public university will support the social economic transformation of Bunyoro Sub-region.
Bunyoro has been pushing for a university since 2015 when Parliament passed a resolution approving their request.
Mr Museveni has in recent campaigns promised the sub-region a public university.
The development will most likely silence pro-Bunyoro Kingdom activists who have persistently accused the government of neglecting the sub-region’s demand for a higher institution of learning.
In 2014, Bunyoro Kingdom started Bunyoro Kitara Royal University, hoping that government would soon complement their efforts with a public university in the area.
