Museveni set to launch new Aga Khan University campus in Nakawa

KAMPALA - President Yoweri Museveni is expected to launch the new Aga Khan University campus in Nakawa on Thursday (September 11).

The campus, according to the university administration, will be part of the integrated health care and education system of the Aga Khan Development Network in East Africa.

The university will be a home to 100 faculty and 700 students, 164 of whom will be living full-time on the campus.

According to Sulaiman Shahabuddin, the university's president, the new campus will engage with the local community and develop close working relationships for joint research, joint delivery of academic programmes and health care services.

“A central vision of both our founding chancellor, His late Highness the Aga Khan IV and President Museveni was that the Aga Khan University and its hospital create meaningful public and private partnerships," he said.

He made the remarks during a media tour ahead of the inauguration ceremony of the university academic facility and ground breaking for the construction of the Aga Khan Hospital Kampala, on Tuesday.

Addressing journalists, the Director of Strategic Communications, Karim Siyani commended the Ugandan government for providing 60 acres of land for the campus.

He said the university will not only create knowledge through research that is relevant, but will also benefit the people in Uganda by providing high-quality education and high-quality health care.

The funding for the construction is from donors, the founding chancellor and the government of Germany’s BMZ and KfW.

Proscovia Nabatte looking through the microscope during a media tour at Aga Khan university in Nakawa on August 8, 2025. (Credit: Juliet Kasirye)

“The facility has received all the required regulatory clearances to operate. We have occupational permits and approvals from the National Council of Higher Education to shift the university here. Aga Khan Foundation will allow the neighbouring Aga Khan education services to be able to make use of that place,” said Dr Joseph Mwizerwa, the Assoc Vice Provost.

In terms of charter preparation, Mwizerwa said, in 2000, when the campus started, they received an instrument of accreditation that recognises the Aga Khan campus. Currently, they are working with the National Council of Higher Education to move their accreditation to a charter.

Hospital inauguration

Dr Diana Ssewanyana is the the senior manager of business development and operations for the Aga Khan University Hospital in Kampala. She said that during the first phase, the hospital will start off as a 101-bed health facility. However, when the demand increases, they will be moved to the second phase.

Ssewanyana added that once fully established, the hospital will offer tertiary services, which Ugandans have been seeking abroad. The services will include, cardiology, chemotherapy, and deep diagnostics.

“With the existing facility, we are already having patients coming from Burundi, Rwanda, Tunisia, Malawi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. Once the hospital is fully established, we will be able to offer services that Ugandans have been seeking in Kenya, Malaysia, India, among others."