First Lady reopens renovated Mary Stuart Hall at Makerere University

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The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni, on Friday, August 15, 2025, presided over the reopening of the newly renovated Mary Stuart Hall at Makerere University, hailing it as a symbol of progress and a renewed commitment by the NRM Government to provide students with a conducive learning environment.

The sh10.5 billion project, executed by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) in partnership with the Estates & Works Department and the College of Engineering, has transformed the oldest and largest female residence at Makerere into a modern facility.

Speaking at the colourful ceremony attended by university leadership, students, and government officials, Mrs Museveni recalled touring halls of residence during the COVID-19 lockdown and being deeply concerned by their dilapidated state.

“I prayed for change because I know that the environment shapes the mindset. Today, I thank God that we are here, celebrating what has been achieved,” she said.

The facelift of Mary Stuart Hall includes a new functional lift, after 50 years of disuse, upgraded lighting, modern washrooms, laundry facilities, pantries, a reading room, and a senior common room. NEC also pledged to install solar lighting and landscape the surrounding grounds.

The First Lady thanked the Ministry of Finance for prioritising funding and praised NEC for completing the works on time and to a high standard. She urged students to be responsible stewards of the facility.

“You must preserve this hall. Be disciplined, manage your finances wisely, and avoid harmful habits. Education is not only about books; it is also about character,” she advised.

The First Lady further encouraged students to embrace the Emerging Leaders Program, which instils values under the SAFE framework—Sober, Addiction-Free, Financially Faithful, and Education-Focused.

Reiterating her fight against corruption, she described it as an “Acquired Integrity Deficiency Syndrome” and called on students to be ambassadors of integrity.

“This Government is one of action. We do not promise what we cannot deliver. This hall is more than a building; it is a statement of resilience, progress, and the transformative power of education,” she said.

Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, hailed the reopening as a landmark moment in the institution’s history.

“Mary Stuart Hall has long stood as a beacon of women’s right to higher education in Uganda. With this renovation, the hall is now fully conducive for academic excellence. Our students now have every reason to thrive,” he said.

Prof. Nawangwe expressed gratitude to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for directing the renovation of all student halls of residence. He confirmed that plans are underway to refurbish Complex Hall for Girls (CCE) once funding is secured.

Built in 1945 and named after Mary Stuart, the wife of Uganda’s first Anglican Archbishop, the hall has hosted generations of distinguished women scholars and leaders. The reopening ceremony thus marked not only the rebirth of an iconic facility but also a new chapter in Makerere’s proud history.