Thabo Mbeki at Makerere's graduation ceremony

 By Francis Kagolo

Makerere University is to host former South Africa president Thabo Mbeki as it graduates over 11,000 students this week.

The university’s 62nd graduation ceremony, where 221 first class degrees and 41 PhDs will be awarded, starts today (Monday) and will end on Friday.  

Mbeki, who served for almost two terms as the second South African post-apartheid president from 1999 to 2008, will give a public question and answer session at the university’s main hall on Thursday.

Makerere’s senior spokesperson Ritah Namisango, said Mbeki’s lecture will start at 6:00pm and will be held under the theme, “Africa and the World: Intervention and Reform.”

The university’s vice-chancellor, Prof.  Venansius Baryamureeba, will host the event, which will be chaired by Prof. Mahmood Mamdani, the director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research.

Namisango explained that the first 10 questions will be asked by key figures in the academia and the media. The session is slated to run from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.

Mbeki’s lecture is part of the process to revive the “Makerere Africa Lecture Series” that were suspended due to Idi Amin’s coup in 1971.

The lectures were revived last month when Prof. Peter Anyang Nyong’o, a Kenyan legislator and minister of medical services, discussed the women’s liberation movement in East Africa. 

Namisango said the public is welcome to attend the session.

Meanwhile, the university has prohibited alcohol, mobile phones, firearms, large bags, canned food and drinks at the graduation ceremony. January 24 has been designated a special day for the conferring of an honorary doctor of laws upon Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki. 

Namisango said the award is in recognition of Kibaki’s distinguished and outstanding contribution to public service at national, regional and international levels.