Njuki stepped where many balked

Aug 02, 2012

To mark 50 years of Uganda’s independence, New Vision will, until October 9, 2012, be publishing highlights of events and profiling personalities who have shaped the history of this country.


To mark 50 years of Uganda’s independence, New Vision will, until October 9, 2012, be publishing highlights of events and profiling personalities who have shaped the history of this country. Today, JOEL OGWANG profiles East Africa’s first female engineer

EVEN today, many would brand her a social deviant or just ‘big headed’, especially at a time engineering was ‘ring-fenced’ for male students, but she dared the ‘status-quo’ and, ultimately, over turned it to become the first female engineer in East Africa.

At the outset, any faint-hearted women would have thrown in the towel, at least not for the taunts she took, being the only female student in a class of 40.

But, for passion, resilience and agility, Eng. Proscovia Njuki trekked a rugged path to success, writing her name in the region’s history books.

“She was focused, persevering and with a good background,” says Victoria Kisarale, the Gayaza High School headteacher.
Njuki had moral and financial support that enabled her scale the heights.

It is, however, the manner in which Njuki attained this rare feat, that is more dramatic. Having enrolled at Gayaza for her Jjunior secondary, senior secondary and A’ level education, she developed a passion for sciences, alongside Fine Art, French and English.

With encouragement from a female technician at the defunct Uganda Electricity Board (UEB), Njuki set her eyes on studying engineering. When Njuki sat O’ Level examinations, her dream of becoming an engineer came under threat.

“Gayaza did not teach A’level mathematics and yet I wanted to do mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, with Additional mathematics and Art (at A’level),” she says.

First maths student
However, Joan Cox, the headteacher, and Jean Mulholland, a mathematics teacher, made arrangements that enabled Njuki become the first A’level mathematics student at Gayaza High School.

Mulholland took leave to teach Njuki who would go back to school a month earlier than other students. “My teacher was ready to bend some rules to keep me interested. I studied from the veranda of my dormitory when I did not feel like sitting in a big classroom alone,” Njuki says.

When the examinations were released, Njuki had topped her science class, subsequently winning a scholarship to study engineering at Kumasi University in Ghana.

However, she turned down the offer preferring Nairobi University. But at Nairobi University, no females were expected to study engineering. When Njuki’s admission arrived, it was addressed to a Mr Lwanga as it was assumed she was a man. She had applied as Proscovia Lwanga.

With the aid of her brothers, Njuki sent a telegram to Nairobi University, to rectify the mistake. In spite of this effort, a warden in the female student’s hall of residence told Njuki that no engineering student was expected at the university.

“It was a scary moment for me being in a foreign country for the first time. The warden permitted me to stay for the night, but advised that I sort out my issues with the administration,” she says.

As room allocation was announced the following day, ‘Mr. Lwanga’ was allocated a room in the boys’ hostel. Not until Njuki presented her academic papers and a copy of the telegram that the anomaly was rectified.

Njuki was the only female out of 40 students. Irritated with her asking questions all the time, a lecturer once retorted: “Woman! Why are you in this class?, a local media quoted her in 2011.

Against all odds, she graduated with a bachelor of science honour’s degree in electrical engineering in 1974.

Employment record
Soon after graduating, Njuki was offered a job opportunity at the East African Community in Nairobi. But before that, the Government summoned Njuki for job interviews at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Njuki was later given a job at Uganda Television.

“During those days, turning down a Government job offer could be gravely misunderstood. I, therefore, had no alternative but to forfeit my earlier job offer with EAC,” she says.

Njuki set-out as a television engineer in 1974, rising to become the head of UTV Engineering services in 1994. She also chaired the committee that supervised the restructuring of the Broadcasting Department in Uganda in 2001 – 2002.

When Njuki retired in 2002, she had, through a 28-year career in television industry, rose to being the Commissioner for UTV, a post she held upto 1995.

Njuki, alongside energy minister, Irene Muloni and others founded the Association of Women Engineers Technicians and Scientists in Uganda in 1989.

From July, 2004 to 2006, Njuki was appointed acting executive director of the gender advisory board of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development.

A registered engineer, she also served as the executive council member of the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (1991-1993) and a member of the Engineers’ Registration Board (1998-2000).

In 1989 Njuki promoted girls’ and women’s participation in engineering, scientific and technological education.

“It gives me a lot of joy to see many female students today have followed the same path successfully, ” Njuki says.

Background
Njuki was born to Rev. Can. Benoni and Victoria Kaggwa-Lwanga 61 years ago. She is the eleventh in a family of 12 children. Njuki attended Namirembe Primary Schools, Ndejje Demonstration School and Kako Primary School as her father was often transferred for pastoral work.

She joined Gayaza High School for her junior secondary, senior secondary and A’ level education. Njuki got married to Samwiri Njuki, a banker, in 1977, the couple has three children.

“My first teacher was my mother. She taught me how to read the alphabet,” Njuki says.

WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY

 Richard Odipio, a teacher
She was a good student who spread knowledge wherever she went. Njuki had a practical approach to all the things that she does.

Robinah Kizito, Gayaza High School deputy head teacher
Njuki is remembered as one of those very brilliant students. She was focussed and hardworking. Njuki always wanted things done neatly and uniquely.

Cecilia Ogwal, Dokolo woman MP
At the time Njuki graduated, women would not do non-traditional courses like engineering at university. Such courses were left for men. Being the first professional female engineer, women should be proud of her.

How should the movers and shakers of Uganda be honoured? Email your views to movers@newvision.co.ug or sms by typing ‘movers’, leave space, your comment and name and send to 8338

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