Kibaki, Kufuor to attend Makerere fete

By Innocent Anguyo

Former presidents John Kufuor of Ghana and Mwai Kibaki of Kenya will this weekend join President Yoweri Museveni in celebrations to mark the climax of Makerere University’s 90th birthday.

Kufour, hailed internationally for instituting effective structures to prevent the oil curse from rearing its ugly head in Ghana, will on Friday give a public lecture under the theme ‘oil resource management and its utilisation for economic transformation, the case of Ghana’.

On Saturday, Museveni and Kibaki are slated to launch a sh39b ($15m) students’ Centre project. Makerere senior publicist Ritah Namisango yesterday said the Students’ Centre will house a 1,000-seater multipurpose auditorium, shops, recreation rooms, meeting rooms, media rooms, child day care facilities, bulletin boards, banks and food courts.

President Museveni as chief guest is expected to give a keynote speech under the theme ‘leadership towards Africa’s transformation in the 21st century. The Saturday celebrations will take place at the freedom square. Kibaki is also scheduled to give a speech to the alumni of Makerere. Kibaki graduated from Makerere in 1955, with a First class degree in Economics.

Uganda’s oldest and highest ranked university will also use the occasion to honour Grace Wilson Mutekanga Igaga, the composer of the Makerere University anthem. Education minister Jessica Alupo and Makerere Chancellor are expected to grace the occasion.

All the nine colleges of Makerere University are also expected to showcase their research findings and innovations.

The forthcoming events mark the climax of the yearlong Mak@90 celebrations launched by President Museveni on August 14, 2012, meant to reflect on the milestones of Makerere since its inception as a humble technical school in 1922. It had 14 students then, but has grown to be one of the best universities.

“We celebrate the significant contribution of Makerere to the development of human resources,” said Namisango.