Nkumba University marked a significant milestone today, 14th November, 2024 with the groundbreaking ceremony for its Kyegegwa Campus, situated in Kyaka Municipality, Kyegegwa District.
Attended by area leaders, residents, and top university officials, including the Chairperson and Members of the Board of Trustees, Chairperson and Members of the University Council, Management, Staff, and students, the event was presided over by the area Mp, Hon. Bright Tom Amooti.
In his address, Hon. Tom thanked the university management for choosing Kyegegwa, “Today is a very important day because Nkumba is here. Thank you so much for choosing Kyegegwa and particularly my area, Kyaka Municipality, as amember of parliament, I feel proud to have a university brought to my area during my tenure. This is historical.”
Hon. Tom, who graduated from Nkumba University in 2017, attested to the university’s commitment to imparting in-demand skills and knowledge to students. He pledged to market the university and attract students, given the large number of secondary schools in the area.
Mr. Kisitu Willy Fullu, the Chair Board of Trustees, shared with the people of Kyegegwa how Nkumba university has grown over the years “We started small as a Kindergarten in 1952, become a University in 1994 and we are still growing. In 2015, we acquired land in the capital Kampala and established the Kampala Campus. Kyegegwa now becomes our third campus, and we intend to grow beyond borders as we continue with the legacy of transforming communities.”
Wile speaking on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Francis Kasekende expressed gratitude to Mr. Balinda Solomon for easing the terms of land acquisition. “We thank Mr. Belinda for playing a key role in this. When we approached him, he was very positive.”
“Today, we launch the establishment of what will become Nkumba University. This is going to be the very first university in the district, and we will be working closely with authorities to bring relevant academic services closer to the people of Kyegegwa.” Prof. Kasekende added.
Residents welcomed the establishment of the Kyegegwa Campus, not only as an academic institution but also as a business opportunity. Abwooki Moureen, a local resident, said, “This is good for our area. Besides having a university where our children will advance to post-secondary education, we are optimistic that this will bring job opportunities and boost business in terms of student hostels.”
The idea of establishing a Kyegegwa Campus was conceived in 2014, with key players including Dr. Ssesanga Bukirwa, the then Dean of the School of Education, and Mr. Buying Raymond.
This year, after several assignments, the university council approved the idea and allocated funds for land acquisition.
With the groundbreaking ceremony completed, construction of the new campus is expected to commence later this month.
