A total of 2600 students have today graduated at Cavendish University’s 13th graduation ceremony in different courses. The event was held at City Tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia’s Speke Resort Convention Center in Munyonyo.
The Minister of Information,Communications Technology and National Guidance, Baryomunsi urged the graduates to follow the ethics in their profession and fight the itching virus of corruption in Uganda.
Let us work together as a young team to live in a free corrupt country and continent of Africa,” he said.
He also urged the graduates to protect themselves from diseases such as HIV/AIDS because their future is still bright and not to expose their bodies to people in offices in a way of looking for jobs.
Among the graduates, was the National Unity Platform principal, Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine who was conferred a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Cavendish University.
In his comments, Bobi Wine said that he attended the first lecture in Law School at the International University of East Africa in August 2016, after much procrastination and seven years later, he has graduated with a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Cavendish University.
“I couldn’t have made it without the assistance and encouragement from my friends and family, and there is no better time to salute them than now. Dear Sylver Kyagulanyi, we discussed this idea of going to law school as far back as 20 years ago while still at the MDD department at Makerere. You continued to encourage me through word and action, even when I dragged my feet for a few years. You led by example and did it. Today I have also done it!” Bobi Wine said.
Bobi also appreciated David Rubongoya, Secretary General, National Unity Platform after meeting him in the first Constitutional Law lecture that he conducted in First Year 2016 at the IUEA and later became good comrades.
“It was your idea to transfer from IUEA which at the time was not yet fully accredited to teach law, to Cavendish University which was already accredited, to avoid future problems about technicalities (as if you foresaw everything the way it has unfolded). I am glad that I listened and enrolled afresh. Thank you for standing with me throughout the course,” Bobi applauded.
He also appreciated his wife Barbie Itungo who always encouraged him not to give up no matter the hard times of struggle in liberating the country.
“I am sure I wouldn’t complete this course without you, sometimes inconveniencing push. So many times I felt like giving up but you would never allow me to leave the mission incomplete. Only you know how many times I came close to giving up. Thank you for always keeping me encouraged and nourished. Now I know that with your encouragement, nothing is too hard to achieve. Thank you, love.” Bobi appreciated the wife.
He thanked the lecturers that made it hard and eventually impossible for him to graduate last year, noting that they helped him get everything in place for a legit qualification. Adding, “I was initially mad at you but I was wrong, you were right!”
“To those who always mocked my academic qualifications, you pushed me to pursue this course. Thank you and I hope you will now get something better to talk about. This did not go without challenges. I was supposed to graduate last year, having completed all other requirements for the award of this degree. However, because I had missed a few lectures in one of the course units, I wasn’t allowed to graduate but instead subjected to another semester of re-attendance for that course unit. I took the new challenge with grace and ended up waiting for another full year to graduate. Many of my classmates graduated last year and the years before,” he said.
Recently when news came out that Bobi Wine was set to graduate, the usual detractors got busy and made every effort to stop him. Some people, ostensibly working for the regime and other detractors, went as far as petitioning the National Council for Higher Education. NCHE officials went to the University and demanded for every document regarding his studies, including the application form, admission forms, all class attendance records, written exams, coursework of all the years and his tuition payment records! It is after a very detailed and intense investigation that he was cleared to graduate today.
“I don’t know if any other Ugandan student has been subjected to this before. I am sure the regime and those who are always eager to please it are very disappointed to see me in this gown today,” He said.
Bobi also appreciates the Ghetto People who always challenge him to challenge them. Over the past two decades, they have kept him on tenterhooks to be the best of him and give his best energy to everything he does, because he knows that by doing things right he is inspiring millions of others.
“Yes let today inspire you to know that you’re never too late to pursue your dreams and achieve them. Such days usually come with mixed emotions for me. I know Maama would be so proud of me today. But I am comfortable in knowing that she is looking on from above with so much pride,” Bobi said.
Lewis Lubongoya said that he taught him the first constitution law class. Contrary to the perception some people had of him at the time, I found him to be very intelligent, respectful and above all, deeply concerned about the future of our country.
“Over the next months, we had many conversations inside and outside the classroom and agreed that while it was important for me to teach constitutional law in a country that has zero regard for constitution, and while it was important for him to sing about the evils within our society, it was even more important for us to get into the trenches and try to make a contribution on different fronts. We discussed the risks and challenges ahead, but remained convinced that it was worth it,” Rubongoya said.
He added, “Seeing you graduate with a Bachelor of Laws Degree today fills me with immense pride. Your determination to continue studying amidst such a busy schedule and many other challenges is profound. It is that determination that has seen you achieve so many other things. May it see you achieve even the ultimate mission of seeing a free and democratic Uganda.”
