President Yoweri Museveni and his wife who doubles as Minister of education and Sports Janet Museveni have inaugurated the newly reconstructed ivory tower building at Makerere University.
In September 2020, the country woke up to sad news of a fire that gutted the Ivory Tower building. According to the university, the fire started on September 19, 2020, destroying the top floor before the second floor, which left the left wing housing the human resources and records department razed down.
In August 2021, cabinet passed a resolution directing Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to releases Shs21 billion for the reconstruction building.
Speaking earlier today, Mrs. Museveni said the memory of September 20, 2020, when the iconic ivory tower was engulfed in flames, remains vivid. Makerere’s main building is more than just infrastructure; it symbolizes the history and evolution of higher education in Uganda and is a masterpiece of architecture.
“We celebrate its restoration and the newly ignited hope for the future. The restoration of the Main Building symbolises a rising again of Makerere University. The restoration design undertaken by our academicians from the Makerere University College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology (CEDAT) is even more fulfilling,” she said.
She said the restoration exemplifies how the academic expertise can be practically applied to deliver public goods and services. We hope to see more initiatives where academicians directly support government projects, extending beyond the gates of Makerere.
Museveni congratulated Makerere upon restoring the main building which had been burnt. “I am truly happy to take part in commissioning this building. I participated today as a tour guide, showing the new guests today, where we used to host our students’ debates,” he said.
“My main issue was the students’ records, which, thanks be to God, were safe when Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe told me that the records were safe. I told him, all is well; we shall build another building,” he said.
Prof. Nawangwe said September 20, 2020, was probably the saddest day in the history of Makerere University. In the early morning of that fateful day, our iconic main administration building was gutted by fire. When I arrived at the scene with my wife Susan a few minutes after midnight, it seemed like the end of the world.
“That night, it seemed like all Makerere, including the then Chancellor Prof. Ezra Suruma and Council Chair Mrs. Lorna Magara, woke up and surrounded their beloved iconic building. I recall the sad faces of the Makerere community and the brevity of some of our staff, particularly my Personal Assistant Gordon Murangira and Prof. Eria Hisali, who braved the heat and led groups of volunteers to rescue some important items from the burning building, including the Chancellor’s mace, academic regalia and the University seal.” he stated.
He said Prof. Suruma and my wife Susan were praying hard to God to save the building. Maybe that is why only the offices of the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor survived the fire. Early the following day, Maama Janet visited the site and comforted us.”
He said the just opened iconic Main Administration Building of Makerere University, designed and built by Ugandan architects and engineers trained by Makerere University and funded entirely by the government of
