Inside the modest coordination office tucked in Bugoloobi, a sense of renewed purpose filled the air. It wasn’t just another Friday. On July 11, 2025, Rt. Rev. Dominic Eibu, the Bishop of Kotido Catholic Diocese and President of Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU), walked through its doors on a mission to inspire, assess, and reaffirm commitment.
Welcomed by Prof. Annette Kezaabu, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and a team of top officials and deans, Bishop Eibu’s familiarization visit marked a turning point as the university edges closer to full operationalization.
In a heartfelt address, the Bishop praised the team’s selfless contribution to building the university from the ground up.
“You have been working voluntarily. You’ve really proved yourselves that you’re real missionaries. The person who will reward you is God himself first, and then people will come in [later]. The sacrifice you’ve made is immense,” Bishop Eibu said. “Our studies are for service rendering. So, please carry on until we succeed.”
The visit came on the heels of a major development—Uganda’s Cabinet approved an allocation of UGX 180 billion in the 2025/26 national budget to support KAPATU’s establishment.
This funding, announced after a special Cabinet session chaired by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at State House Entebbe on December 16, 2024, is seen as a significant leap in Uganda’s investment in peace-driven, transformative education.
President Museveni, who also serves as the Founding Chancellor of KAPATU, chaired the session alongside Vice President Jessica Alupo, the university’s Deputy Chancellor.
In a letter dated December 18, 2024, Bishop Eibu expressed deep appreciation to the President for his unwavering support.
“On behalf of the Roman Catholic Church led by His Holiness Pope Francis… the Karamoja Parliamentary Group… the 1.4 million Karamojong people and all the Ateker People… I feel profoundly honoured and exceedingly humbled to extend to Your Excellency a message of profound gratitude for your support of UGX 180 billion… for the establishment of Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) Project,” Bishop Eibu wrote.
The university is envisioned as a beacon of transformation for the historically marginalized Karamoja sub-region and the broader Ateker cluster across Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. Long plagued by insecurity, cattle rustling, and systemic poverty, Karamoja now sees hope in a project that seeks not just to educate but to heal.
KAPATU’s mission is rooted in offering 21st-century skills with a strong emphasis on peace, innovation, health, human rights, and psychosocial support. The model integrates formal education with community-based development, aimed at rebuilding the social fabric torn apart by decades of instability.
With the motto “Educatio ad transformationem” (Education for transformation), the university pledges to equip learners with tools not only for personal advancement but also for regional healing and economic empowerment.
As the KAPATU coordination office in Kampala buzzes with planning and preparation, the vision is becoming clearer. Backed by government commitment, guided by faith, and driven by sacrifice, Karamoja’s academic renaissance is no longer a distant dream.
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