President Museveni talking about the proposed amendment to the land law
President Yoweri Museveni has called upon radio stations in Uganda to contribute to the development of the country by providing the citizens with right information.
The President of Uganda said this while speaking at Vision FM radio station in Mbarara Municipality where he addressed the nation on land matters and other national issues.
He said that instead of informing Ugandans about government projects and how the country stands to benefit from the projects, the media and the opposition politicians are spreading falsehoods about the proposed amendment to the land law.
“I have come to tell you that government is not trying to steal people’s land.
We need to construct roads, the railway and electricity. When we make the road to Lyantonde or the Bypass here in Mbarara town, Museveni does not have any shares in it. It is for everyone’s benefit,” President Museveni said.
The President said that it was the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government that legislated to give Ugandans land ownership in the 1995 constitution and therefore the same government cannot be the one to take away from Ugandans the right to own land as the media and the opposition politicians are telling Ugandans.
“Long ago, land used to belong to the Omugabe (King) and during colonial period it used to belong to the queen. When we made the constitution we changed the clause that said, “land belongs to government” to “land belongs to the people”,he said.
Mr. Museveni explained that the proposed amendment to the land law does not aim at grabbing land from Ugandans but is rather meant to ease government acquisition of land for infrastructure development such as the railway, roads and electricity.
“For government to acquire someone’s land, the owner must be compensated and that government was also coming up with more avenues for discontented landowners to appeal in order to receive fair compensation,” he said.
President Museveni said that landowners who reject government compensation and want more money compared to what their property was valued at also challenge government as this in turn delays contractors hired by to do government projects as the cost of things such as cement keeps going up.
The President also faulted government bureaucrats who have access to government contracts and know where the projects will be constructed and thus go to those areas to acquire land so that they can benefit from the compensation.
President Museveni said that if the 68% of the Ugandan population that is in subsistence farming is to join the monetary economy; government has to build roads, the railway and electricity so that more employment opportunities are created.
He said it was a shame that the opposition politicians that are against the construction of factories are at the same time the ones complaining that the youth are unemployed. “In Amuru, there are leaders fighting the sugar factories and at the same time they are the people saying they do not have jobs,” he said.
President Museveni therefore called upon the media to educate Ugandans about the amendment of the land law and the need for Ugandans to protect their environment. He said instead of wasting time abusing and spreading falsehoods they should teach Ugandans how they stand to benefit from government projects and about the dangers of swamp reclamation and land fragmentation.
The President also cautioned the public against encroaching government land and warned those that have planted eucalyptus trees in the swamps to remove them before the National Environment Management Authority does so.
On the issue of the women murders in Entebbe and Nansana, the President Museveni said government was going to put up cameras in urban areas to check on the crime rate. He said that in the past government had focused much on the rural areas such as the north and the west, which had, rebels killing people but now the focus will be shifted to urban areas as the country is now peaceful and all the rebels have been defeated.
President Museveni was accompanied by the Minister of Minister of ICT and National Guidance Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister for Housing Chris Baryomunsi and the Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana.
It’s that time again, time for another semester. Whether it’s your first time at campus or you’re reporting back for another semester, there are always those must-haves that every campuser needs (all of which are available on Jumia and can be delivered to you)
Books And Pens This one is pretty obvious, but you’ll need books and pens to take down notes during your lectures and discussions – basically all your school work.
Bedding The rainy season is creeping up on us and you need bedding that will keep you warm on those cold nights plus it doesn’t hurt if it’s stylish too, it just makes your bed that more inviting.
Laptop This is another essential that is versatile in terms of how you use it. You can use it for your research, presentations and for your course work but you can also use it as for your personal entertainment like catching up on the latest movies & series or even playing video games.
Laptop Bags You’ll need this for not only moving your laptop around but also as a back pack to store everything you need from your phone to your wallet as you move around campus.
Kettle And Hot Plates These kitchen tools are a must-have plus they are easy to use. The Kettle you’ll need after a long day of classes to make yourself a nice cup of tea and if you’re feeling like making yourself or your friends a nice quick meal, you just plug in your hot plate and get cooking.
Utensils Another basic must-have for any room. Whether you cook or prefer take away or you’re just hosting friends over to your room, you can’t eat without utensils in your room. You don’t want to be that annoying neighbor that’s always borrowing cups and plates, buy your own!
Flat Iron First impressions last and you don’t want to be known on campus as that guy or babe with messy clothes. Buy a flat iron to iron that fresh new outfit and keep you looking neat all the time.
Shoe Rack Keeping on the neat trend, a shoe rack is one way of keeping your shoes in order and your room just as well. You know those people’s rooms you go to and find their shoes sprawled all over the floor, it’s not a good look. Plus your shoes ending up dirtier because people will be stepping all over them. So buy a shoe rack to keep your shoes in order.
Bluetooth Speaker
Bluetooth Speaker Your classes are done and so are your coursework deadlines and tests. It’s time to get loose and relax. You can make your room party central with some speakers. Invite your squad over, turn the music up and party on!
And finally an extension cable to keep all your electronics plugged in and charged at all times.
Now that you know what you need to start the semester with, visit www.jumia.ug to shop all these back to campus essentials, plus more at affordable prices and they’ll deliver right to your hall or hostel!
The new semester begins on 10th September where the new students will report to the UTAMU Resource Centre in Bugolobi.
A formal orientation session will be held for all the new undergraduate students which will be attended by a cross section of members of the UTAMU Management team.
A formal orientation session has been organized for all new students and a cross section of members of the UTAMU Management team.
UTAMU currently offers Undergraduate Diploma Programmes, Undergraduate degree programmes, Postgraduate programmes and Master’s programmes in different fields.
Students are taught by the best in the respective fields with emphasis on practical skills.
Kyambogo university Vice Chancellor addressing staff and students at the opening of the new semester in 2017
On behalf of University Council, Management and on my own behalf, I wish to welcome you to the start of Semester 1, 2017/18. I thank each one of you heartily for the contributions you continue to make to develop Kyambogo University into a great institution. Thank you and be blessed.
In a special way, I welcome the first year students who have joined the University. I thank you for choosing Kyambogo University as the preferred institution where you will derive the requisite skills and knowledge to tide you over the rest of your life. I want to urge you to work hard, not to waste time and to be focused on your goals. The achievements you register during your undergraduate period will form the foundation for your progression through life. So take advantage of this and acquire as much knowledge and skill sets as possible. The future belongs to those who are prepared. Your decision to choose Kyambogo University is a great privilege bestowed upon us as managers of this institution and our commitment is not to let you down.
Congratulations to KyU debating team
Hearty congratulations to the debating team for winning the East African University debate championship. They beat a number of Universities including Makerere University, Nkumba, UCU, University of Dar es salaam, and University of Rwanda. They beat Makerere University in the finals. The team has made us proud and we applaud them for this excellent performance. I will find time to host them to a dinner as a way of motivating them and encouraging them to continue the good work.
New additions to Management
During the course of the last Academic Year, Management has been boosted by arrival of new faces. Allow me to welcome Mr. Manano, Director Human Resources, Mr. Charles Okello, the University Secretary, Madame Mildred Tibananuka, the Dean of Students, Prof. Aaron Wanyama, acting DVC (AA), Dr. Peter Okello Ag. Academic Registrar. I wish also to inform you that I assumed office of the Vice Chancellor with effect from 15thMay 2017. I want to invite you be partners with Management in the development of the University.
Graduate fellows and new appointments
Council approved the appointment of graduate fellows and some new staff at different levels in various departments. This development should address some of the staffing gaps we have had for a number of years. I welcome these new staff members to the University and will have an opportunity to address them separately. I wish to urge Heads of Departments and Deans to utilize these new additions maximally. The graduate fellows are some of the brightest the University has produced over the years so do not shy from assigning them teaching positions, after all many of them have been part timing in Kyambogo University. I am aware of the Politics of hours and the fights over load allocations that have been going on. However, with salary enhancement that has been going on, these wars should be minimized and we all focus on delivering the best to our students and stakeholders.
In addition Appointments Board has promoted all deserving applicants to higher positions. Management recently recommended another set of applicants and they will soon be considered. We are committed to improving our systems to deliver services effectively.
While the academic staff situation is improving, the need to fill positions in non teaching areas remains critical. Due to limitations of the wage bill, management will continue to recruit personnel in critical areas to avoid stagnation and lack of delivery of services. This has created the need to have temporary employees whose status is being re-examined by Top Management and Appointments Board. There is no doubt that we need more personnel to manage the unprecedented expansion in student numbers and areas of engagement that the University is involved in for example, affiliated institutions, international relations and others.
New buildings by HEST project
I am glad to report that four new structures namely the Central Lecture Block, the Technical Teacher Education Complex, Science Multipurpose Complex and the Virtual Library are nearly complete and will be handed over to the University during the month of September 2017. However the furniture and other fittings will not be available until about December due to delays in procurement. Management is considering the possibility of using the large open spaces for large classes after the handover. In the meantime, chairs are being collected from areas where they are not supposed to be in order to have them in lecture rooms. Management will review the deficit and will propose to Council to buy chairs depending on the identified need.
Increase in student numbers
This year will see a marked increase in student numbers as a result of large intake in first year. This will no doubt create some pressure on our facilities, particularly lecture space, infrastructure especially sanitary provisions, lighting across the University, security and others. Management is working hard to ensure that these services are provided to avoid unnecessary riots and disagreements. Estates will continue to work on sanitary provisions, lighting, water and electricity. I want to urge everyone to utilize these facilities cautiously. It has been observed that vandalism of sanitary provisions by students is on the rise and the need to change from sitting to squatting pans in toilets especially for ladies has been noted and will be worked on. From time to time, Management will walk around to appraise itself of the challenges facing the students and staff of the University.
Security remains essential for everyone on campus.
With large numbers, the University is a target to terrorists and arsonists. So I urge all of you to be security conscious. While we have hired private firms to provide security, you also need to be cautious and avoid risky situations like walking late at night alone through areas that are not well lit.
Student leadership
I wish to pay tribute to the student leaders, the cabinet of the guild and the GRC for the hard work they do to keep the student welfare issues in focus. By working with Management, many would be conflict situations have been addressed. The current guild leadership will come to an end in March 2018 meaning there will be another round of campaigning to elect a successor government. The candidates will therefore be working hard using all available means to outcompete their opponents. This may include giving promises that are not tenable and are likely not to go well with the need to maintain harmony. I therefore urge the current leadership to handle this process peacefully and prepare to handover government to the incoming cabinet. I have had the privilege to preside over these functions in the past and look forward to doing the same early next year. Management is available to work with the students and staff of the University to ensure a harmonious peaceful environment at campus.
Way forward
I want to assure all of you that you have the best team of managers this University has ever had. You will soon agree with me as we go through this year. You will find management willing to listen at every stage so take advantage of raising your issues any time to the relevant University Officer.
Management will continue to engage government to secure more funding to recruit more personnel, to relieve the domestic arrears burden, to facilitate management of NTCs, PTCs and ECDs among others.
I am glad to report that discussions have already started.
Management will also continue to develop policies for example Resource Mobilization Policy, Public Private Partnership Policy, Outsourcing of Catering Service, Policy on off campus learning centers and others. These policies will streamline University operations in concerned areas. Last week, Council approved the Policy on short courses and thanks to the team that worked on this policy. I want to urge you to acquaint yourself with this policy and start developing short courses as the University takes the lead in skilling Uganda. Through these courses, the University will secure funding to improve our facilities in key areas of Engineering, Vocational Studies, Science and Education. The situation will definitely get better with time.
Conclusion
I now want to invite all of us to commit ourselves to excellence in all our endeavors of teaching, research and outreach. Research capacity and output remains low in the University and we shall devise strategies to enhance them. These strategies may include regular training sessions, sourcing for funds, sourcing for professors to provide academic leadership and supervision of graduate students, training in capacity to supervise, development of faculty based journals to provide publication outlets, subscription to Research Africa database among others.
I want to invite all of us to consider ourselves as members of one Kyambogo team with a common vision and commitment to build a prestigious institution that is preferred by all stakeholders. There are already signs in this direction. We must all shun divisive tendencies of cliquism, sectarianism, gender biases and desire to target and fight particular individuals in management which may include Heads of Departments, Deans and Top Management. Let us all have a common goal and we develop strategies and activities to help us achieve that goal. Society is looking at us and waiting for our response and future generations will blame us for failing to lay a foundation for their prosperity. As we embrace the Hakuna Muchezo philosophy, let us commit ourselves to hard work. Through the sea of life, we shall encounter many sharks of different sizes. We should never give up but manage these sharks and swim to the shore with God being our help.
May I therefore conclude by wishing you plenty of blessings and favors as we build Kyambogo University and ask you to fasten your belts as we take off. The journey will be long and tortuous but we shall reach as long as we work hard and keep the team spirit alive.
Knowledge and skills for Service and for God and my Country.
In June this year, UTAMU extended the chancellorship of Kalonzo for another four years. The party leader of Wiper Democratic Movement of Kenya has been the Chancellor of UTAMU since his appointment on 10th June 2013. He is expected to arrive in the country on Thursday, 28th September 2017 ahead of the graduation.
More than 150 students are expected to graduate with Masters Degrees, Post-graduate Diplomas, Bachelor’s degrees and Undergraduate diplomas in various disciplines.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Benon Basheka commends the academic management, staff, technicians, coordinators and administrators for investing their effort and knowledge to see the university grow and mark a major milestone.
In only five years of operation, UTAMU is already at a level of competing favorably with older universities. UTAMU has grown from five (5) academic programmes to 42 programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
The university has over 1800 students at various levels. With the last graduation held on 30th September 2016, UTAMU now has a good and quality team of more than 270 alumni raising the UTAMU flag in the field.
This is attributed to the unique and innovative teaching and learning models, highly qualified faculty and strategic partnerships with key institutions at national and international levels.
Kabale university is set to hold the 11th Graduation ceremony on 11th October 2017.
According to information from the office of the academic registrar, students are advised to clear with the relevant offices not later than 30th September 2017.
Mr. Museveni explained that the proposed amendment to the land law does not aim at grabbing land from Ugandans but is rather meant to ease government acquisition of land for infrastructure development such as the railway, roads and electricity.
