The event took place at Nyantwe Cell, Buhimba Town Council in Kikuube District, where the university will be constructed on a 100-acre piece of land donated by Dr. Henry Wamani, a resident of the district.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the long-awaited Bunyoro Public University. The event took place at Nyantwe Cell, Buhimba Town Council in Kikuube District, where the university will be constructed on a 100-acre piece of land donated by Dr. Henry Wamani.
Museveni acknowledged that financial constraints had delayed the establishment of the university but assured the public that the government is now ready to undertake full construction.
He emphasized the university's importance in providing quality education to children in the region and called on parents and leaders to promote Universal Primary and Secondary Education to ensure students are prepared for higher education.
Museveni further stressed that without free education and economic empowerment at the household level, many local children might struggle to access Bunyoro University. He urged residents to initiate poverty-eradication projects to support their children’s education up to university level.
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The President also tasked university planners with prioritizing courses that create employment opportunities, assuring the people of Bunyoro that anticipated oil revenues next year would support further development in education and other sectors.
Education Minister Janet Kataaha Museveni revealed that the government has allocated Shs15 billion to kick-start the university's construction. She tasked the university's task force committee to begin immediate implementation.
She explained that since July 2022, when a task force led by Professor Samuel Kyamanywa was established, the Ministry of Education and Sports has been supporting the process of establishing the university.
To date, the government has invested Shs6.4 billion in preliminary processes.
Janet Museveni commended Dr. Wamani for donating land and confirmed that selected academic programs had been submitted to the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) for approval.
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Professor Samuel Kyamanywa, Chairperson of the university task force, announced that 18 academic programs have been identified, emphasizing science, technology, and community engagement. He noted that the lack of land had previously hindered the university’s establishment but expressed optimism that the institution would now offer accessible higher education for local students.
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Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja disclosed that the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade has been contracted to undertake the construction. She highlighted the university’s potential to promote academic excellence, economic transformation, and job creation.
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Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaga noted that stakeholders, residents, and educationists in the sub-region had long demanded a public university. He lamented that the prolonged delay had forced many students to abandon their education due to high costs of studying elsewhere.
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Hoima Woman MP Harriet Businge added that the lack of a university had negatively affected education standards, as students unable to afford higher education elsewhere were left without options.
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Kikuube LCV Chairperson Peter Banura called on residents to prepare for opportunities arising from the university’s establishment and urged unity among leaders to support government interventions.
President Museveni first promised to establish Bunyoro Public University in 2011, but progress was slow. On November 24, 2021, he directed Education Minister Janet Museveni to oversee its establishment.
In June 2022, she appointed a Task Force Management Committee (TMC) led by Professor Kyamanywa to spearhead consultations and site selection.
In August 2024, Minister Museveni updated the President on progress in securing land. Although Dr. Henry Wamani had pledged 100 acres in Buhimba as early as 2016, the finalization of the site selection was delayed by political disagreements.
Despite expert recommendations favoring Buhimba for its central location and accessibility, some local politicians pushed for an alternative site at Bulera near a Primary Teachers’ College (PTC). A consultative meeting at State House Nakasero on November 7, 2024, reaffirmed Buhimba as the most viable site. Janet Museveni warned against interfering with Bulera PTC land, prioritizing technical over political considerations.
In January 2025, Members of Parliament discouraged the government from paying Shs4.9 billion for land at Buhimba, arguing that the compensation for Wamani’s pine tree plantation was excessive. MPs on the Education and Sports Committee suggested finding alternative land.
Bunyoro Parliamentary Caucus Chairperson Jacob Karubanga explained that 20 acres were immediately available for development, while the remaining 80 acres were conditional.
If the university waited 15 years for the trees to be harvested, the land would be acquired at no cost. However, if the land was needed immediately, the government had to pay Shs4.9 billion for the trees. The proposal caused heated debates, with MPs rejecting the compensation demand and urging the government to explore other options.
