Kabale University Council Chairman Mr Adison Kakuru has appealed to the district authorities to grant the institution more land to facilitate infrastructure development, citing a significant increase in student enrollment.
The university, which was established in 2002 as a private institution with 42 students, has grown to over 7,000 students after being taken over as a public university in 2016.
Kabale district local government had initially given the university 52 acres of land on Kikungiri hill to kick-start operations.
“We appeal to Kabale district local government to give Kabale University more land to facilitate infrastructure development… We are ready to ensure that this institution grows faster in case we get more land,” Kakuru said during the 10th graduation ceremony on Friday.
University Vice Chancellor Prof. Joy Kwesiga echoed the need for more land, highlighting plans to expand the main campus and improve service delivery.
“We are so grateful to the government for the continued funding for the effective running of our university activities… Getting more land on this campus will facilitate university expansion on the main campus for effective service delivery,” Kwesiga said.
The university has established another campus in Rukungiri District to deliver education services nearer to the people.
Kabale District LCV Vice Chairperson Miria Tugume advised the university council to officially table their request for consideration.
“The Kabale university council should officially table their request to the Kabale district council for debate and possible consideration,” Tugume said.
The graduation ceremony saw 1,673 students graduate, including seven PhD holders, 151 master’s degree holders, 1,005 bachelor’s degree holders, 319 undergraduate diploma holders, and 150 certificate holders.
Guests encouraged the graduates to tap into areas like agro-industrialization, tourism, and mineral development, and to embrace lifelong learning.