Makerere names new institute after DP Ruto

DP William Ruto with Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni at Mubende State Lodge in Uganda when he paid him a courtesy call yesterday. [DPPS]

President Yoweri Museveni has pledged Sh10 million towards the construction of the William Ruto Institute of African and Leadership Studies at Makerere University. 

The Ugandan President made the commitment yesterday morning when he met Deputy President William Ruto at Mubende State Lodge, Kampala.

“This institute would go a long way in Africans deepening their knowledge base and furthering research that would transform Africa,” Museveni said.

He said time had come for Africa to tell its own story in its own way for its own future.

If we can invest in our institutions, he said, we can come up with solid policies that would shape our development agenda.

Ruto, who arrived in Kampala on Friday evening, later laid a foundation stone for the institute, which seeks to develop innovative approaches to teaching and learning about Africa.

Present were Uganda Ministers Kahinda Otafiire and Frank Tumwebaze and Makerere University Vice Chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe. Others were Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago and MPs Kimani Ichungwa, Khatib Mwashetani and Charles Njagua.

According to Makerere University, the William S Ruto Institute would also forge partnerships with similar institutes around the world to deepen the understanding of Africa.

Dr Ruto said he was immensely humbled to be associated with “this magnificent addition to the storied achievements of Makerere University.” He said his presence in the institution was the culmination of a pilgrimage to a shrine of patriotic, enlightened Pan-African awakening.

“One key paradox of our time is the persistence of dysfunction in some parts of the world amidst the tremendous progress made elsewhere,” he said.

Ruto said the new institute would become the cornerstone of an Africa-led revolution in higher education and research.