By Aulah Najjuuka
In a ceremony held last week on 6 September, Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, and the UCU top officials officially handed over the new School of Journalism faculty building to the Dean of the School of Journalism, Prof. Monica Chibita. For the past 13 years, the School of Journalism has been housed at the Words of Hope building at UCU’s Mukono campus.
The new journalism building was formerly occupied by the School of Business, which moved to the Ankrah Foundation due to space constraints. Prof. Chibitta expressed her appreciation to the university leadership for their unwavering support. “I would like to thank the Vice Chancellor for his guidance and supervision, which helped us complete this project on time,” she said.
Prof. Mushengyezi commended the dedication that went into the construction, emphasizing the importance of the new facility for the journalism department. “This building is something that has been worth the effort, and we are glad you now have a home to train the watchdogs of this country. We hope you shine even more than you already are,” the VC remarked.
The new School of Journalism building marks a new chapter for UCU, with plans underway to continue enhancing its facilities to create a conducive environment for staff and students alike. David Mugawe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, in his remarks, highlighted the significance of the new building in elevating the academic environment at UCU, noting, “This marks a significant step forward for the university as we continue to improve infrastructure to match the quality of education we offer.”
Engineer Fredrick Kahinda, who supervised the construction, expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the project. He extended special thanks to Mr. Mugawe for his diligent supervision. “We laid a plan for this building, and many people gave their opinions, but I thank the Lord that we were able to bring to life what was envisioned in the plans. I promise that my team and I will ensure this building is up and running and maintained as expected,” Kahinda said.
Prof. Mushengyezi announced that the Standard News office and the School of Law building had been handed over to contractors for renovation. “We gave ourselves seven years—a very biblical number—to transform UCU to international standards. This begins with infrastructure, so we shall continue renovating until we reach our goal. This will elevate UCU to higher positions, as staff cannot only be motivated by good pay; providing a good working environment also keeps them motivated and working harder,” he said.
The event was also graced by other key university officials, including the Chaplain, Rev. Canon Eng. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro, who opened the ceremony with a word of prayer, and Dr. Angella Napakol, Director of Academic Affairs. Several members of the journalism team also attended, including John Semakula, Head of Undergraduate Studies, and lecturer Geoffrey Senoga.
