Kampala — Makerere University has officially opened a museum dedicated to documenting its last 100 years of history, offering young Ugandans a unique window into the evolution of higher education in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Odrek Rwabwogo, who chairs the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), highlighted the importance of preserving institutional history. “When public institutions begin to make their history accessible to the young and curate their past for future generations, it gives the impression that our modern Ugandan state is developing,” he said.
The museum provides a valuable opportunity for students and researchers to understand how colonial legacies shaped Uganda’s higher education system, and how those influences continue to inform the country’s academic landscape.
Rwabwogo also commended Makerere for engaging the enterprise sector and partnering with the Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile Foundation to advance research, policy, and entrepreneurship. “I also thank the Mutebile family for opening their library and archives to the younger generation,” he added.
The opening ceremony brought together several notable figures, including Former Prime Ministers Ruhakana Rugunda and Amama Mbabazi, and Mzee Matthew Rukikaire, who joined university leaders at Makerere’s Vice Chancellor’s office to witness the occasion.
The new museum is expected to serve as a hub for historical research, student engagement, and public education, reinforcing Makerere University’s role as a leading institution in Uganda’s intellectual and cultural development.
