By Ben Musanje
The government has approved the establishment of Iganga University as a public university, bringing the long-running effort to revive the collapsed Busoga University closer to reality—but also setting the stage for a fresh debate over the institution’s identity.
Minister for ICT and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba announced the Cabinet decision on Tuesday, saying the government has committed Shs89.998 billion to establish the university and enable it to begin operations.
The decision marks a significant turn in the government’s eight-year effort to transform the former private Busoga University into a public institution.
Cabinet resolved that the new institution will be called Iganga University, rather than retaining the name Busoga University.
The decision comes only weeks after the proposed public university’s naming became a contentious issue in Parliament, where legislators strongly opposed an earlier government proposal to call it Kiira University.
Several MPs argued that dropping the Busoga name would strip the institution of its regional identity, while government maintained that a new name was necessary to distinguish the public university from the collapsed private institution and shield it from historical legal and financial liabilities.
Namasagali to become constituent college
Under the Cabinet-approved structure, Namasagali will become a constituent college of Iganga University, with specialised departments focusing on marine and fisheries studies.
The university will also incorporate other inherited campuses as part of its multi-campus structure.
Lumumba said Cabinet had authorised the Ministry of Education and Sports to work with the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to prepare the legal instrument required to formally establish the institution.
The Minister of Education and Sports will subsequently seek Parliament’s approval for the establishment of the university.
The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has been directed to provide Shs89,998,436,284 for the establishment and initial operation of the institution.
From collapsed private university to public institution
The latest decision is the culmination of years of efforts to rescue the institution after the collapse of the privately owned Busoga University.
The government has already taken over the former university’s assets and has been working to resolve outstanding liabilities, staff claims and other issues inherited from the private institution.
The government previously disclosed that it had assumed Shs5.8 billion in liabilities, of which Shs4.6 billion had been paid, while Shs1.2 billion remained subject to verification.
The transition has also involved the transfer of the university’s land to government and preparations for infrastructure, academic programmes and institutional governance.
Name change sparks regional identity debate
The decision to call the institution Iganga University could reignite the debate that emerged in Parliament over whether the new public university should carry the name of a district or the wider Busoga region.
Government previously rejected the name Iganga University on the grounds that the institution would serve a wider geographical area, including Iganga, Kamuli and Bugiri.
The earlier proposal to name it Kiira University was also met with resistance from legislators and leaders from Busoga, who argued that the regional name should be preserved.
Speaker Jacob Markson Oboth-Oboth had urged government to retain the Busoga identity, while other MPs and leaders called for consultations with political and cultural leaders in the region.
Cabinet’s latest decision therefore represents a departure from the earlier Kiira University proposal.
Legal process still ahead
Despite Cabinet approval, the university is not yet fully established.
The government must complete the statutory process under the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, including preparation of the legal instrument and securing Parliament’s approval.
The National Council for Higher Education will also have a role in the formal establishment and registration of the institution.
For Busoga, the latest Cabinet decision offers a long-awaited step towards restoring a major public university presence in the region.
But after years of debate over the institution’s collapse, finances and identity, the next phase will be watching whether the government can complete the legal and administrative process and turn the Shs90 billion commitment into a functioning public university. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
