By Otim Nape
In the last 6 years (July 2012-todate), the GoU has sunk at least Shs30bn in order to transform what used to be a dreaded bushy area outside Soroti town into something that looks like a 5 star hotel. We are talking about Soroti University (SUN) which has effectively become Eastern Uganda’s 2nd Public University after Busitema. It all began in 2012 when Museveni declared his desire to operationalize and implement what had been Teso elder’s wish since the 1950s. Available literature (ably corroborated upon by SUN VC Prof Robert Odongo Ikoja) shows that for decades, a group of vision-bearing elders envisaged a powerful academic institution being situated at the very location where the Museveni government has finally gifted the Itesots with SUN. The likes of Cuthbert Obwangor, Bp Gershom Ilukol and Mzee Enock Epaku for long epitomized this dream. Whereas Epaku ensured this communal land (100s of acres) was in the colonial days preserved as British Crown Land, Ilukol and Obwangor carried forward what he started and improved on his dream decades later on when they put up something called Teso College of Higher Education (TECHE).
This later metamorphosed into something called Teso University which the two visionaries put in place in strong partnership with an NGO called Pilgrims Africa Ltd. The NGO is understood to have mobilized financial resources to put up the 4 roomed very old block that prominently stood at the site at the time the Museveni-appointed Task Force began coming around to map out strategies that grew into what became SUN. Commendations also go to Soroti district local council which prudently insisted a major shift had to be made from the Obwangors’ private initiatives (that saw NCHE several times refuse to license their private University) into a situation that paved way for the GoU to take over. The Soroti district council resolution was to the effect that what Obwangor and Ilukol were promoting as a private University had no business operating on public land (it became so at independence after the British left) and this greatly emboldened Museveni in his determination to establish a public University in Teso. According to Ikoja, the Task Force members were mostly sons and daughters of Teso who had been serving as distinguished academic dons at Makerere and Gulu Universities. Indeed this is reflected in the current SUN top management set up. Whereas Ikoja is the VC, Ruth Achimo is the University Secretary (accounting officer). They respectively came from Makerere and Gulu.
POLITICAL DIVIDENT;
Critics have always dismissed Museveni arguing there isn’t anything tangible his government has for the last three decades done for Teso sub region. Some speculated he was punishing the sub region for their strong support for Obote’s UPC and later on Kizza Besigye’s FDC. But with SUN, such critics will either laugh at themselves or return to the drawing board to craft a new political message with which to demonize Museveni.
THE CONTEXT;
Our story is based on a confidential report that was recently submitted to Education Minister Janet Museveni highlighting what has been accomplished so far regarding the establishment of SUN. The 26 page dossier was co-authored by Ikoja and seasoned educationist FX Lubanga who late last year was appointed by GoU to serve as pioneer chair of the SUN governing council. In their introduction, Lubanga and Ikoja commend Museveni for investing in something that must ideally make all children of Teso (and other Ugandans) proud. Whereas Lubanga calls it a major milestone that will forever be attributed to Museveni and NRM’s visionary leadership (paraphrasing his words), Ikoja (himself a son of Teso) relies on the holy scriptures under Nehemiah 2: 17-18 to appropriately describe the transformation the glittering SUN storied structures have brought to the Arapai skyline and the surrounding scenery. “Come let’s rebuild Jerusalem, our city,” the humble psychology Professor starts out before showering Museveni with praises. “Jerusalem was in ruins and its gates had been burnt and it was a shame in the eyes of its people. Nehemiah encouraged the rebuilding of the city to its former glory. This verse transcends to our times when similarly the sub region that had been ruined by insurgency and was just a jungle over many years is regaining its former glory. [The] gesture of the H/E the President has turned the situation round by directing that a University be started in the sub region.” Ikoja, who along with Achimo, has been part of the SUN struggle from day one then recalls how tumultuous the journey has been.
THE FUNDING;
The Lubanga/Ikoja dossier shows the finances GoU has annually been advancing for the SUN project. In 2012, Shs1bn was requested and Shs945m (95%) was advanced. In 2013, Shs6bn was requested and Shs5.3bn (89%) was advanced to the SUN project. In 2014, Shs6bn was requested and Shs5.4bn (90%) was advanced by PSST Keith Muhakanizi’s Finance Ministry. In 2015, Shs6bn was requested and Shs6.7bn (112%) was advanced. In 2016/17, Shs11bn was requested and 76.6% of that was advanced. Deputy PSST Patrick Ochaillap, a Teso son of the soil, is commended for ensuring that in July 2016, SUN was given its autonomous vote (No. 308) which was operationalized months later (as required by law) following the recruitment of other top management bosses. Besides Achimo and Ikoja, the other top management members include Academy Registrar JG Okello (recently interdicted concerning Mzee’s bull), University Bursar Edward Obelle and others. The council members, in office since July 2017, include FX Lubanga, Christine Omaswa, Martin Omagor Loican, Dr. Paul Emong, JB Okwi, Angela Rwabutomize Mabito, Sande Avara Kabirizi, judiciary’s Alex Ajiji, Prof Jasper Ogwal Akeng and Sr Winfred Agwang. The GoU is so far the only source of revenue for the SUN and of the Shs30bn so far advanced, Shs18.5bn has gone into construction of the state of art infrastructure that we are showcasing as part of this news article. The remainder of the money (about Shs12bn) has gone into staff remuneration, payment of power and water utilities plus other statutory obligations such as payment of NSSF dues. As a responsible corporate citizen, SUN has practiced corporate values by regularly filing its URA returns as often as required. The University, that Ikoja says is ready to open, has so far recruited 45 academic staff members who have since undergone induction on quality assurance in Soroti, Kampala and abroad. The wage bill per quarter is Shs1,089,814,276. Quarterly gratuity payment is Shs19.5m and another Shs329m goes into none wage recurrent expenditure every three months (quarterly).
WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED;
On the construction side, enough infrastructure has been put in place and as we talk, SUN has space to sit a minimum of 3,500 students at ago. Three very beautiful structures, with well paved compounds and walk ways, stand at the campus and these are; the lecture halls’ block, the laboratory block and the multi-purpose building. The lab block has 8 state of art laboratories that were recently inspected and passed by NCHE as appropriate for the teaching of disciplines/academic programs like medicine, nursing, engineering, IC technology and science education. The lecture block has 6 big lecture halls and 16 lecture theaters. It also has 18 seminar rooms used for conducting tutorials and other student discussions. Also in existence are two big teaching halls. All this cost Shs18.6bn inclusive of external works like sewerage, lighting, paving, sports fields and tarmacking etc. The University management is grateful that, on the President’s prompting, NWSC free of charge availed all the pipes used to bring water to the SUN campus all the way from Teso College West which is 1.6km away. The University only spent on hiring Ugandan prisons laborers who dug the gullies through which the water pipes passed. REA, still acting on the President’s directive, met 70% (Shs50m) of the electrification required expenses to power the entire campus and enable the construction from day one.
THE CARS;
The SUN so far has a fleet of 8 vehicles plus one motorcycle; they are all brand new as required by government rules and regulations governing vehicles. The vehicles are particularized as UG 2572E, UG 2573E, UG 2593E, UG 2594E, UBA 273C, UBA 059Q, UG 2604E and UG 2606E (the last two are tractors).
As part of the preparations to begin the actual teaching, the top management has already put in place the following documentations which are very critical to University operations namely; the HR and financial manual. Others are the NPA-approved Strategic Development Plan (2017-2020), library, communications, endowment, ICT, Student fees and students’ accommodation policy as well as the client charter for the University. Top management members have participated in several stakeholder meetings with partners from NPA and ministries of Finance, Education and Public Service. This strong adherence to corporate values has earned SUN recognition and admission into forums like Commonwealth Universities Forum, AICAD Nairobi and the Vice Chancellors Forum. Even before the first student is admitted, SUN (partly because of the high profile seasoned dons it has recruited so far) has already won over collaborative donor partnerships with entities like Book Aid International which donated tones of text books on medicine, nursing and engineering. The other is Rotary Club of Beaverton of Oregon in the US that donated two trucks of books.
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS;
So far a total of 13 academic programs have been developed (Bsc in economics, engineering physics, civil engineering, mathematics, medicine, nursing, biomedical sciences, biomedical lab technology, computer science and Bsc with education). A good number of these have already been accredited by NCHE namely Bsc in Economics, Bsc in education, Bsc in Mathematics and Bsc in Accounting, Finance & Computing. NCHE is finalizing a few details with the respective professional councils on the accreditation of medicine and others. Gratefully the relevant labs are already in place and the external finishings that NCHE had required are now in place on top of academic staff that has already been recruited in conjunction with the ministry of public service. NCHE has won itself the reputation as the very uncompromising regulator and being certified as appropriate means SUN’ impact is going to be felt near and far as its standards will be compellable to the very best in the world. Originally under the leadership of Prof AB Kasozi (and now Prof Asibo Opuda), no one can order them around. They are clearly well shielded against manipulation by politicians or any other person. Opuda has maintained the standards left by his predecessors whereby the guys at NCHE can move against anyone no matter who you are. That they have accredited so many academic programs this early is further testimony of the very high standards SUN is here to epitomize. In their dossier, Ikoja and his boss Lubanga unambiguously assure their line minister Janet Museveni that everything is now ready for SUN to open whenever and however GoU directs them to.
ACHIMO SHINES;
Just recently in the week preceding Easter, University Secretary Ruth Achimo appeared before the Parliamentary Social Services committee which supervises educational institutions and sector. She carried with her a well prepared presentation including a showcase of the latest update on the newly constructed storied infrastructures. Copies were distributed to each of the MPs and our Parliamentary reporter says that when she finished her presentation, MPs gave a standing ovation and declared their support to ensure SUN begins admitting students at the earliest opportunity. Mesmerized by the pictures, that Kalungu West MP Joseph Sewungu joked resembled a 5 star hotel, the MPs unanimously agreed on the need to travel to Soroti and have a hands on assessment of the progress whereafter they will require NCHE to stop dragging its feet on the accreditation of the remaining programs. Sewungu proposed, and fellow MPs on the committee agreed, that the legislators travel with NCHE officials to deepen their understanding of the issues the regulator has been raising justifying the caution with which SUN academic programs have been accredited. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755!
