News and Events

Katikkiro of Buganda Visits Islamic University in Uganda, Calls for Cultural Reawakening

• 11th October, 2025 5:14pm

The Katikkiro of Buganda, Owekitibwa Charles Peter Mayiga, visited the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) Main Campus in Mbale on October 11, 2025, where he was received by the university’s top management led by the Rector, Assoc. Prof. Ismail Simbwa Gyagenda, the vice Rector in charge of academic Affairs Dr Jamil Serwanga, Dr Bisaso Muhamad the head of department educational management, the deputy university coordinator Mr Nasib Yusuf and others.

In his welcoming remarks, the Rector expressed gratitude to the Katikkiro and the Buganda Kingdom for their continued friendship with IUIU, recalling that the Kabaka of Buganda also visited the university in 2000 and planted a tree that still stands on campus. He highlighted IUIU’s growth from 80 students in 1988 to over 12,000 across four campuses, with alumni serving globally.

Assoc. Prof. Gyagenda also thanked the government of Uganda and international partners under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for their support in developing the university, including the establishment of the new Faculty of Engineering and Technology, funded by the Islamic Development Bank.

‘’With the state of the-art facilities that have been recently completed, thanks to the loan from the Islamic Development Bank that was guaranteed by the government of Uganda. Again, we want to thank the government for that support.’’

In his keynote address, the Katikkiro urged students to embrace their cultural heritage alongside formal education, warning that Africa’s continued imitation of foreign cultures has led to “mental slavery.”

‘’So we are here to encourage members of Nkoba Zambogo Students Association to continue learning all they can about the heritage of the Kingdom of Uganda. But we also encourage you to rigorously pursue your academic objectives. Because primarily you are here to be educated, to learn, to be equipped with knowledge.

“An educated person must be well-grounded in his or her culture and value systems,” Mayiga said. He commended the Nkoba Zambogo Students Association for preserving Buganda’s heritage and encouraged them to balance cultural awareness with academic excellence.

The Katikkiro also planted an avocado tree at the new Faculty of Engineering, symbolizing the growing bond between the Buganda Kingdom and IUIU.