The Vice President Maj. Jessica Alupo on Friday 28th July 2023 launched the construction of Karamoja Peace and Technology University in Kotido district to foster Peace and Education in the Great Lakes region.
The University is being established in Losilang Ward, Kotido Municipality, Kotido district, Karamoja sub region in Eastern Uganda.
The university project is being spearheaded by Kotido Catholic diocese led by Rt. Rev Dominic Eibu the bishop of Kotido diocese and the ‘ Catholic Lawyers Society International.
When completed, the University will offer courses in Computer Science and Applied Technology, Oil, Gas and Metals Industry and Education.
Others are Peace and Security Studies, Environment, Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Health Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship and Law among others.
Vice President Jessica Alupo and Woman MP for Katakwi district represented President Yoweri Museveni at a colourful ceremony attended by Politicians, Religious leaders, the academia and locals from all spheres of life.
In her remarks, the vice president said the establishment of ‘Karamoja Peace and Technology University’ will drive and lead the process of providing quality transformational and inspiring education to produce practical and skilled professionals who will greatly contribute to the process of social-economic transformation and development of the great lakes region.
“The University will help conduct research and build capacity of the youth, women and community leaders, develop knowledge and community-based peace- infrastructure to promote harmony, security, and stability in the region,” she said.
Alupo further noted that when completed, the University, the first ever in Karamoja will develop appropriate technology to harness natural resources for wealth creation and integral human development.
She assured locals and development partners that government supported the establishment of the university from inception and that it will ensure its sustainability. She informed the audience that as deputy chancellor and President Museveni as Chancellor, they will ensure that all programs are relevant in the job market.
“As government we support the idea of the peace programs and also going home to home teaching about the value of peace,”Alupo said.
She further explained that they want Karamoja sub region to be part and partial of the rest of the regions of Uganda without those isolated incidences of cattle-rustling.
She called everyone to embrace technical education and presidential industrial hubs because they offer skills which make you readily available for work in the job market.
She appealed to the university management to offer small jobs to the indigenous people when construction starts to create a spirit of ownership.
“Let’s have the communities here participate in the construction process to avoid bringing people from far. Prioritize employing of Karachunas on the construction sites,” the Vice President appealed.
She urged the people of Karamoja to take children to school to ensure their children make the biggest population in this university. She thanked religious leaders for demonstrating a very strong solidarity through the inter religious council fot making education all inclusive to Ugandans no matter their religious denomination. She lauded Bishop Eibu for donating over 2000acres of prime land to establish Karamoja Peace and Technology University.
The vice president used the same platform to give Government of Uganda re-assurances of amnesty to reformed youths who voluntarily returned a gun that was used to kill two Uganda Peoples Defence Forces soldiers in Kotido last week. She noted that right now Karamoja needs only books, pens, pencils and Rubbers but not guns and urged other youths harbouring guns to pick a leaf and return them.
Bishop Eibu said this university is going to be solid because it’s being constructed in the heart of Karamoja sub region and shall play a transformative role in the region.
The bishop asked government to support the initiative to ensure it becomes a success adding that its success here is also for government.
“Together we should hold this project at heart for the good of Karamoja and the great lakes region,” the bishop said.
He asked for each ones corporation to make the project a reality from which they shall all benefit. He asked the people of Karamoja to embrace government programs which are brought to transform their lives especially the Parish Development Model which is aimed at fighting household poverty at the parish level.
Soverino Twinobusingye the president of Catholic Lawyers Society international appealed to all young and old people to come so that they can learn together, acquire knowledge and skills that will help them transform their lives for sustainable growth.
He further explained that in the faculty of peace and security studies, their first students will be warriors and Karachunas.
He noted that in the faculty of agriculture and environmental sciences, they plan to set up large scale scientific agricultural farms in Karamoja sub region and turn it into a green land and world food basket.
In the faculty of education, they plan to keep learners from nursery to university levels without dropping out.
Twinobusingye further said the university will promote adoption of appropriate technology to supply clean water for agriculture, human and animal consumption, and mitigate the challenges caused by climate change.
“Train communities and set up pilot projects of large-scale scientific farming techniques to produce sufficient food for the population and turn Karamoja Sub-region into a world food basket,” the Lawyers president said.
He said that the university will serve communities across the international borders of Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, south Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
President Museveni is its Chancellor.
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