The Beginnings of Sir Edward Muteesa II Museum in Makerere University

“Mak honours Muteesa II with Museum” by Dorothy Naggita, Daily Monitor,  Thursday,  February 22, 2024:

CITATION: “Makerere University has bestowed majestic honour on its alumnus, former Buganda King Edward Frederick Mutesa II. The country’s premier University converted one of its long-standing structures,  the Muteesa II Building into a museum and named it after the King…

During the official opening of the museum at Makerere University on Wednesday, Prof Maria Kizito Kasule, the Chairperson of the University Museum Committee,  said the Museum would curate the history of Sir Edward Muteesa II as the first President of Uganda,  an alumnus of Makerere,  as well as the king of Buganda Kingdom.

The Sir Edward Muteesa II Museum sits on Plot 95, Quarry Road, Makerere University. The site was the on-campus private residence of Sir Edward Muteesa II as a student of Literature at Makerere from 1943 to 1945. Muteesa II was also a talented footballer,  cricket and tennis player at Makerere.

Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, the University Vice Chancellor,  commended Buganda Kingdom for its contribution towards the renovation of the Ssekabaka Muteesa’s building…..

Prof Nawangwe said this while Makerere University yesterday joined the rest of the world to mark the International Mother Language Day….

“Makerere can only be stronger if we embrace our cultures,” he said.

Buganda King Ronald Mutebi applauded Makerere University for honouring the contributions of his late father and marking International Mother Language Day. “As the custodian of culture, we cherish, protect, and develop our mother languages. We thank the nation of Bangladesh for initiating the idea of mother language at the international level,” Kabaka Mutebi said in his speech presented by Nnaalinnya Agnes Nabaloga.

Buganda Prime Minister Charles Peter Mayiga said promoting mother language is a sign of acknowledging our cultural diversity, which is seen as a foundation of the modern African state.”

BRAVO! BRAVO! Buganda Kingdom & Makerere University for the Sir Edward Muteesa II Museum, Plot 95 Quarry Road,  Makerere University.

1.0 Beginnings of Sir Edward Muteesa II Museum in Makerere University:

It was in 2011 when HRH Sylvia Nagginda Luswata, the Nabbagereka and Patron of  Female Scholarship Foundation (FSF), Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD) of Makerere University; came up with the idea of refurbishing Plot 95 Quarry Road into a Museum for historical, cultural and development research for both Buganda Kingdom and Makerere University.

And, it was I, George Piwang-Jalobo, who brought the information on Plot 95 Quarry Road to HRH The Nabbagereka attention through her Private Secretary,  Ms Juliet Senteza.  I was then a Consultant for the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD) of Makerere University.

2.0 HRH Sylvia Nagginda Luswata, Patron of Female Scholarship Foundation (FSF), Makerere University

It was in my capacity as GMD Consultant that I was instrumental in the first official visit of HRH The Nabbagereka to Makerere University as Patron of FSF on 21st October 2011. She was invited officially by then Vice Chancellor Prof Vensius Baryamureeba and hosted by then Chair of Council,  Eng Dr Charles Wana-Etyem.

On that first official visit to Makerere University,  FSF Patron HRH Sylvia Nagginda Luswata was accompanied by Hon Maria Kiwanuka, Chairperson of the Nabbagereka Development Foundation (NDP), and other officials from Buganda Kingdom.

HRH The Nabbagereka donated computers to GMD for use by FSF beneficiaries. She later delivered a keynote address to the Makerere University Community in the Main Hall. It was in her keynote  address that HRH Sylvia Nagginda Luswata proposed a partnership between the Nabbagereka Development Foundation (NDF) and  Makerere University to refurbish Plot 95 Quarry Road into a Museum for historical, cultural and development research for both Buganda Kingdom and Makerere University

In his closing remarks as Chair of the University Council and host to HRH The Nabbagereka’s visit; Eng Dr Wana-Etyem warmly welcomed HRH The Nabbagereka’s proposal and pledged Makerere University Council’s readiness to partner with the NDF in the noble venture of refurbishing Plot 95 Quarry Road into a Museum.

3.0 HRH The Nabbagereka’s visit to Plot 95 Quarry Road, Makerere University:

After her keynote address in the Main Hall, HRH Sylvia Nagginda Luswata led her delegation to visit Plot 95 Quarry Road and posed for photographs. Her delegation included Dr. William S. Kalema, then Chairman of FSF GMD; Senior Lawyer Peter Muliira, Alhajj Habib Kagimu,  then MUPSF Trustee, H.E Patrick and Mrs Diane Edwards, former High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago in Uganda, among others.

Later, Alhajj Habib Kagimu remarked to me  (GPJ) that Prof James S. Mulwana (RIP), Founder Trustee of MUPSF, was the best person to spearhead the mobilisation of resources, especially from the Baganda Business Community, towards refurbishing Plot 95 Quarry Road into the Museum. Alhajj Habib Kagimu knew Prof Mulwana’s passion for Buganda Kingdom.

4.0 Sir Edward Muteesa II Centre for Culture in Development, MAIoS

In 2008, three (3) years before HRH The Nabbagereka’s first official visit to Makerere University, Professor  Mulwana, then Founder Trustee of Makerere University Private Sector Forum (MUPSF), personally delivered Mak Vice Chancellor Prof Luboobi’s letter to then Buganda Katikkiro Eng JB Walusimbi.

The letter was about MUPSF’s request to name the Sir Edward Muteesa II Centre for Culture in Development of Makerere Africa Institute of Sustainability (MAIoS). MUPSF proposed this in memory and celebration of the legacy of Sir Edward Muteesa II, Makerere’s distinguished alumnus.

But what is MAIoS?

MAIoS is the Regional Institute of Sustainability for cutting-edge climate change research and mitigation. It was a deliverable for Uganda through MUPSF from CHOGM 2007 Kampala–thanks to Prof James S Mulwana (RIP) who was Chairman of Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF), 2007-2009 and MUPSF Founding Trustee, 2006-2013.

According to the MAIoS (2008) re-conceptualisation by George Piwang-Jalobo, then Senior Advisor (Consultant), MUPSF,  2008-2010:

“The Centre for Culture in Development will appropriately be named in commemoration of Sir Edward Muteesa II Kabaka of Buganda,  1939-1969, and Uganda’s first non-executive President (Head of State), 1963-1966, and Makerere alumnus. Despite the vicissitudes of change, conflict and globalisation,  Buganda has persisted in preserving the fundamentals of her culture, language, traditions and clan social organisation, etc.

Thus, so naming the Centre for Culture in Development will commemorate the legacy of Sir Edward Muteesa II, whose reign epitomised Buganda’s struggle with change, conflict and continuity

While historians might differ on the legacy of Muteesa II,  it can nevertheless be said that he guided his realm through a period of turbulent change and conflict. He tried to preserve tradition while embracing modernity. Despite fate dealing him a difficult and intractable hand, nevertheless, Muteesa II tried to steer an assertive Buganda Kingdom that was at the same time inseparable from a turbulent history of East Africa and Uganda, climaxing in the abolition of his kingdom in 1966.

But that the Buganda Kingdom was restored at all in the mid-1990s some thirty (30) years after its abolition, albeit as a cultural Kingdom, attests both to the resilience of Buganda culture and Muteesa’s heroic leadership.

Today,  Buganda Kingdom’s involvement in various investment ventures and development initiatives probably puts it ahead of other cultural institutions in Uganda and East Africa. Relatively speaking, the Buganda Kingdom has been more successful in harnessing ‘free market’ and forces of globalisation towards modern development. This further demonstrates how far Buganda has come as a cultural institution in modern development.

That Muteesa’s name and memory still evoke love and admiration among his people,  forty (40) years after his death,  may be a measure of his success in striving to preserve Buganda culture while embracing modern political, and socio-economic development during one of the more traumatic periods of Buganda’s history. Hence, naming the MAIoS Centre for Culture in Development in commemoration of Sir Edward Muteesa II,  KBE, also Makerere alumnus,  will be quite appropriate”.

(Livingstone S. Luboobi, PhD, Vice Chancellor and Chairman of MUPSF: Makerere Africa Institute of Sustainability (MAIoS), December 2008.

5.0 Refurbishing the old Faculty of Technology Building, CEDAT,  Makerere University:

In the launch of Sir Edward Muteesa II Museum at Plot 95 Quarry Road,  Makerere University and Buganda Kingdom have set an excellent precedence. That is, to refurbish and re-name other Makerere’s historical monuments on the Main Campus, which are potential tourist attractions for visits and research.

Thus, Makerere could refurbish and equip the old Faculty of Technology Building in CEDAT and rename it H.O Saville Technology Building, CEDAT–in memory and celebration of the historic legacy of H.O Saville,  Founder Principal of Makerere College in 1922. H.O. Saville was a Missionary of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) that operated under the authority of the See of Canterbury of the Church of England (CoE).

Makerere University could therefore mobilize its alumni,  especially Engineering & Technology alumni who studied in the old Faculty of Technology Building to contribute to refurbishing the old Technology Building. Makerere could also reach out in global resource mobilisation to refurbish and rename the old Technology Building,  CEDAT to the British Government through the British High Commission in Kampala,  and through Makerere’s distinguished alumnus,  Lord John Sentamu of Lindisfarne, Northumberland County, and of Masooli, Republic of Uganda.

As the first Black Archbishop of York (2005-2020) Lord John Sentamu would enable Makerere University to tap into support from the Church of England (CoE).

Thus, Makerere’s alumni, the British Government and the Church of England together can mobilize sufficient resources globally to complete, refurbish and equip the old Faculty of Technology Building into a state-of-the-art H.O  Saville Faculty of Technology Building, CEDAT in memory and celebration of the 100-year (1922-2022) legacy of H.O Saville,  Church Missionary Society (CMS) Missionary who opened Makerere College as Principal in 1922.

6.0 Refurbishing Mary Stuart Hall

In the same way as above, Makerere University could also mobilize alumnae residents of Mary Stuart Hall (“The Box”) and partner with the British Government through the British High Commission in Kampala. Makerere can also tap into support from the Church of England (CoE)  through her distinguished alumna resident of Mary Stuart Hall, Rev Mrs Margaret Sentamu.

Together, Makerere alumnae residents of Mary Stuart Hall, the British Government and the Church of England; would mobilize sufficient resources to refurbish and equip a state-of-the-art Mary Stuart Hall in grateful remembrance of Mrs Mary Stuart–wife of Bishop Cyril Edgar Stuart,  3rd CMS Bishop of Uganda, who championed Women’s Higher Education in Uganda.  Mary Stuart enabled the first five (5) women to enrol for Adult Studies in Makerere College in 1945!

That’s how Makerere University’s motto changed from “Let us be Men” to “We Build for the Future!”–thanks to Mrs Mary Stuart!

These are therefore worthy value propositions for Makerere, East and Central Africa’s oldest and premier University!

@ George Piwang-Jalobo,

Senior Advisor (Consultant), Makerere University Private Sector Forum (MUPSF), 2008-2010& Consultant, GMD,  Makerere University,  2010-2012.