By Noeline Nabukenya
Makerere University was earlier this week saddened by tragic news of passing on of their former lecturer Prof. Christine Dranzoa whom they described as a world-class ecologist, conservationist, and administrator.
She breathed her last at Mulago hospital on Tuesday, June 28.
According to the condolence message issued by Prof. Banarbas Nawangwe, the university Vice Chancellor, he praised the late Professor for her impeccable integrity.
“She was a hardworking and principled woman of impeccable integrity, very objective and never backed down from standing for the truth,” the condolence message reads.
The late Muni University VC while at Makerere University as a lecturer, she spearheaded efforts for the foundation of the Department of Wildlife and Animal Resources Management.
“She spearheaded efforts to turn the Wildlife subsection under department of Anatomy in the then Faculty of Veterinary Medicine into a fully fledged Department of Wildlife and Animal Resources Management,” the VC Nawangwe noted.
She didn’t stop at that, after acquring an independent department as its head, she initiated programmes at both undergraduate and graduate levels, whose graduates have continued to make important contributions to Wildlife and biodiversity conservation all over the world.
Prof. Dranzoa went ahead to serve as Deputy Director of the then School of Graduate Studies where she led many policy reforms. Key among these was the introduction of Doctoral Committee Supervision Model and Public Defence of Theses and Dissertations. She as well popularized the award of joint degree programmes by units of Makerere University.
Having tested leadership, it came as no surprise that Professor Dranzoa was appointed as Chairperson of the Taskforce charged with setting up Muni University from December 2009 to May 2010.
She was a 1987 graduate of Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Makerere University, started serving as a lecturer in 1991 after attaining her Masters of Science in Zoology. And in 1997, she earned her PhD in Zoology.
Prof. Christine became Muni University’s Vice Chancellor November 4, 2017 at the installation ceremony presided over by the then Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda who represented the President of Uganda.
