President Museveni while attending the launch of Nelson Mandela’s commemorative lecture at Makerere University’s main hall located in the main building proposed the reconstruction of the main hall, referring to it as too small, and lacking.
Prior to stepping out of the prestigious university’s main hall, the President reached out for the microphone and literally uttered out these words,
‘Kano naye nga kafunda nyo, ngenda ku kajjawo’
Literally meaning, ‘this place is too small and congested. I will demolish it’. The invited guests and students quickly laughed it off as they applauded while some interpreted it to be his usual comedy. He however pointed out that he intended to say it in the local language (luganda) since it was an internal matter that didn’t require outside attention given that ‘visitors’ were present,
The President also noted in his initial remarks while at the event that ruling a country for a short time is bad in his view since one does not get to handle matters in their entirety, a probable reason for ruling the country for over 25 years.
In attendance were; the granddaughter of Nelson Mandela: Zoleka Mandela, the outgoing MAK Vice Chancellor Prof Ddumba Ssentamu, South African High Commissioner to Uganda H.E Maj. Gen. Prof. Solly Mollo, Kyadondo East MP Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, National Youth Female MP Hon. Anna Adeke Ebaju, Head of Makerere Institute of Social Research Prof. Mahmood Mamdani, Prof Julius Kiiza of Makerere university, among others.
The Nelson Mandela Commemorative lecture was organized by the department of Political Science and Public Administration of Makerere University and is meant to happen annually; this year’s theme was dubbed Nelson Mandela, the legend: Lessons for the youth.
