It would be a good idea to ask some of the actors ( Prof. Togboa-Tikodri, Prof. Christine Dranzoa, Asaph Adebua et al) to subscribe to WNnet so that we can hear from them directly. I had email communication with Pro Dranzoa last year about the Univ and she promissed to send me the paper she authored but unfortunately that did not happen and I did not follow up. I tried to retrieve our exchanges to get her email address but I couldn't find it.
I congratulated Prof Dranzoa and discussed the idea of her and her colleagues authoring another paper calling on the government to create a Ministry responsible for West Nile but never followed up further. I beleived and still do that such a move could be the most important yet taken by the gov't to really focus on West Nile. We cannot always be affiliated with the North when in fact the north refers to Acholi and Lango regions. Could the brothers and sisters who have Prof Dranzoa and colleagues' email addresses forward them to the Moderator for subscription to WNnet. It is important that they be part and parcel of these discussions and could be the right people to respond to the concerns from the members. My 2 cents Charles On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 8:17 AM, tabua butagira <tbutag...@yahoo.com> wrote: > Good people, > > Let me thank all those volunteering to help in establishment of the > proposed West Nile University. The enthusiasm is as great as it is > inspiring. > > I am unsure if this West Nile public university is a secret thing as > purported by some contributors. West Nile civic and political leaders (civil > servants, MPs, District chairpersons, Opinion leaders/elders) have discussed > it in various forums, including with President Museveni - both in meetings > held in West Nile and Rwakitura. > > In 2007, some 19 or so prominent sons and daughters of the region > (including Prof. Togboa-Tikodri, Prof. Christine Dranzoa, Asaph Adebua et > al) authored a concept paper for a public University in West Nile, which > aided subsequent political discussions on the subject. > > As a result, President Museveni in May last year wrote to Education > Minister Namirembe Bitamazire, directing her to expedite the process of > setting the public university in West Nile. I am aware the West Nile > parliamentray group, chaired by Fred Omach (Hon), has been following the > matter and regularly consulting with other educationists from the region. > > The procedure of establishing a public university requires that the > Ministry of Education sets a taskforce to carry out inventory on such things > as (a) Available land, (b)Available physical infrastructure/facilities, (c) > local public support etc. > > However, enlistment on the taskforce is not arbitrary. The law grants > discretion to the Minister of Education to constitute the taskforce and that > is how Prof. Dranzoa was picked to head a team of I think four or 5 > members. > > I understand that Prof. Togboa's new appointment as Makerere University Dep > VC (Finance & Administration) made him ineligible to be on the taskforce and > I am not sure if this has changed. > > Note: West Nile is the only region in the country without a > government-funded university yet the region should have obtained a public > university during Idi Amin's reign and its proposed site was at Enzeva, if I > re-collect correctly. > > The question now is not whether our region is deserving of a public > university and there is no harm in having one at the earliest opportunity. > That's why we pay taxes. And founding a public university is not mutually > exlusive to addressing local problems in West Nile, myriad of which WDF has > devouted itself to tackle. > > I salute the selflessness of all contributors on this forum. Although I > hardly write here, I closely follow nearly every discussion. > > My last word would be that WDF can help mobilise our people and explain to > them the actual dividends of a public university in the region. Those with > expertise in particular of the various fields the Taskforce will gather > information on, can so submit during public consultations to be carried in > the region. > > The existing private institutions in West Nile can, and must not, be a > basis for opposing the founding of a public university in our region. Not > political considerations at the very least. > > I rest my case. > Tabu Butagira > > > > --- On *Wed, 2/3/10, christine munduru <cmund...@yahoo.com>* wrote: > > > From: christine munduru <cmund...@yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] A Public University in West Nile > To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <westnilenet@kym.net> > Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010, 2:02 AM > > Dear all, > Thanks for all the valuable contributions. I support the idea of this > University. The fact is, the process has already started and some money has > already been allocated and we have no reason to throw away the idea. Whether > it is for campaign purpose or not, let us take it and put pressure before > the campaigns to ensure that work is in progress. There will be no excuse to > abandon it after the campaigns. However, I am abit dissappointed at the > delay of things and why it has been a secret all this time.If we continue to > be too busy to start anything up to the time of campaigns, then it will > surely be a campaign gimmick and we shall be the loosers. If the task force > is busy, let them make people know about it and they should be open about > what is going on. We have so many highly placed educationists all over the > higher institutions in Uganda who can help guide this process. > > We need a small pressure group to follow this up and volunteers from WNF > and others we think are well placed to do this should proceed to follow it > up. This is the right time to put the pressure and it should be public so > that we dont blame them falsely. It will be a shame to hear in future that > we were given this chance but our taskforce was too busy to work on it. > > Thanks > > Munduru > > > > --- On *Wed, 2/3/10, Charles Male <cdm...@gmail.com>* wrote: > > > From: Charles Male <cdm...@gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] A Public University in West Nile > To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <westnilenet@kym.net> > Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010, 12:55 AM > > Dear Caleb, Bako, et all, > > Thanks for the update. I am just wondering why the task force members for > this University not be engaged full time? At least the Chair - should eb > able to work full time, supported by a secretariat. If they are all busy on > their regular jobs and working on the university on a part-time basis - it > might take years, funds will be exhausted and then the whole idea dropped. > > Bako, you indicated that you are handling the issue of possible sabotage > politically -- could you kindly indicate whether you are engaging other MPs > from the region? > > I very much like the idea of a volunteer group to support the taskforce and > advocate for the fast tracking of the university. > > Please don't limit the membership of the volunteer group to academia. Civil > society members should be part of the group including other educationists > and concerned people from WN. > > I see Mr. Avinyia - former Principal of Muni NTC, Yosa Wawa, Caleb > Alaka etc being members of this volunteer group. > > Charles > > On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 1:18 AM, > <abiachrist...@agric.mak.ac.ug<http://us.mc574.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=abiachrist...@agric.mak.ac.ug> > > wrote: > >> >> Dear All, >> I was with the minister of education on monday and she has told me of the >> work in progress so far and Dr. Christine is working hard with her team to >> ensure that things like the take off academic programs are in place. Indeed >> a vote(budget line) will be on next financial year for this university. I am >> also aware of some sabotage in the ministry and i am trying to handle that >> politically at the moment and will be updating you accordingly. My problem >> now is the slow papce of events, Christine needs all our support and WNF is >> indeed a valuable partner in this process. >> Kind regards to you all, God bless! >> Bako Christine Abia >> MP Arua, Terego-Maracha districts >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> banduga ismail writes: >> >>> Dear Alaka, >>> Thank you for bringing up this and doing the extra work of asking the >>> questions. If WNF can partake in the fast tracking of the establishment of >>> this university, then WNF would have made a difference in the lives of the >>> people of West Nile. In my opinion WNF should partake and can do so as a >>> civil society organization. I do't have a name to suggest now, will >>> certainly do so in the a few days to come. >>> Thank you, >>> banduga Ismail >>> ---------------------------------- >>> >>> >>> >>> ________________________________ >>> From: Caleb Alaka >>> <calebal...@yahoo.com<http://us.mc574.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=calebal...@yahoo.com> >>> > >>> To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile >>> <westnilenet@kym.net<http://us.mc574.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=westnile...@kym.net> >>> > >>> Sent: Tue, 2 February, 2010 14:10:45 >>> Subject: [WestNileNet] A Public University in West Nile >>> >>> Dear Colleagues, >>> Last Week on Thursday, I had a meeting with Hon. Jachan Omach. Minister >>> of state for Finance (General duties). This meeting was as a result of an >>> earlier meeting I had with the PPS to H.E the President. I had gone to see >>> the PPS to fix an appointment for Asiku Jackson to see the President. But >>> since I had known the PPS during the times we negotiated peace in West Nile >>> and Juba. I reluctantly asked her about the University. She referred me to >>> Hon. Jachan. In our meeting Jachan was grateful to learn about the West Nile >>> Foundation. He told me that there are over 150 pledges the President made >>> for the people of West Nile which needs to be followed. He further informed >>> me that a National task force for the University headed by Professor >>> Christine Dranzua (From MUK), had been formed. that we had lost six months. >>> that other members of the task force were Rev. Father Epifani Odubiki the >>> Principle of Lodonga TTC, Professor Tikodri the Deputy Vice Chancellor MUK >>> and some one from Gulu University. The Ministry of Finance has released >>> 200 Million UgShs and another 700 Million Shs is going to be released to the >>> task force . Colleagues, These guys on the National task force are busy >>> people. I was in MUST over the weekend and discussed the issue with our >>> colleagues in MUST and we thought we can come up with our own committee >>> especially the members of the academia from West Nile to assist the National >>> task force. If this is acceptable to us, we can suggest names and I will >>> handle the matter with Hon. Jachan Omach who is also from West Nile. This >>> way, we can fast track the establishment of the University. >>> >>> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> WestNileNet mailing list >> WestNileNet@kym.net<http://us.mc574.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=westnile...@kym.net> >> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> % WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >> >> >> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >> attachments if any). 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