The Makerere University School of Law has launched activities to commemorate 50 years of existence with a call to the alumni to pool resources required to sustain the smooth running of the School.
The School of Law was founded in 1968 as a Department in the then Faculty of Social Sciences but has since grown to become a fully fledged College under the 2012 collegiate system although it chose to maintain the name ‘School’.
Its first program offered in 1968 was the Bachelor of Laws with a student population of 23. In the early 1970s, the population grew to 280 and now, the Schools boasts of 1,300 law students.
Over the years, it has churned out numerous graduates who have since become prominent figures in the judiciary, private legal practice, government as well as business.
Among them is Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga and Deputy, Jacob Oulanyah, Katikiiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga, Kampala Mayor, Erias Lukwago, KCCA Executive Director, Jeniffer Musisi and all the Judges currently serving on the bench.
Now, to mark its 50th anniversary, retired Justice Lameck Nsubuga Mukasa, the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee says that it is critical for the alumni to contribute towards solving the challenge of inadequate funding towards research at the School.
The organizing committee say they are looking to mobilize resources from the alumni to create an Endowment Fund which will supplement financing of the School of Law to enable it effectively train more lawyers.
New Vision CEO, Robert Kabushenga who is leading the Fundraising Committee said: “The legal profession is the most successful and wealthiest of all professions in Uganda. We want to tap into this to put in place something that will last and benefit the coming generations”.
“If we are going to talk about public education, we must finance it ourselves without relying on somebody else’s resources which have conditionalities,” Kabushenga said.
Although he was hesitant to disclose the sum of money they are targeting to mobilize, he mentioned that part of it will also go towards improving physical infrastructure at the School.
Over the 50 years, the significant rise in the number of students studying law has overwhelmed the number of physical structures like lecture theatres and other facilities.
The events will also be used to mobilize other former students in order to create a data base.
Speaking at the press event on Tuesday, the Makerere University Chancellor, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe said the Golden Jubilee celebrations are an important milestone given that the School of Law is “a vibrant component of Makerere”.
Activities to mark the celebrations will include launching the Alumni Association, a students’ moot, public lectures as well as free legal services.