Find suitable land for UDSM branch, Kikwete tells Kagera leaders

Jakaya Kikwete

From MEDDY MULISA in Bukoba

RETIRED President, Jakaya Kikwete, who is Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), has tasked Kagera leaders to find suitable land for expansion of the institution’s branch in the region.

He made the remarks yesterday as he commenced his one day tour of Kagera region to get first-hand information on preparations for establishment of the UDSM branch.

Mr Kikwete said that the government had allocated about $8 millions for establishment of the UDSM branch in Kagera.

Meanwhile, Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Albert Chalamila explained that all necessary logistics had been completed, while construction of buildings at Itahwa and Kangabusharo villages, a few kilometres from Bukoba town would start in June, this year.

He appealed to UDSM management to consider introducing courses suitable for Kagera, including cage fish farming and modern agriculture technology.

Equally, he commended Bukoba Rural District’s Itahwa and Kangabusharo villagers for allocating 323 acres free of charge where the college will be constructed for such purpose.

Mr Chalamila   explained that the government has allocated buildings at Rwamishenye Council where students will be accommodated while arrangements were being made to construct permanent hostels.

“On behalf of all Kagera residents, I hail President Samia Suluhu Hassan for allocating 20bn/- for construction of University of Dar es Salaam school in the region. This is highly commendable as it will speed people’s development,” he said.

The RC called on Tanzanians in the diaspora who are coming from Kagera to invest back home and promote the region’s investment opportunities in various sectors, encouraging them to make efforts in finding markets for Tanzanian products and raw materials in countries where they live for the benefit of majority Tanzanians.

For quite a long time authorities in Kagera region had been struggling to establish a public-owned university.

Until recently, there were two university branches in Kagera, both owned by the Catholic and Lutheran churches, respectively. They are Cardinal Rugambwa Memorial University College (CARUMCO) and Josiah Kibira University College (JOKUCO).

However, the two university branches were temporarily closed pending fulfilling the regulations set down by the Ministry of Education.