Kampala: Victoria University Vice Chancellor Dr. Lawrence Muganga has paid glowing tribute to Professor Badru Dungu Kateregga, the founding Vice Chancellor and proprietor of Kampala University, describing him as a “true giant” of Uganda’s education sector.
In a post shared on X on Tuesday, Dr. Muganga expressed his honor at sharing a moment with the veteran academic and diplomat, praising Kateregga’s decades-long commitment to expanding higher education access for young Ugandans.
“Diplomat. Scholar. Builder,” Muganga wrote. “He served our nation as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, and Pakistan, taught at Makerere and Kenyatta, and in 1999 founded Kampala University—which has since opened doors for tens of thousands of young Ugandans who might otherwise never have set foot in a lecture hall.”
Muganga emphasized that Kateregga’s greatest contribution transcends his formal titles.
“What moves me most is not the titles, though they are many. It is that at every stage of his life, he chose to wake people up to their own potential. That is the mission I live for, and it is humbling to stand beside someone who has carried it for decades.”
He concluded by thanking the professor for “lighting the path,” adding that Uganda’s higher education sector is richer because Kateregga “dared to build.”
Accompanying photographs show the two education leaders in warm conversation at a public event, with Dr. Muganga speaking animatedly alongside Prof. Kateregga, who was dressed in a distinctive black hat and light-blue suit.
A Legacy of Educational Expansion
Born in 1948, Professor Badru Dungu Kateregga is one of Uganda’s most experienced university administrators. After studying at Makerere University and the University of London, he lectured in Makerere’s Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy. While still on staff at Makerere, he co-founded Kampala University in 1999.
Officially licensed by the National Council for Higher Education in 2000, Kampala University has grown into a multi-campus institution with locations in Ggaba, Mutundwe, Luweero, Masaka, and Jinja. Kateregga eventually left Makerere to focus entirely on the university, where he continues to serve as Vice Chancellor. Over the years, the institution has educated tens of thousands of students across business, computer science, industrial art, and education.
Dr. Lawrence Muganga, a Ugandan-Canadian scholar and author, has similarly been recognized for transforming Victoria University since his appointment as Vice Chancellor in 2020. He is credited with driving significant institutional growth while championing practical, technology-driven learning, including artificial intelligence and immersive educational tools.
This public tribute highlights the crucial role private universities play in expanding tertiary access in Uganda. As public institutions face capacity constraints, universities like Kampala University and Victoria University continue to absorb the rising demand for higher education, bridging critical gaps for the nation’s youth.
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