Local government councils in Kikuube District and Hoima City have officially endorsed the Bunyoro University Master Plan, marking a major milestone in the establishment of the long-awaited public university in the Bunyoro sub-region.
The approvals followed detailed presentations by officials from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development working alongside the Bunyoro University Taskforce Management Committee (TMC).
Hoima City authorities approved the master plan on November 26, 2025, followed by the Kikuube District Council on November 27. Buhimba Town Council also granted its approval on the same day.
The university will sit on 100 acres of land located in Buhimba East Cell, Buhimba Town Council, Kikuube District—approximately 11 kilometres from Hoima City along the Hoima–Fort Portal road.
Prof. Grace Kyomuhendo Bantebya, vice chairperson of the TMC and first deputy vice chancellor (academic affairs), said the master plan outlines all essential infrastructure, including the senate building, academic schools, staff and student accommodation, underground water and power lines, sports facilities, green spaces and the internal road network.
With the required local approvals secured, the plan will now be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Sports, which is expected to begin the procurement process for contractors to develop the university’s physical infrastructure. “This also means that the procurement process for things like furniture and equipment will start,” Bantebya said.
Buhimba Town Council LC3 chairperson Musa Mugisa expressed enthusiasm from the community, saying residents are preparing for new economic opportunities once construction begins. “As leaders, we are prepared for the university, and we are mobilising to formalise businesses for those who want to provide services. There is already a lot of work taking place around the university block in terms of road construction,” he said.
Kikuube LC5 chairperson Peter Banura added that leaders had been briefed on how the university master plan aligns with the wider physical development plan currently being implemented in neighbouring areas. “The government has done the physical development plan for the whole area surrounding the university, and it is underway within a radius of about five kilometres. We want to avoid congestion like the one we see around Makerere University,” Banura said.
He noted that access roads to the site are already about 70 per cent complete, although their construction was slowed by heavy rains and the need to build bridges across water streams. “In the beginning, these access roads were first-class murram,” he added.
Banura also pointed out that the university project has already triggered land speculation, with prices rising sharply. Land that was previously sold in acres is now being subdivided into plots, and roadworks have encouraged residents to begin constructing buildings in anticipation of future business opportunities linked to the university.
In July 2025, the Ministry of Education formally acquired the 100-acre site for the university. The land was donated by Dr. Henry Wamani, a former lecturer at Makerere University School of Public Health. The handover of the land title to the Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs. Janet Museveni, took place at State House Nakasero and was witnessed by senior ministry officials, including Permanent Secretary Kedrace Turyagenda and members of the TMC.
Prof. Samuel Kyamanywa, chairperson of the TMC and vice chancellor-designate, said: “This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for higher education in the region. We are moving swiftly, and we believe this university will be a transformative institution for not only Bunyoro but for the entire country.”
In the 2025/2026 financial year, the Ministry of Finance allocated over sh5 billion to the Ministry of Education and Sports to support, among other priorities, the establishment of Bunyoro University and Busoga University.
Credit: New Vision
