Kampala, Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni will today, Thursday, September 11, join His Highness the Aga Khan to officially open the new Aga Khan University (AKU) campus in Nakawa, Kampala, a landmark development for higher education and healthcare in Uganda and East Africa.
The ceremony will also feature the groundbreaking of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Kampala a 101-bed state-of-the-art facility expected to transform healthcare delivery in Uganda when completed in 2027.
According to AKU President Dr. Sulaiman Shahabuddin, the milestone is a “powerful and meaningful step forward” in advancing public-private partnerships envisioned by the late His Highness the Aga Khan IV and President Museveni.
This is not just another building; it is the realisation of a shared vision that will foster impactful collaborations in education, research, and healthcare,” Dr. Shahabuddin said in a press statement.
The Kampala campus, located just opposite the Nakawa Business Park, features a seven-storey university centre, a nine-storey student residence, and the Nakawa Specialty Medical Centre.
At full capacity, the university will host 700 students, 100 faculty, and 164 resident students. The first intake for the new four-year Bachelor of Nursing Science programme arrives this month.
The mega hospital project, Biiso fm website understands, will provide advanced specialist care, reducing the need for Ugandans to seek treatment abroad.
Dr. Shahabuddin also highlighted the role of AKU’s strong alumni network, noting that over 7,000 Ugandan educators have already benefited from the university’s training and certificate programmes.
The event will be attended by First Lady Janet Museveni, Princess Zahra Aga Khan, and Prince Aly Muhammad, and will be livestreamed globally via AKU’s digital platforms and Ismaili TV.
Aga Khan University currently offers four academic programmes, with plans to expand into education, media, and health sciences once it secures a charter from the National Council for Higher Education. The Graduate School of Media and Communications in Nairobi is also preparing to launch Ugandan programmes locally.
