Prof. Apolo Nsibambi, a former Chancellor of Makerere University and former Prime Minister of Uganda, has praised Makerere University Library for the modern facilities. Prof. Nsibambi was visiting the Main Library to fulfill a promise made. He was received by the Library Staff, led by Prof. Maria Musoke the University Librarian on 5th November 2014.

In his two-hour long visit, Prof. Nsibambi was taken through the old Library and new Library extension and was impressed by what he saw. He signed in the historical visitors book opened by Queen Elizabeth of England in the 1950s. “This is an excellent Library containing modern facilities,” he wrote. Another key writing in relation to the library that this writer was able to see in the book, are the words of President Yoweri Musevei who visited on 4th August 2012 and wrote, “Thanks so much for this initiative of expanding the Library on the basis of self reliance.”

Prof. Musoke explained to Prof. Nsibambi that the Library extension was built from internally generated funds and that the extension is so far the biggest achievement. This, she said, was done through sensitizing students to pay a development fee of 123,500/= to the cause, over a two-year period. Prof. Nsibambi was amazed at this achievement and shook the hand of a beaming Prof. Musoke and remarked, ‘urakoze cyane,’’ (a Kinyarwanda phrase for ‘thank you very much’). Prof. Musoke however noted that the development fee is still being paid by students but is yet to be redirected to improving the old library building as proposed.

 Prof. Nsibambi was particularly amused by the vast online collection of books and journals, (including his latest book on ‘National Integration’), the musical archives, the research commons, the various provisions for people with disabilities and expectant mothers. “I am very happy because this is a modern Library and the best in the region. I am very impressed, thank you for the good work. I have been promising to come but she (Prof. Musoke) pinned me down and I had to come,” explained Prof. Nsibambi. He revealed that he has started penning his autobiography and is looking at the Main Library as a useful resource in accomplishing the task.

While at the undergraduate research common, Prof. Nisbambi asked the students if they had read his book on ‘National integration,’ but many had not. This prompted him to encourage them to find a copy of the same online.

As a send off, he was presented with an assortment of souvenir items from the Main Library including a key holder, a Main Library notebook and an online library catalogue.

Story by Marion Alina.