Busoga College

Busoga College Mwiri, commonly known as Busoga College, is a boarding secondary school (grades 8-13), in Uganda.

Location

Busoga College Mwiri is located on Mwiri Hill, in Jinja District, Eastern Uganda, adjacent and to the immediate west of the town of Kakira. Mwiri lies approximately 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) by road, northeast of the town of Jinja, the largest town in Busoga sub-region.^[1] The coordinates of Busoga College are:0°29'55.0"N, 33°15'48.0"E (Latitude0.498611; Longitude:33.263333).^[2]

Overview

The all-boys boarding school was founded by the Church Missionary Society, who later turned it over to the Church of Uganda. The school receives funding from Uganda's Ministry of Education, thus meeting the classification as a public school. It is one of the prominent middle and high schools (Senior Secondary Schools), in Uganda. The country's first Prime Minister, the late Milton Obote, attended Busoga College Mwiri.

History

Busoga College Mwiri was founded in 1911, as Balangira High School, to educate the sons and of Busoga Chiefs. Initially, the school was housed in Kamuli. Between 1920 and 1930, plans were made to move the school to Mwiri Hill, because of more space and newer, better infrastructure. The school also opened to sons of non-chiefs. Between 1930 and 1933, the school temporarily relocated to Kings College Budo, in Wakiso District due to the poor accommodations at Kamuli. In 1933 the school permanently relocated to its present premises at Mwiri Hill. In 1967 a proposal was made to merge Busoga College with nearby Wanyange Girls School. However, the following year, the Busoga College Old Boys Association rejected the proposal and the idea was abandoned.^[3]

Subjects taught

Sports

The school provides equal opportunity to all students to play various games for both recreation and competition.

Dormitories

The nine Houses are historically named after important persons. The idea of the school was originated by the Chiefs for their sons, Balangira and the Church actively participated by providing the teachers especially the Headmasters. So the names of the Houses/Dormitories. Each one of them has a distinct colour.

1. Brewer House – is named after the Rev. H.A. Brewer Headmaster. He spearheaded the relocation of the school from Kamuli to the present day site.
2. Coates House – is named after the Rev. F.G. Coates the longest serving Headmaster so far and arguably the most revered and remembered.
3. Hannington House – is named after Bishop Hannington. One of the first CMS missionaries. He was murdered in Kyando - Busoga.
4. Nabikamba House – is named after one of the founding Busoga chiefs.
5. Nadiope House – is named after a prominent Busoga Chief; the initiator of the idea of Busoga High School later to become Busoga College Mwiri. It is the first house one sees when one enters the college.
6. Presidents House – is named after the first president of Uganda. Apollo Milton Obote.
7. Wako House – is named after another prominent Busoga Chief.
8. Willis House – is named after Bishop Willis of the Church of Uganda.
9. Wilson House – is named after Rev. Wilson of the Church of Uganda

Headmasters

1. Reverend W.B. Gill - January 1911 to December 1912
2. Reverend W.S.R. Russell - January 1913 to July 1913
3. Reverend C.J. Burden - July 1913 to June 1914
4. Reverend F.S. Rogers - June 1914 to October 1918
5. Reverend A. Wilson - November 1918 to December 1919
6. Reverend H.A. Brewer - January 1920 to December 1930
7. Reverend K.V. Ball (Ag.) - January 1931 to December 1931
8. Mr. J. Butlin - January 1932 to April 1933
9. Mr. W.W. E. Giles - May 1933 to August 1935
10. Mr. T.H. Harrison - August 1935 to April 1938
11. Mr. R.C. H. Walker - April 1938 to December 1942
12. Reverend F. G. Coates - January 1943 TO June 1963
13. Mr. D.N. Okunga - June 1963 to December 1967
14. Mr. Y.Y. Okot (Ag) January 1968 to July 1968
15. Mr. Y.Y. Okot - July 1968 to February 1971
16. Mr. J.B. Taylor (Ag.) - February 1971 to December 1971
17. Mr. P.O. Eriaku - January 1972 to March 1974
18. Mr. E.Y. Fagayo - April 1974 to December 1975
19. Mr. K.D.B. Mutengu - January 1976 - June 1979
20. Mr. D.P. Kintu - July 1979 to August 1981
21. Mr. P.J. Ndiko - September 1981 to December 1984
22. Mr. G.W. Kayondo - January 1985 to December 1992
23. Mr. B.F. Kaggwa - January 1993 to June 1998
24. Mr. C.W. Kaziba - June 1998 to August 1998
25. Mr. G.W. Semivule - September 1998 to August 2000
26. Mr D.H. Mulongo (Ag.) - September 2000 to February 2001
27. Mr D.P. Kintu - February 2001 to December 2004
28. Mr. John Mukubira - January 2005 to January 2012
29. Mr. George Wamala Lule - January 2012 to December 2012
30. Mr. Charles Kaziba - February 2013 to 2014.
31. Mr. Michael Kisaame - 2015 to date.

Prominent alumni

The prominent men who have attended Busoga College Mwiri, include the following:^[4]

• Apollo Milton Obote - First Prime Minister of Uganda (1962 - 1966). President of Uganda (1966 to 1971) and (1980 to 1985). Deposed twice from power via coup d'état by Idi Amin in 1971 and by Tito Okello in 1985.
• George Barnabas Kirya - Physician, academic, microbiologist, politician and diplomat. Professor of Microbiology at Makerere University Medical School from 1978 until 1986. Vice Chancellor, Makerere University from 1986 until 1990. Was Uganda's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, based in London, from 1997 to 2003. Chairman, Uganda Health Services Commission, from 2005 until 2007.
• Ruhakana Rugunda - Physician, politician and diplomat. Current Minister of Health in Uganda since May 2013. Former Minister of Information Communication Technology (ICT) from 2011 until 2003. Former Uganda's Permanent Representative at the United Nations, from January 2009 until May 2011.
• Kirunda Kivejinja - Zoologist and politician. Former Cabinet Minister and former Member of Parliament.
• Andrew Mwenda - Journalist and Community Activist. Owner and Editor of The Independent, a weekly Ugandan newsmagazine.
• James Shinyabulo Mutende - State Minister of Industry in the Ugandan cabinet, from 2011 until now.
• Ian Kabonge Stompie - We are Yet to find out.

Mwiri Brotherhood 2015

In July 2015 A group of Busoga College Mwiri Old Boys discussed the plight of the School and formed the Mwiri Brotherhood group under the guidance of MOBA (Mwiri Old Boys' Association) President to help their former school regain its former glory both in Academics and Infrastructure.

Below are the Minutes of the First Meeting

A) Records of who Attended. Elly Kibuka Mukasa (Chairman) Henry Rodney Mugisha Donald Kapongoso Jack Sempala Paul Muzaale Brian Isubikalu Ian Kabonge Mukasa Adrian T. Rutaroh Edward Gibson Nangono George Murungi Nyakaana (Secretary) Allan Ssenyondwa Isaac Mukasa Daniel Ruhweza Elvis Adhola Dennis Ntebenkine Ivan Kibuka Kiguli

B) The meeting was called to order by the Chairman (Elly Kibuuka Mukasa) as the interim chairman of the Mwiri Brotherhood 2015. He invited the President of the MOBA to address the member on the current arrangements and projects on going.

The President addressed members about then following issues;

• Lack of supervision at the School
• Background of the crisis that led to the huge debt which is being tackled by the BoG
• The ADB grant and how it was utilized
• Due to a small resource envelop the school had decided to operate a Cash Budget
• The Home Coming slated for 26/09/2015 should be attended by the Old Boys to rally morale of the current students at the Hill
• The BoG blessed the activities of the Mwiri Brotherhood 2015 as long as they are academically oriented and developmental for the school.
• Plans are underway to organize a Mwiri Fun day in Kampala where we can have our families enjoy a picnic and have fun with our children and spouses.

C) The Chairman then asked the Technical Committee which was tasked to identify projects that the Mwiri Brotherhood 2015 would embark on as a stepping stone to launch our drive for revival. He also encouraged the Technical Committee to do an annual assessment of the infrastructure at the Hill The Report of the Technical Committee was presented by Allan Ssenyondwa

• He gave a brief summary of how they had zeroed in on the projects that they had identified with an aim of having them completed before the Home Coming on 26 July 2015. The two projects that were identified were;

1. IT Facilities: The Committee was happy to report that the internet at the school was used for purely academic purposes as attested by the incharge of IT at the school. How ever there was a limited bandwidth which need to be increased, also there is a need for 2 servers and a projector. The Committee is very positive that if these requirements are funded and installed we would be able to enjoy free wireless at the upper school during the Home Coming!

2. Sanitary Facilities: The Committee also found out that the toilets that serve the quadrangle were in a dire state and need urgent repair together with the septic tank that supports this system. The toilets at the Staff Room were also in a very bad shape and need to be worked on at the same time.

The Technical Committee estimated all he above projects to cost UGX 20,000,000/=

D) Reactions from the Members:

• Paul Muzaale: He was of the opinion that the Brotherhood comes up with an income generation scheme to have funds available but Brian Isubikalu pointed out that such a scheme would only take place in the long term yet we are starting with short term.
• Isaac Mukasa: He suggested we come up with activities that we can use as an avenue to generate income like dinners, selling of memorabilia etc.
• Donald Kapongoso: He did not see the necessity of fixing the sanitary facilities he would rather the funds go into the IT but the Chairman reminded him that the prerogative was given to the Committee to identify the projects and we go ahead and support them
• Edward Gibson Nangono: He promised to have the BoG pass our intention in less than a week. He also suggested that the collection of funds should start though the Chairman preferred having a working budget for the committee then start the funds collection.
• Isaac Mukasa: He suggested need for a bank account to have the funds collected and the Chairman approved opening of an account with Diamond Trust Bank with the following as the signatories:

1. Elly Kibuka Mukasa 2. Daniel Ruhweza 3. Allan Ssenyondwa 4. Isaac Mukasa

• The Chairman clarified on the Registration and Membership fees for the brotherhood, that would be handled by the framers of the Brotherhood constitution
• Eventually the Chairman allowed to have the contributions and the following was collected;

1. Edward Gibson Nangono US$100.00 2. George Murungi Nyakaaana US$100.00 3. Paul Muzaale GBP100.00 The Chairman requested for all members present to contribute UGX 500,000/= while the Chairman and Dennis Ntebekine will contribute UGX 1,000,000.00 each.

https://www.facebook.com/mwiribrotherhood

References

External links

• Website of Busoga College Mwiri
• Busoga College Mwiri: The School That Was

Coordinates: 2°16′04″N 32°53′24″E / 2.267677°N 32.889873°E / 2.267677; 32.889873

Jinja District Capital: Buwenge Counties and sub-counties Butembe County Towns and villages Jinja Buwenge Bugembe Kakira Kimaka Walukuba Masese Nalufeenya Mpummudde Economy Madhvani Group Kakira Sugar Works Nile Breweries Bank of Africa Bank of Baroda Barclays Bank Centenary Bank Crane Bank DFCU Bank Diamond Trust Bank Equity Bank Kenya Commercial Bank Orient Bank PostBank Uganda Stanbic Bank Standard Chartered Bank United Bank for Africa Tropical Bank Pride Microfinance Limited Uganda Finance Trust Limited Opportunity Uganda Limited Energy Nalubaale Power Station Kiira Power Station Bujagali Hydroelectric Power Station Kakira Power Station Notable landmarks River Nile Roman Catholic Diocese of Jinja Education Uganda Senior Command and Staff College Uganda Junior Staff College Fairland University Nsaka University Makerere University Eastern Campus Jinja College Jinja Philosophy Center Busoga College Mwiiri Kiira College Butiki Madhvani College Wairaka Wanyange Girls School Jinja Girls Seondary School Jinja Senior Secondary School St. James Senior Secondary School Transport Jinja Airport Kakira Airport Jinja–Kamuli–Mbulamuti Road Kampala–Jinja Highway Jinja–Iganga Road Kampala–Jinja Expressway New Jinja Bridge Nalubaale Bridge Health Jinja Regional Referral Hospital Notable people Muljibhai Madhvani Mayur Madhvani Muhammad Kezaala Baswale Daudi Migereko Aaron Kirunda