Speech by President Sulaiman Shahabuddin
Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim
His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni,
His Highness the Aga Khan, Chancellor of the Aga Khan University,
Her Excellency the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mama Janet Kataaha Museveni,
Princess Zahra Aga Khan, Pro-Chancellor of the Aga Khan University,
Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan,
Mr Peter Primus, German Deputy Ambassador to the Republic of Uganda,
Chairman Zakir Mahmood and Members of AKU’s Board of Trustees and governing councils,
Generous donors, supporters,
Distinguished guests:
A very Good afternoon to all of you!
It is my profound honour and privilege, to welcome you to the new home of the Aga Khan University in Uganda. To do so in the company of:
His Excellency the President
His Highness the Aga Khan
The First Lady
Princess Zahra
and Prince Aly Muhammad, elevates this moment to one of unforgettable significance.
A decade ago, our late and beloved Founding Chancellor stood on this very ground and envisioned a University that would serve Uganda as a centre of excellence in education, knowledge creation, and health care. He declared:
“When this institution is built, it is my hope that it will have brought to Uganda modern medicine in the best conditions, in intimate partnership with the public sector.”
Today, ladies and gentlemen, we take a monumental step toward fulfilling that vision. We celebrate the completion of the University Centre and Student Residences, and we inaugurate the construction of the Aga Khan University Hospital.
Your Excellency President Museveni, we cannot thank you enough. From inception to the present, and at every step along the way, this project has benefitted immensely from your determined leadership.
You have often reminded us
“We need education for socio-economic transformation of our people.”
This campus and soon the University Hospital, are dedicated to that very purpose. They will serve as engines of transformation, equipping Ugandans with the knowledge and skills to improve lives and build the future.
Your Highness, it was our privilege to have commenced this endeavor under the leadership of our Founding Chancellor. To bring it to completion under your guidance, Your Highness is an honour of the highest order. As you have reminded us:
“Access to high-quality education is a fundamental pillar of our approach to development and has the potential to bring about transformational and lasting impact.”
Thank you Your Highness for honouring us with your presence today.
Honourable First Lady, two years ago you joined us in celebrating the start of construction on this site, together with Princess Zahra Aga Khan. At that time, we promised you a world class campus and I hope that we have lived up to your expectations. It is such a great pleasure to welcome you back and we greatly look forward to continuing to work with you and your colleagues in the Ministry from our new home in Nakawa.
Mr Primus, I wish to convey our heartfelt appreciation to BMZ, KfW, and the Government of Germany. Your enduring partnership with the AKDN has been indispensable and you have our deepest gratitude.
We are also pleased to acknowledge the presence and welcome our esteemed friend, Christoph Tiskens, the Director for Africa for KfW.
To our ever so loyal donors: thank you. Your extraordinary generosity has enabled us to bring our Chancellor’s vision to life. We are profoundly grateful, we are deeply honoured that you have chosen to be with us on this special day. Your generosity will continue to shape the lives of future students and patients, leaving a legacy that will endure for generations.
The Nakawa campus, ladies and gentlemen, is among the most significant investments the University has made anywhere in its history. Our seven stories, 12,000 square metres, University Centre will provide everything our faculty, staff, and students need to excel. At a time when digital innovation is opening up incredible new possibilities, the Centre’s teaching, learning, and research facilities are equipped with the latest technologies.
We have also designed the Centre to foster teamwork and intellectual exchange as well as inspiration through its wide-open spaces, bursts of colour, and sweeping views.
Our Student Residences reflect our belief that true education extends beyond the classroom. With welcoming living quarters, a gym, cafeteria, lounges, and a rooftop terrace, they will nurture friendships, wellness, and the networks that sustain lifelong success. Importantly, these residences will also welcome students from other institutions, enriching Uganda’s academic community.
I am very proud to report that all three buildings have received EDGE Advanced certification for their energy efficiency, based on their design. The Hospital, for example, will use 60 percent less energy than a typical building of its size.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me recognize the outstanding teams responsible for bringing these wonderful facilities to life.
Our Design Architect – Legorreta from Mexico, represented today by Mr. Víctor Legorreta
Arab Contractors and sub-Contractors represented by Mr. Mohamed Tolba
Our local Consultants – Symbion Uganda Ltd. We have Ms. Susan Atai from their firm with us today.
Harold Fenwick, Kenya our Quantity Surveyors, represented by Mr. Bashir Hajee
And our Engineering Services partners Zutari, South Africa.
I also wish to recognize the project team led by Dr Zeenat Sulaiman and Mr Salim Lakhani for their valuable efforts in project management and execution. Many colleagues from AKU have supported these developments with passion, commitment and a sense of purpose and to all of them I say a huge thank you.
Soon, these facilities will be joined by the Aga Khan University Hospital—an institution that will provide Ugandans with world-class care at home. We expect the Aga Khan University Hospital will open its doors in early 2028 and will offer disciplines in cardiology to oncology, neurosciences to maternal and childcare. I am also pleased that the Nakawa Specialty Centre that we started two years on this site has been well received and has helped increase access to quality specialized care to Ugandans.
With these academic, residential, and clinical foundations, we will expand our School of Nursing and Midwifery in Kampala, building on more than two decades of work and 1,500 Ugandan graduates. For the first time in Uganda, we will also train physicians and launch postgraduate medical education in many needed fields such as surgery, cardiology and others.
Ladies and gentlemen, AKU has already touched many lives in Uganda. Allow me to demonstrate our impact through a short video.
Thank you.
Our journey is only beginning. Indeed, the next few years hold much excitement for AKU and the AKDN.
However, no matter how much AKU may evolve, this moment, today, will always hold a special place in its history. Every future achievement of the Aga Khan University in Uganda will be built upon the foundations laid here in Nakawa—by the visionaries, partners, and friends who made this dream a reality.
May this legacy inspire generations yet to come, bringing knowledge, healing, and hope to the people of Uganda.
Thank you.
