Uganda Makerere University fire: ‘Ivory Tower’ gutted

A hearth has gutted an iconic constructing at Uganda’s Makerere College, which is a distinguished landmark in the cash.

Recognized as the “Ivory Tower”, an right away blaze has still left its exclusive white walls with blue-shuttered windows blackened.

Law enforcement in Kampala have started out an investigation into the lead to of the fireplace at one particular of Africa’s oldest and most prestigious universities.

The vice-chancellor described the destruction as unbelievable.

“It is a pretty darkish morning for Makerere University. Our legendary Principal Administration Creating caught fireplace and the destruction is unbelievable. But we are decided to restore the making to its historic state in the shortest time attainable,” Vice-Chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe tweeted.

Fireplace officers fought the huge fireplace from all over midnight till after dawn on Sunday, stories the BBC’s Endurance Atuhaire from Kampala.

Initial stories suggest that the fire may possibly have started from the roof, spreading to flooring that property the finance and information section.

A historian of East Africa, Derek Peterson, states the fireplace is a disaster for Uganda and for East Africa.

“The building retains student information, and the basement is entire of archive data files spanning the entire background of the establishment,” he tweeted, incorporating that he had been intending to aid organise a task to catalogue the collection.

Makerere was 1st recognized in 1922 as a specialized faculty and has grown into a commonly revered university.

Its alumni incorporate independence-period leaders these kinds of as Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, renowned writers such as Kenya’s Ngugi wa Thiong’o, academics and clergy like John Sentamu, the just lately retired Anglican archbishop of York.