On 7th November 2023, Vice Chancellor Professor Jude Lubega flagged off 27 master’s students who were embarking on a three-day study tour to Kigali, Rwanda.
Professor Jude appealed to students to absorb as much knowledge as possible “for the benefit of our cities”.
Dr. Bbosa Sulaiman, Director-Nkumba University Kampala Campus, along with three other administrators accompanied the students.
Anticipating the remnants of a shattered nation still bearing the scars of the 1994 genocide, Nkumba University Masters students were astounded by the thriving social and economic standards that have become Kigali’s new identity.
The city, once synonymous with tragedy, now stands as a evidence to renewal, where the echoes of the past fade into a vibrant backdrop of a thriving community.
Notable among Kigali’s initiatives is the commitment to hygiene, Bamuteeze Aggrey, a Masters of Public Administration and Management Student says, “there is a strict ban on plastic bags which has significantly reduced litter.”
The students met with officials from Rwanda’s Ministry of Health to explore the digital health context and the country’s Primary Health Care Systems.
They observed that, Healthcare in Kigali is characterized by a decentralized system where teams of trained professionals are dispersed to specific sub-parishes, forming a pyramid of healthcare systems that seamlessly connect administration directly to those in need of healthcare services.
According to Bamuteeze Aggrey, “The application of e-governance in public health management system plays a pivotal role, ensuring an efficient and responsive health service system.”
While touring bus terminals, stopovers, depots and road facilities, students noticed Kigali’s meticulous planning execution.
Both Kigali and its Metropolitan areas have witnessed significant development, exemplified by the construction of Integrated Development (IDP) model houses for displaced persons in places like Rugerere and in Karama, home to over 240 relocated households.
Among key spots, students visited Rwanda Cooperation where they explored Rwanda’s waste management methods.
Rwanda Cooperation is a hub where innovative development solutions that have propelled Rwanda’s transformational journey are found.
They also paid homage to the Kwibuka Memorial site in honor of more than one million Rwandans who perished during the 1994 Rwanda-Genocide.
With a population standing at 1,248,000 people, authorities in Kigali City continue to harness development as they work towards the fulfillment of the 2050 Kigali City Master Plan, which they say will revolutionaries the city even further.
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