Prof. Openjuru Calls on Karamoja to fully Support Operations of Moroto Constituent College.

The Vice Chancellor of Gulu University Prof. George Ladaah Openjuru has called upon the people of Karamoja to fully support the development and operations of Gulu University Moroto Constituent College.

While officially opening a retreat organized to brainstorm on the academic programs development of the college at Strikers Hotel in Moroto on Thursday 20th February, 2025, Prof. Openjuru said the university is not receiving much support from the community and that is a bad signal to its development.

He said universities like Lira, Muni, Busitema, and Mountains of Moon were given full support by the communities in which they are situated and land was given free of charge unlike in Karamoja where billions of shillings were spent in land acquisition processes alone.

“Most facilities and land for Gulu University and other universities were given for free by community, but for Karamoja is a different case. They took 6billion shillings from us which we would have used for something else. I am not a politician, I just mention facts as facts. I just want this university to succeed. So, I call upon the community to support us” Prof. Openjuru laments.

He however, appreciated the contributions of landowners at Nadunget Sub-County where the construction of Gulu University Multipurpose building is ongoing, local leaders, 3rd Division Commander and other security organs for their support.

The VC who thanked President Yoweri Museveni for his 2016 directive to establish Public University in Karamoja nurtured by Gulu University requested Ministry of Education and Sports and leaders in Karamoja to support in lobbying for funds from Development partners to see the University Constituent College operates smoothly.

Dr. Sidonai Angom Ochieng, Chairperson Task Force Gulu University Constituent College admitted the delays in the operations of the college nearly 10 years since the Presidential directive was issued in 2016 for Gulu University to establish a constituent college of Agriculture in Karamoja due to a number of challenges including budget constraints and limited resources to kick start its operations.

The Chief Administrative Officer of Moroto district, Kassim Kutosi Nasibu said in order to improve education in the sub-region, there is need for mindset change of the people of Karamoja.
Moroto district Chairman Hon. David Koryang pledged to support the Gulu University Constituent College to realize its dreams of addressing food insecurity, youth unemployment, and engagement in agriculture as a viable economic activity.

While officially closing the retreat on Friday 21 February, 2025, the Moroto District Resident Commissioner Jane Frances Amongin Okili said the university should expect her full support and that she is going put these concerns forward to the government to be addressed.