Makerere University’s iconic Main Building, known as the Ivory Tower, is set to reopen next month, nearly four years after extensive reconstruction efforts began following a fire that gutted the building in 2020. According to Ritah Namisango, the University’s Principal Communications Officer, the official reopening will take place on October 2, 2024, and will be attended by President Yoweri Museveni and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni. “The president will open it,” Namisango confirmed in a brief phone interview.
Namisango stated that the restoration works are 97% complete, with the remaining 3% focused on final touches and interior installations. She emphasized that the building is essentially ready for occupation. While the exterior of the building has been restored to its original grandeur, significant changes have been made to the interior to reflect modern designs and safety standards. Traditional wooden floors have been replaced with tiles and terrazzo, as wood was identified as a contributing factor to the fire’s spread.
The restoration also includes enhanced accessibility features, such as pathways for persons with disabilities and the restoration of the elevator. Notable improvements include the installation of more durable concrete walls, and the replacement of the previous plywood dividers that separated offices. Additionally, the iconic bell that rings at the top of each hour has been restored and is now operational.
The fire that devastated the historic building occurred in September 2020, with investigations by the Criminal Investigations Department and the Ministry of Works attributing the cause to a short circuit from a faulty electrical system. Following the incident, the government allocated Shillings 21 billion for the restoration of the building, originally constructed in 1938 with funding from various sources, including regional governments and individual contributions.
Initial plans aimed to have the building ready by the University’s centenary celebrations in October 2022. However, in May 2022, Satvinder Saini, Director of Excel Construction Ltd, which is overseeing the restoration, indicated that delays had arisen due to the demolition of the existing structure, which engineers deemed unsafe. This process was extended to preserve surviving windows and other features.
University Vice-Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe also noted that the timeline was further impacted when the basement, which housed the printer, was found to be in disrepair, prompting the need for its reconstruction. Many offices previously housed in the Main Building have relocated to Frank Kalimuzo CTF 1, including the Vice Chancellor’s Office, his deputies, the University Secretary, and the University Council Room.
Regarding whether all these offices will return to the Main Building, Namisango explained that the University Management guided that a few offices such as Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellors, University Secretary, will return to the restored Main Building while others such as the human resource directorate, finance department and the directorate of internal audit will remain in CTF 1.