Mount Kigali University in Rwanda has received instruments of power that will allow it to get full autonomy and become the first varsity campus to grow into a fully-fledged university in the East African nation.
The instruments of power from the board of trustees included a mace, seal, internal university statutes and the communique from the government of Rwanda.
Mount Kigali University was formerly a campus of Mount Kenya University—East and Central Africa’s largest private university.
The mace, which mostly leads the chancellor’s procession during graduation ceremonies is a visual representation of Mount Kigali University’s commitment to upholding academic integrity, tradition and pursuit of knowledge.
The seal is the official signature of the university. It is through the seal that official documents, degrees, diplomas and certificates are imbued with the weight of the university’s authority.
The statutes are the foundation upon which Mount Kigali University will be governed.
In the hand-over ceremony held at the university in Kigali, founder and Board of Trustees chairman Simon Gicharu handed over the instruments to Mount Kigali University Chancellor Prof Stanley Waudo who in turn handed them over to Dr Innocent Mugisha, the chairman of the University Council.
Mugisha then handed over the instruments to VC Dr Martin Kimemia.
“This is a culmination of tireless efforts by the board, council, university management and support from our students and their parents and guardians,” Prof Gicharu, a Kenyan-born international educationalist said.
On April 20, this year, after an elaborate process that lasted more than five years, the campus was granted accreditation and legal personality to operate as Mount Kigali University.
“This is the first time that an institution has started as a campus and graduated into a fully-fledged university in Rwanda. Many have tried and failed,”Mugisha said.
The entry of Mount Kenya University into Rwanda-which is now Mount Kigali University- was enabled by Annexure 12 of the East African Community Common Market Protocol.
The Protocol allowed mutual recognition of academic qualifications. Mount Kigali University has continued with this momentum to embrace the internationalisation of education.
Mount Kigali University is now a member of the Inter-University Council of East Africa.
The internationalisation drive has also seen the university recruit international faculty, students, and benchmark against some of the best universities in the world.
Besides top Mount Kigali University administrators, others who attended the event were Imbuto Foundation’s Ms Mireille Musaniwabo and Kagabo Innocent the Registrar of the National Council of Nurses and Midwives.
Kagabo described Mount Kigali University as an “indispensable partner in training of nurses.”
“This occasion strengthens the ongoing partnership in addressing issues such as the shortage of nurses,” Kagabo said.
Some of the alumni from the institution also lauded the transformation of their former campus.
“This remarkable institution has changed the course of our lives,” Roseanne Muregwa, an alumnus said.
“We are proud to be beneficiaries of Prof Gicharu’s vision.”
Mount Kigali University Vice Chancellor Dr Martin Kimemia said the institution is determined to shape its own destiny and to provide a nurturing environment where intellectual curiosity will flourish.
This will be backed up by state-of-the-art infrastructure for curricular and co-curricular activities.
The university is constructing a hotel in the Gatenga sector, which will offer practical training for its students from the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
Kigali Paramount Hotel will be a regional centre of excellence in Hospitality training.
In addition, Mount Kigali University will soon open a medical centre where its staff, students, alumni and community will receive medical services.
“We have also invested about 200 million Rwandan Francs to buy dental equipment in preparation to roll out Dentistry courses,” Prof Gicharu.
During the event, the Vice Chancellor received an accreditation certificate from the International Human Resource Certification Institute, enabling the university to start giving certification to Human Resource professionals.
With the autonomy and receipt of Instruments of Power, students from Mount Kigali University will now be graduating right here in Rwanda.
“I am looking forward to that day,” Dr Kimemia said.
“Our graduates will celebrate their academic milestones in the presence of their parents, guardians, friends and siblings.”
The colourful ceremony was lit up by entertainment by Rwanda Cultural Troupe who performed the famous Intore dance.