“I Came as a Missionary”: Kabale University Bids Farewell to Prof. Joy C. Kwesiga After 21 Years of Transformative Leadership

KIKUNGIRI HILL, KABALE — Kabale University on Friday, September 4, 2026, officially bid farewell to its pioneer and long-serving Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joy Constance Kwesiga, honoring her 21 years of dedicated service at the helm of the institution.

The colorful farewell ceremony, held at the university’s main campus playground on Kikungiri Hill, brought together university council members, staff, students, alumni, political and religious leaders, community members, and delegations from partner universities across the region. The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Right Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, graced the event as Chief Guest.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa commended Prof. Kwesiga’s legendary contribution to higher education in the Kigezi sub-region and the country at large.

“You have strengthened the roots of Kigezi. You have given the children of Kigezi the wings to fly to different parts of the world,” Right Hon. Thomas Tayebwa said.

Tayebwa noted that Prof. Kwesiga’s legacy should not be measured by gender or background, but by her sheer determination, resilience, and unassailable record of service. Addressing local government leaders, the Deputy Speaker urged regional stakeholders to allocate more land to the university to facilitate its rapid physical expansion, promising government support through key ministerial leaders, including Minister of Finance Hon. Henry Musasizi and Minister of State for Health Dr. Chris Baryomunsi.

Kabale University Chancellor, Prof. Hon. Canon Mathew Rukikaire, shared that while statutory tenure limits prevent Prof. Kwesiga from continuing as Vice Chancellor, her bond with the institution remains permanent.

“Prof. Joy Kwesiga is not going anywhere. She is going to remain here to serve the university and the country,” Prof. Rukikaire stated, underscoring Kabale University’s growth into a premier educational hub for the Great Lakes Region, drawing students from Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Reflecting on her 21-year tenure, Prof. Kwesiga took the congregation down memory lane to 2005, when she assumed office as the institution’s third Vice Chancellor. At the time, Kabale University was a struggling private institution with barely 300 students and negligible infrastructure.

“I came as a missionary, and indeed I have been a missionary,” Prof. Kwesiga recalled, comparing her early days to those of pioneer missionary Alexander Mackay. “I arrived with basic stationery and relied on personal vehicles to carry out university work.”

In those formative years, Prof. Joy Kwesiga personally performed multiple roles simultaneously acting as Vice Chancellor, Academic Registrar, Procurement Officer, Secretary, and Messenger to build operational systems from scratch.

Chairperson of the University Council, Mr. Adison Kakuru, credited Prof. Kwesiga’s unwavering fortitude for navigating the university through immense hurdles, including legal challenges, financial distress, and the delicate transition from a private university to a chartered public institution in 2015/2016.

The Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Jonny Mugisha, praised Prof. Kwesiga for building robust administrative structures, expanding academic offerings across medicine, engineering, law, computing, and social sciences, and attracting top-tier academic staff.

Her impact was equally felt outside the lecture halls. Local community representative Prossy highlighted how the expansion of the university under Prof. Kwesiga transformed the local economy of Kabale Municipality creating vital revenue streams for local landlords, traders, transport operators, and service providers.

Dean of the School of Medicine, Prof. James Tumwine, summarized her leadership through ten core attributes: dedication, resilience, determination, academic activism, empathy, motherhood, role modeling, and courage.

Representing her family, Mrs. Hope Bagyendera Chigudu noted that Prof. Kwesiga’s life and work embody her core personal motto: “Lifting as you are climbing.”

In her final reflection, Prof. Kwesiga expressed profound gratitude to the Government of Uganda, University Council, staff, students, and regional partners for their unwavering support over two decades. While noting her desire to see the university acquire more land in the future, she called upon Kigezi leaders to foster “geographical patriotism” and unite behind the institution’s regional development mandate.

The historic ceremony concluded with gifts, tributes, and performances from the student guild, alumni, staff, and visiting delegations from Makerere University, Busitema University, Mountains of the Moon University, and Uganda Martyrs University.

Prof. Joy Constance Kwesiga served as Vice Chancellor of Kabale University from November 2005 until September 2026, leaving behind an indelible mark on higher education in Uganda.

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