For generations of women at Makerere University, Mary Stuart Hall has been more than a hostel. It has been a sanctuary of ambition, a cradle of friendships, and a symbol of women’s fight for equal access to higher education. On Friday, that symbol was reborn.
After decades of neglect marked by leaking roofs, dim corridors, and a lift that never worked for half a century, the university’s oldest and largest female residence reopened its doors, sparkling with life after a UGX 10.5 billion renovation.
Presiding over the ceremony, First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni, described the hall’s transformation as a milestone in Uganda’s commitment to nurturing women leaders. “This hall is not just a building, but a symbol of resilience, progress, and the transformative power of education,” she said, urging students to preserve the facility and embrace values of discipline, integrity, and responsibility.
The renovations, executed in just one year by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) in partnership with Makerere’s Estates and Works Department, introduced a functional lift, modern washrooms, bright new lighting, laundry facilities, and spaces for reading and community life. NEC pledged further upgrades, including solar lighting and landscaped grounds.
For Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the reopening was a deeply symbolic moment. “Mary Stuart Hall has long stood as a landmark in the history of women’s education at Makerere. Today, it regains its dignity and offers an environment fully conducive to academic excellence,” he said, adding that more halls will follow, starting with Complex Hall for Girls (CCE).
To many, however, Mary Stuart Hall is more than bricks and mortar. Named after Mary Stuart, wife of Uganda’s first Anglican Archbishop, it has carried the weight of women’s aspirations through generations, housing pioneers who challenged stereotypes to pursue education.
Now, with its walls restored and its future secured, the hall stands once again as a beacon of possibility. For the young women who will call it home, Mary Stuart Hall is not only a residence—it is a promise that their dreams, too, can rise from the ruins.
