Chief Justice Owiny Dollo kick-starts Tororo College OBs sh3.1 billion drive
Chief Justice Owiny Dollo has pledged to “help make St Peter’s College great again” as a sh3.1 billion drive by old boys of the Tororo school kicked off with a dinner at Silver Springs Hotel in Kampala.
“I billion shillings is nothing, if we know how to raise it,” he said, adding that “let’s go to the records of St Peter’s and trace from Day-1, including those who passed on, and ask their families to make contributions. They give you 50k, 100k… it is these small monies that can bail all these schools.”
He was referring to the original 12 top traditional schools in the country, many of which have struggled in the past three decades to regain their glory. They are St Peter’s College Tororo, Sir Samuel Baker, Lango College, Teso College, Nabumali, Busoga College Mwiri, Namilyango, Gayaza, Kisubi, Budo, Ntare and Nyakasura.
“In the late 60s to early 70s, there were 12 A-level schools in this country that if you went to and did not go to university, then there was something wrong with you, not the schools,” Owiny Dollo said at the gathering graced by the presence of the Archbishop of Tororo Emmanuel Obbo and Professor Vinand Nantulya, a Senior Advisor on Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals to the President of Uganda – among many distinguished guests.
One thing all these schools have whatever the circumstances, is a culture. A society without a culture, is a still birth. There is something peculiar about St Peter’s College that you cannot find anywhere, and you are proud of,
He praised the traditional schools, that lately include the likes of Tororo Girls, Comboni College, Nabumali and Nabisunsa, for reducing tribal prejudice and supporting patriotism by attracting students from across the country. The CJ says the culture they cultivate, is the fabric that holds the alumni together.
“One thing all these schools have whatever the circumstances, is a culture. A society without a culture, is a still birth. There is something peculiar about St Peter’s College that you cannot find anywhere, and you are proud of,” he said.
He then narrated a nostalgic story and circumstances that had him spend a single term in Tororo College, despite a family attachment to the school. His nephew and two brothers attended the same school.
“I consider that I am now speaking at St Peter’s College, not at Silver Springs. I stand on the grounds of St Peter’s College Tororo, to formally reconcile with myself. And to proclaim openly, I too I am a Nyangolian,” he said to a standing ovation.
The highlight of the dinner was a fundraising that was kicked off by close to a dozen old girls of Tororo Girls School, led by their current headmistress.
Owiny Dollo offered sh5million to the kitty, and close to sh110million was raised in cash and over sh190million in pledges were received by the end of the dinner. Nile Breweries Ltd, Stanbic Bank, Pride Micro Finance, Generous Trading and Investments, Daniel Hughes Hotel and Spa, Spartans lounge, Innula consult ltd, Kizito Mudambo media reimagined, Palin Cooperation and Padre engineering services supported the fundraising drive.
A thorough physical assessment of the school infrastructure by an interdisciplinary team of old boys, including civil engineers costed that at least UGX 3.1 billion is needed to restore the dormitories, washrooms, water supply, learning facilities and sports facilities to acceptable state.
“For several decades, the school was top contributor of students to Makerere and other universities in the country and the region. Unfortunately, the school infrastructure has been badly worn down and broken after several decades of use with minimal maintenance, and urgently needs major emergency works to mitigate a looming catastrophe to the students and staff,” said Prof Kamba F Pakoyo, chairman of the old boys association SPECTOBA said earlier.
Professor Vinand Nantulya, Chancellor of Busitema University and the patron of the old boys association SPECTOBA, said despite being an old boy of St Peter’s College Tororo, St Paul’s College Mbale and Ntare School, he will give his all to revive all of them.BE BLESSED YE ALL!!!
“We shall get there. I am harassed by old boys associtions but I support all of them. We shall do everything possible to look for additional donors to help with the school. I tried before, but will get onto it again after getting into contact with potential donors,” Nantulya said.
SPECTOBA’s most recognized support to the school has previously been through the Bernard Onyango Academic Excellence (BOACE) Awards and Scholarship and renovation of the dinning hall.
SPECTOBA partnered with the family of the late Bernard Onyango in 2014, to introduce a scholarship scheme to reward students who performed best in O and A-Level Examinations.
