Muni University Eyes Barifa Forest Land for Expansion

ARUA CITY – Muni University has publicly declared its intention to expand onto Barifa Forest Reserve, citing limited space on its current campus as the primary reason.

Speaking at a recent press conference, the Vice Chancellor, Assoc. Prof. Simon Katrini Anguma, said Barifa Forest is the only viable and nearest option for the university’s growth.

“We cannot expand in Onzivu, it is already congested. There is nowhere else to go except Barifa,” Prof. Anguma stressed.

He reminded journalists that he had already mentioned this plan during the university’s fifth graduation ceremony, describing Barifa as “the nearest and most logical location” for expansion.

“During our fifth graduation ceremony I was abundantly clear about Barifa, I mentioned that we are eyeing Barifa forest land because that is the nearest and the most obvious place for our expansion,” Anguma said.

“We have done ground work on where the botanical garden is going to be, where the stadium is going to be, where our iconic building is going to be, this we have all done. Even in 3 dimensions, the only thing we are left with is to start engaging the stakeholders. I think before this year ends, we would have done that,” he revealed.

Prof. Anguma highlighted the university’s rapid growth since its establishment in 2014. Initially starting with one faculty (Techno-science) and just two academic programs; Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Bachelor of Information Systems, the university now boasts of six faculties and 34 accredited programs.

“Ten years ago, we had 87 students and 32 academic staff. Today, we have 3,143 students and 306 total staff, half of whom are academic,” he said.

The university aims to increase enrolment to 7,000 students within five years, expand academic programs from 34 to 90, and double the proportion of academic staff to at least 50% of the establishment.

Four new faculties are planned: Law, Medicine, Engineering and Technology, and Social Sciences.

The Vice Chancellor explained that the current main campus sits on 130 acres originally belonging to Muni National Teachers’ College (NTC) which he described as “start-up infrastructure” that has become inadequate for the growing institution.

To Anguma, Barifa Forest Reserve, measuring 236 hectares and managed by the National Forestry Authority (NFA), is so critical for Muni University future expansion.

While acknowledging that the university owns other land parcels across the West Nile region including 2,600 acres in Madi-Okollo for lowland agriculture, 130 acres in Pakwach (Paroketo) for a proposed School of Tourism and Hospitality, and 400 acres in Bidibidi, Yumbe (currently occupied by refugees), Prof. Anguma insists these are earmarked for specialized purposes and cannot substitute for a larger main campus.

Additional land includes 35 acres in Bijo Sub- County, Yumbe, for short courses; 20 acres in Koboko (Leiko) for a future Law School in honour of the late Francis Ayume; repurposed former Erepi Primary Teachers’ College land in Moyo for in-service education training; and a 0.4-acre plot near Arua Regional Referral Hospital for a medical students’ hostel.

“All these parcels have designated purposes, but the main campus must grow. Sitting on only 130 acres is no longer sustainable for the kind of university we envision,” Prof. Anguma concluded.