Makerere University
One of East Africa's oldest universities, with colonial-era buildings and tree-lined campus grounds. It has educated several African heads of state.
Makerere University was founded in 1922 and is known as the “Harvard of East Africa.” Its alumni include Julius Nyerere, Tanzania's first president, and the Kenyan writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. The campus sits on Makerere Hill, and its iconic white main building, the Ivan Smuts Building, was restored after a fire in 2020. The campus is open for free walks, making it a good stop for visitors interested in modern East African history. Food in the student area nearby is inexpensive.
Opening hours
Open all day (campus)
Nearby sights
- Uganda Museum
- Kasubi Tombs
- Uganda National Mosque (Gaddafi Mosque)
- Namirembe Cathedral (St. Paul's)
- Independence Monument
- Owino Market (St. Balikuddembe Market)
- Nakasero Market
- Bulange