Makerere University has breathed new life into Mary Stuart Hall, its oldest female residence, following a Shs10.5 billion renovation. The iconic hall, which houses over 500 students, now stands restored and modernized, marking a significant milestone in the university’s ongoing efforts to improve student welfare and campus infrastructure.
Makerere University has unveiled the newly renovated Mary Stuart Hall its oldest and largest female residence setting a new standard for student accommodation in Uganda’s higher education sector. The Shs10.5 billion refurbishment, led by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) and commissioned by First Lady and Education Minister Janet Kataaha Museveni, transformed the once-dilapidated structure into a modern, inspiring home for over 500 students.
The hall, named after a historic champion for women’s education, now boasts a fully functioning lift, upgraded lighting, modern washrooms, laundry facilities, and reading and common rooms features that were missing or malfunctioning for decades. The overhaul also includes solar lighting and landscaped grounds to enhance both aesthetics and functionality.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe called the renovation a long-awaited milestone, praising NEC’s delivery and acknowledging the First Lady’s leadership in prioritizing student welfare. Students and alumni, familiar with the hall’s former state with a lift non-functional for 50 years and persistent leaks now see it as a symbol of dignity, safety, and possibility.
Mary Stuart Hall, which originally housed 376 students, now offers space to 512 residents and features ramps and accessible facilities designed for students with disabilities. Yet university leadership acknowledges this is just the beginning; with only 13% of Makerere’s 30,000 students currently accommodated on campus, more housing is urgently needed.
This renovation marks part of a broader push to modernize student facilities. Livingstone Hall and other residences are next in line supported by increased development and research budgets that have more than doubled in recent years.