Victoria University has unveiled plans for a new campus in Naguru, Kampala, with construction expected to begin in 2026, according to vice chancellor Dr Lawrence Muganga. The proposed site is near Phaneroo Ministries, and the university has released architectural impressions of the planned development.

Muganga described the designs as modern and said he was excited to see them become buildings that students and staff could use. The institution currently operates from Victoria Towers on Jinja Road, but the university has not announced a completion date or confirmed when a relocation might happen.

The project’s cost and the facilities planned for the new campus have also not been disclosed. Those details will be important for students, staff and prospective applicants seeking to understand how the development may affect teaching and campus life.

Victoria University belongs to businessman Sudhir Ruparelia’s Ruparelia Group. Ruparelia acquired the institution from Edulink Holdings Limited in 2013, after which it moved from Kamwokya to Jinja Road. The university received its charter in August 2022 and promotes practical learning intended to prepare students for employment and self-employment.

The group’s education interests also include Kampala Parents School and Kampala International School Uganda, alongside businesses in property, hospitality, media and floriculture.

The Naguru proposal signals a new stage in the university’s physical development, although the final scope and schedule remain subject to further announcements. Until a timetable is published, the planned construction start should not be confused with a confirmed date for the university’s move.

The announcement is an early project update rather than a full construction brief. Without a disclosed budget, completion date, facilities schedule or relocation plan, the university’s immediate message is that construction is expected to start in 2026. Prospective students should await further official information before assuming that programmes or classes will move on a particular date.

In announcing the designs, Muganga said their modern appearance might initially lead people to think they were AI-generated, but insisted they were the actual architectural impressions for the planned campus. He said the university was eager to see the images translated into a place that students and staff could physically use.

I&M Bank already served Ntinda customers through a service centre at Capital Shoppers Mall. The new branch expands the lender’s physical presence in a busy residential and commercial area and returns the premises to banking use under a different operator. Its relationship to the wider Ruparelia business network is also notable because I&M Bank’s headquarters are at Kingdom Kampala, a development associated with the group.

Meera Investments challenged the transfer of the leases without the landlord’s consent. The High Court Land Division ruled in the company’s favour in October 2023, cancelled dfcu’s leasehold titles over the disputed properties, ordered vacant possession and awarded Shs2.4 billion in general damages, in addition to costs. The legal history explains why I&M’s use of the Ntinda premises represents more than an ordinary branch opening.

The premises were among properties formerly used by Crane Bank branches. After Crane Bank was placed under receivership in 2016 and selected assets and liabilities were transferred to dfcu in 2017, the leasehold interests connected to 48 properties became the subject of a dispute between dfcu and Meera Investments Limited, associated with Ruparelia.

Send Us Your Story

If you would like your article or opinion published on The New Light Paper, one of Uganda’s trusted news platforms, send your submission to thenewlightpaper@gmail.com.