What if there is no University of Rwanda in Huye town?
University of Rwanda, Huye Campus is located in the Southern Province, Huye district, Ngoma sector, Kabutare cell, village of Busenyi. Among UR campuses, it is the largest both by land area and by the number of students. It is located in the premises that housed the former National University of Rwanda.
This campus is still regarded as the hub of higher education in Rwanda. Huye Campus is currently the seat of the College of Arts and Sciences (CASS) and College of Business and Economics (CBE). But also hosts a good number of students from College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS) as well as CAVM (College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine).
Different residents of Huye District, where the campus is located, recognise the role of this campus in their life.
“I thank God who brought the campus into this sector,” Muhoza Angelique, one of the campus security guards said.
According to Muhoza, she doesn’t imagine her life if there was no University of Rwanda in Huye district. She proceeded saying that apart from her, there are other different people whose lives were improved because of the campus availability in their locality especially her fellow employees in the division of Security.
“I cannot live here in the absence of UR Huye campus,” Ndahayo Sylvain one of the traders in Tumba market said.
According to Sylvain, he sells different commodities to final consumers. Those items include edible stuff like biscuits, breads, different sorts of beverages among others. He also owns a restaurant. He said that his businesses almost depend on the students, like 90%. He claimed that during Holidays his businesses are almost closed because of scarcity of customers. “Thanks to the campus for everything I own,” he added.
Niyongabo Blaise is a landlord of different buildings located in both Tumba and Ngoma sectors. He does not go beyond of what workers and shopkeepers said. According to him, tenants who live in most of the houses built in mentioned sectors are students of the UR-Huye Campus.
“We do appreciate the presence of Campus in our locality because most of the people around it benefit from it,” said Niyomugabo.
A student of year three in Midwifery, named Elie Tuyiringire appreciates the fact that Huye Campus was built in Huye district, Ngoma sector.
“This is a very good location in terms of proximity to Huye town and different social infrastructures that are needed and consumed by students, teachers, employees, and everybody in and around the campus,” he said.
Talking about the localization of campus, he also talked about the Arboretum Forest in which Huye campus is built. He said that it is a conducive environment for students to learn relaxingly.
The fact that Huye is the largest among all campuses that make up UR, makes it easy to host many students. A big number of students are in the Huye campus compared to other campuses. Huye campus has many infrastructures; this makes it easy learning and teaching of many students.
Apart from playing a great role in education, University of Rwanda Huye campus plays a crucial role to different people especially those who live around it. Some are employed in the campus to work in different sectors. Some see as teachers, guards, cleaners or wardens. We cannot forget businesspeople. Landlords who gain from students’ tenants and traders whose customers are students among others. Students from Huye district, neighboring districts and other regions all over the country who join the campus at the beginning of every Academic. Different reasons prove the importance of Huye campus to the people around it.
University of Rwanda Huye Campus has three triangulated sub-campuses. Those are Ruhande, Mamba, and ex Rectorate. Ruhande has many buildings and that’s where almost all CBE students carry out their daily academic routines. Mamba is located in the northern part of Ruhande and it is mostly used by CMHS. Ex-Rectorate is located further in the eastern part of Ruhande. It is mostly used by students of CASS. Inside Ruhande there is a multi-purpose hall called the main auditorium where meetings and entertainment activities for students take place.
By Daniel Twayinganyiki