Uganda to award Kenya's president degree

KAMPALA - Uganda's top university is to award Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki an honorary doctorate degree for his pan-African service and steady leadership in the region.

Alfred Namoah, Makerere University academic registrar, told reporters here late on Monday that the retiring Kenyan president will receive honorary doctorate of laws for his promotion of regional social welfare and freedom.

The award ceremony is scheduled to take place within the next two weeks.

At the ceremony, at least 11,022 students are expected to graduate in different disciplines at the 82 year old institution.

The council, the highest decision making body of the university, adopted the proposal to honor Kibaki on December 8, 2011 in recognition of his contribution to public service at national, regional and international levels in areas of academic excellence, political, social and economic reforms.

According to the council, Kibaki has distinguished himself as a visionary statesman who has tirelessly promoted social welfare and freedom in Kenya and the region.

Kibaki graduated from Makerere in 1955 with a first class bachelor of arts degree in economics, history and political science.

He taught at the university as an assistant lecturer in the department of economics in 1958 for two years before returning to Kenya to become an executive officer of the Kenya African National Union party.

Other personalities who have been awarded the prestigious honorary degree at the institution include Benjamin Mkapa, former Tanzanian president, and former Tanzanian vice president Rashid Mfaume Kawawa.