A fire has gutted an iconic building at Uganda’s Makerere University, which is a prominent landmark in the capital. Known as the “Ivory Tower”, an overnight blaze has left its distinctive white walls with blue-shuttered windows blackened. Police in Kampala have started an investigation into the cause of the fire at one of Africa’s oldest and most prestigious universities. “It is a very dark morning for Makerere University. Our iconic Main Administration Building caught fire and the destruction is unbelievable. But we are determined to restore the building to its historic state in the shortest time possible,” Vice-Chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe tweeted. Initial reports indicate that the fire may have started from the roof, spreading to floors that house the finance and records department. Its alumni include independence-era leaders such as Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, renowned writers including Kenya’s Ngugi wa Thiong’o, academics and clergy like John Sentamu, the recently retired Anglican archbishop of York.
SOURCE: BBC