Dear People of God, I congratulate you upon this unforgettable moment in the history of our Diocese, at this inauguration of St. Ignatius University Kabale (IGUKA). Today August 24, 2024 marks the beginning of an era and a journey in impactful education for socio-economic transformation of our society. We celebrate the inauguration of a University, that will focus on research and innovation, inspire students as agents of change; and empower them with the desired skill sets for practical problem-solving and ultimately transformation of society.
I therefore take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed in one way or the other to the establishment of this Institution. I thank the Government of Uganda, which has continued to value education and particularly, which through the National Council for Higher Education, granted a Provisional Licence to St. Ignatius University Kabale. Secondly, I would like to thank all the people and friends of Kabale Diocese, who generously contributed towards the establishment of this University through the BAAF 2023. We are most grateful and we encourage you to send your children to the University because it is your University.
I also extend my sincere gratitude to the different committees that worked hard for the realization of this dream especially the 2016 Task Force that recommended the establishment of the University and the Steering Committee that did the hard work to earn a Provisional License. Many thanks also to the University Council which is doing a lot in setting a strategic direction and all the staff and management of the University that are involved in the day today running of the University. In a special way, I thank the Pioneer students. These deserve special recognition for choosing to be part of this University right away from its inception. I thank all the current and future parents and well wishers of St. Ignatius University Kabale for supporting the University. May the good Lord bless you for your generosity.
Dear people of God, I take this honour to let you know that Kabale Diocese, has always been a champion in the provision of social services to the people, through establishment of Institutions such as Schools and Health Centres. The Diocesan Health Services are mainly provided through the three hospitals: St. Francis Mutolere Hospital in Kisoro District, Our Lady of Good Health Rushoroza Hospital in Kabale District and Karoli Lwanga Hospital Nyakibale in Rukungiri District, as well as twenty-six (26) lower Health Units across the six districts of the Diocese.
In education, the Diocese has 376 Catholic founded Primary Schools, 74 Secondary Schools (three of which are Minor Seminaries) and 6 technical institutes, one in each of our Districts. 
Therefore, the establishment of St. Ignatius University Kabale is a continuation of a long tradition of service and a commitment of the Diocese to continue anchoring the desired transformation of society. Therefore, as we embark on this journey, we focus on shaping the attitudes of our young people so that they can embrace the mantle of positively impacting society today and for generations to come.
Kigezi Region has for a long time faced an increase in population growth that has reduced land availability. Our family land inheritance culture has greatly contributed to land fragmentation and over cultivation which has resulted into the loss of fertility of the little land available. With an average of 0.2 hectares per household, Kigezi region has the lowest agricultural land acreage in the country and a lot of the would-be available land is found in low land water-logged areas classified as swamps. With these challenges in mind, St. Ignatius University Kabale through its niche area of Agriculture aims at exploring how it can train people to efficiently utilise the little available land, using innovative and improved methods of farming in order to maximise the output. The University shall also promote financial literacy, taking cognizance of the cultural nuances of the people to promote a money culture that emphasizes the need to work hard; earning from goods and services; effective resource utilization, frugality and household savings and investment, to find a proper balance between individual and collective responsibility.
In addition, Kigezi Region is endowed with numerous tourist attraction features such as its breathtaking landscapes; diverse flora and fauna as well as the rich culture of its people. It is also home to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. St. Ignatius University Kabale aims at training its students and the population at large to appreciate and harness the tourism potential to improve their livelihoods. This explains why we have started with a lot of emphasis on courses in Agriculture and Tourism.
The journey has just begun and we continue to rely on your support to meet the operational and development needs of the University. In light of this, I would like to inform you that we are yet to launch an Assembly of Promoters to help us co-ordinate our resource mobilization so that we run without interruption and also start an Endowment Fund that will lead to the University’s financial sustainability. We welcome all people and institutions of goodwill to join the Assembly and walk with us in this journey of building the University.
Finally, allow me to emphasize that St. Ignatius University Kabale, being a Catholic founded Institution, is hinged on the Core Christian and Human Values from which the University’s framers chose Transparency, Accountability, Integrity, Honesty, Excellence and Quality as its core values. These cherished values will help the University to commit itself to the realization of academic excellence, creativity and critical thinking, thereby fostering a community of scholars, thinkers and leaders who will address the complex challenges of our World. We continue to commend this University to the intercession of St. Ignatius of Loyola, who dedicated his life to the transformation of Society through his teaching and spirituality. God bless you.
+Callist Rubaramira
Bishop of Kabale