Brunei Sultan to set up a $200m university in memory of Idi Amin

KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Kingdom of Brunei has announced plans to set up a multi-billion university in memory of former Ugandan President Idi Amin Dada.

The $200m (about Shs747b) university project set to be funded by the filthy rich King of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah Ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III will aim to advance research and Islamic theology teaching in Uganda.

A delegation from Brunei led by Mr Mohammad Abdul Rahman, the minister for Religious Affairs in the Kingdom is currently in Uganda to fast-track the university project.

Last week, the team inspected some pieces of land in Nkozi, Mpigi District to check its suitability for hosting the university.

“We were not impressed with what we saw in Nkozi. President Amin had proposed his home town of Arua, but I think Kampala is the most suitable place for this project,” Mr Rahman said.

He said his team is now searching for another piece of land measuring 22 acres within Kampala City.

“I’m under instructions from the Sultan [King of Brunei ] to make sure that this project is in place within the next five years. We are building this university in memory of former President Amin,” he added.

According to Ali Amin, one of the sons of former President Amin, the multi-billion project was agreed to in the 1970s between his father and the Brunei Sultan while on a trip to Kuwait but the former died before seeing the project come to life.

“However, President Amin was overthrown before the project could start. Now, the Bruneian King has agreed to kick-start the process of constructing the university,” Amin told Monitor in an interview on Saturday.

The former President’s son who currently lives in Kenya, said the family is in contact with the Brunei Kingdom officials to ensure the project succeeds.

“Our dad’s dream was to see the university established before he died, now that he is dead, we must make his dream come true,” he said.