Namilyango College is a boys-only boarding middle and high school located in

Mukono District Mukono is one of the districts in the Central Region of Uganda. The town of Mukono is home to the district's main commercial center and district headquarters. Location Mukono District is bordered by Kayunga District to the north, Jinja Distric ...

in the Central Region of

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

, whose history and excellence in sports and academics have made it one of the most prestigious schools in Uganda. It is Uganda's oldest secondary school, founded in 1902 by the

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Mill Hill Fathers The Mill Hill Missionaries (MHM), officially known as the Saint Joseph's Missionary Society of Mill Hill ( la, Societas Missionariorum S. Ioseph de Mill Hill), is a Catholic Church, Catholic society of apostolic life founded in 1866 by Herbert Alf ...

Location

The school campus is situated on Namilyango Hill, approximately , by road, southwest of

Mukono Town Mukono Town is a municipality in Mukono District in the Central Region of Uganda. The town is administered by the Mukono Town Council. The district headquarters are located in this town. Location Mukono Municipality is 21 km east of ...

, the district headquarters, and about , by road, south of the township of Seeta, the nearest trading center. The college lies approximately , by road, east of

Kampala Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...

's capital and largest city. The coordinates of Namilyango College are:0°20'19.0"N, 32°43'02.0"E (Latitude:0.338611; Longitude:32.717222).

History

The school was founded in March 1902 by the

, a London-based Catholic missionary society, to educate the sons of Catholic chiefs. At the time, the Mill Hill Missionaries approach to education for locals was guided by their objective of training local catechists and, eventually, local priests. The first students at Namilyango were being trained to become, first and foremost, catechists; those who were considered unfit for that vocation would be sent away or, if they were of good character, educated further so they could be taken on as clerks in the colonial government.

Reputation

Namilyango College is one of the most prestigious schools in

, owing to its history, influence, excellent academic performance and dominance in sports. It is the oldest secondary school and the first college in Uganda, and for long was the best school in boxing until the sport was stopped in the school in the early 1990s.

Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

is the biggest sport in the College. Namilyango has won the national schools' rugby title more than any other school, and has sent numerous players to the national team. Namilyango College was a pioneer in

Information Technology Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology system (I ...

n schools, building one of the first computer labs.

Rivalries

Over the years a tradition of Namilyango College has been the rivalries with fellow prestigious schools, in Academics, Sports and socialising. The rivals have included, in decreasing order of rivalry:

St. Mary's College Kisubi St. Mary's College Kisubi (SMACK) is a private, boarding middle and high school located in Wakiso District in the Central Region of Uganda. Established in 1906. Location The school is in Kisubi along the Kampala–Entebbe Road, approximately , ...

King's College Budo King’s College Budo is a mixed, residential, secondary school in Central Uganda (Buganda). Location The school is located on Naggalabi Hill, in southern Wakiso District, off the Kampala-Masaka Road. This location lies approximately , by road, ...

and

Busoga College Mwiri Busoga College Mwiri, commonly known as Busoga College, is a boarding secondary school located in Uganda. Location Busoga College Mwiri is located on Mwiri Hill in Wairaka Parish, Kakira Town Council-Jinja District, Eastern Region, Uganda, Easte ...

. In recent times the bad blood has been with Budo and SMACK (Kisubi) for the Rugby honours, as Namilyango has won five schools' championships in the last eight years - including the 2012 Championship, compared to one, each, for their rivals. On the other hand, the school has maintained cordial relations with schools like:

Gayaza High School Gayaza High School is the oldest all-girls boarding secondary school covering grades 8 to 13 (Secondary 1 to 6) in Uganda. The school is Church-founded, government-aided and accredited by the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Sports ...

Mount Saint Mary's College Namagunga Mt. St. Mary's College Namagunga is an all-girl boarding secondary school located in Mukono District in Uganda. The school is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lugazi. Location The school is on the Kampala–Jinja Highway, approxim ...

and

Trinity College Nabbingo Trinity College Nabbingo (TRICONA), is an all-girls boarding school covering grades 8–13 in Central Uganda. Location The school is located on a hill in the village of Nabbingo, in Wakiso District, approximately , by road, south-west of Kampal ...

Houses of residence

The college has eleven residential houses and a hostel. The "O" Level students reside in the residential houses while the "A" Level students reside in Minderop Hostel, named after Father James Minderop, the first headmaster of the college. The eleven residential houses are: # Biermans House - Named after Bishop John Biermans (MHM), Vicariate Apostolic of Upper Nile 1912 - 1924 # Billington House - Named after Bishop

Vincent Billington Vincent Billington, MHM (14 May 1904 - 6 October 1976), was an English Roman Catholic priest who served as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jinja, in Uganda, from 13 May 1948 until 3 May 1965. Background and priesthood Billington was b ...

(MHM) (1904 - 1976), Bishop of Kampala 1953 - 1965 # Campling House - Named after Bishop John William Campling (MHM), Vicariate Apostolic of Upper Nile 1925 - 1937 # Doyle House - Named after Rev. Fr. Captain Bernard Doyle (MHM), the longest serving Headmaster (19 years) of the College # Hanlon House - "House of Lords", named after Bishop Henry Hanlon (MHM) 1862 - 1937, Vicar Apostolic of Upper Nile 1894 - 1911 # Kiwanuka House - Named after Archbishop Joseph Kiwanuka, the first native

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n to be appointed

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the historical ...

# Kuipers House - Named after Father Bernard Kuipers (MHM), served the College for 30 years as teacher, Headmaster, and Chaplain # McKee House - Named after Father Kevin McKee (MHM), a teacher at the College # Mukasa House - Named after Mr. Noah Mukasa, a former Biology teacher at the College # Reesinck House - Named after Bishop John Reesinck (MHM), Vicariate Apostolic of Upper Nile 1938 - 1950 # Heweston House - Named after one of the former headmasters of the school. # Charles Lwanga House - Named after one of the

Uganda Martyrs The Uganda Martyrs are a group of 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican converts to Christianity in the historical kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda, who were executed between 31 January 1885 and 27 January 1887. They were killed on orders of Mwang ...

Prominent alumni

Former students of Namilyango College are called "Old Ngonians", and include a prime minister, the current Chief Justice, cabinet ministers, clergymen, members of the royal family of Buganda, judges, lawyers, academics, and sportsmen. Some of the prominent alumni of the school include:

Royals

*Prince David Wasajja of Buganda Kingdom

Politics

George Cosmas Adyebo George Cosmas Adyebo (18 June 1947 – 19 November 2000) was a Ugandan politician and economist who was Prime Minister of Uganda from 1991 to 1994. Adyebo became Prime Minister on 22 January 1991, succeeding Samson Kisekka Samson Babi Mulu ...

, Prime Minister 1991–1994 *

Gerald Ssendaula Gerald Majera Ssendaula is a retired Ugandan politician, and current banker and farmer. He is a former Cabinet Minister and MP Member of Parliament, representing Kingo sub-county, which became Lwengo District. Background and education Ssendaul ...

, minister of finance 1998–2005 and MP for Bukoto 1980–2005 *

Fred Mukisa Frederick Douglas Mwanja Mukisa (4 April 1949 – 29 December 2019) was a Ugandan educator and politician. He served as the State Minister for Fisheries in the Ugandan Cabinet, from 1 June 2006 until 27 May 2011. In the cabinet reshuffle of 27 ...

(McKee), minister for fisheries 2006–2011 and MP for Bukooli Central 2006–2011 *

Vincent Nyanzi Vincent Makumbi Nyanzi is a Ugandan educator and politician. He is the current State Minister in the Office of the Vice President in the Uganda's Cabinet. He was appointed to this position on 27 May 2011. He replaced James Baba, who was appo ...

, minister of state for vice president's Office and MP for Busujju County *

Norbert Mao Norbert Mao is a Ugandan political activist and lawyer. He has been president of the Democratic Party since 2010, three time presidential candidate and he served as the Local Council 5 chairman for Gulu District. He is the current minister for J ...

(Campling), Democratic Party 2011 presidential candidate and President of DP 2010 - date *

Jeremiah Twatwa Jeremiah Mutwalante Twa-Twa (born 29 January 1951) is a Ugandan physician, public health, public health specialist, and politician. His last name is sometimes spelled "Twatwa". He is the elected Parliament of Uganda, Member of Parliament repres ...

, MP for Iki-Iki County * Martin Drito (Reensich), MP for Madi-Okollo County, Arua District, 2011 to present. One of Uganda's wealthiest individuals. *

Gabriel Ajedra Aridru Gabriel Gadison Ajedra Aridru is a Ugandan civil engineer and politician. He was the State Minister of Finance for General Duties in the Cabinet of Uganda, from 6 June 2016 until 3 May 2021. Prior to that, from 12 August 2012, until 6 June 2 ...

, former State Minister of Finance for General Duties in the

Cabinet of Uganda There are 32 Cabinet ministers and 50 Ministers of State in the Cabinet of Uganda (2021 to 2026). According to Section 111 of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda, as amended in 2005, "There shall be a Cabinet which shall consist of the President, t ...

Law

Bart Magunda Katureebe Bart Magunda Katureebe is a Ugandan judge and the former Chief Justice of Uganda. He was appointed to that position on 5 March 2015. Before that, he was a justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda. Background and education He was born on 20 June 19 ...

, Former Chief Justice of Uganda and former member of the

Supreme Court of Uganda The Supreme Court of Uganda is the highest judicial organ in Uganda. It derives its powers from Article 130 of the 1995 Constitution. It is primarily an appellate court with original jurisdiction in only one type of case: a presidential electi ...

Civil service

* Onegi Obel, Governor, Bank of Uganda 1973–1978 and presidential advisor * Geoffrey Onegi Obel, former chairman, NSSF board of directors * Joseph Etima (d. 22 June 2018), former Commissioner of Uganda Human Rights Commission and former Commissioner General of Uganda Prisons.

Academics

John Ssebuwufu John Pancras Mukasa Lubowa Ssebuwufu, commonly known as John Ssebuwufu is a Ugandan chemist, academic and administrator. He is a former chancellor of Kyambogo University, Uganda's second-largest public university serving between 2014-2022 havin ...

, vice chancellor, Makerere University 1993–2004. Chancellor, Kyambogo University 2014–Present *

Nelson Sewankambo Nelson Kawulukusi Sewankambo, MBChB, MMed, MSc, FRCP, LLD (Hon), sometimes spelled as Nelson Ssewankambo, is a Ugandan physician, academician, medical researcher, and medical administrator. He is a professor of medicine and former principal o ...

FRCP, principal,

Makerere University College of Health Sciences Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) is a constituent college of Makerere University, Uganda's oldest university. The schools of the college offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the biomedical sciences, health science ...

David Serwadda David M. Serwadda is a Ugandan physician, medical researcher, academic, public health specialist and medical administrator. Currently he is a Professor of Public Health at Makerere University School of Public Health, one of the schools of Makere ...

, dean

Makerere University School of Public Health Makerere University School of Public Health (MUSPH) is one of the schools that comprise the Makerere University College of Health Sciences, a constituent college of Makerere University, Uganda's oldest and largest public university. Location MU ...

Emmanuel Mbaziira Immanuel ( he, עִמָּנוּאֵל, 'Īmmānū'ēl, meaning, "God is with us"; also romanized: , ; and or in Koine Greek of the New Testament) is a Hebrew name that appears in the Book of Isaiah (7:14) as a sign that God will protect the H ...

, Chemistry teacher and games master Ndejje S S S * Okitwi Pius, Physics and Mathematics teacher At the College *

Josephine Nambooze Josephine Nambooze is a Ugandan physician, public health specialist, academic, and medical researcher. She is an emeritus professor of public health at Makerere University School of Public Health. Nambooze was the first female East African to qu ...

, the first indigenous female doctor in Uganda, and later medicine professor at

* Peregrine Kibuuka PhD: Former headmaster Namilyango College, 1986–2001.

Writers

Austin Bukenya Austin Bukenya (born 10 February 1944) is a Ugandan poet, playwright, novelist and academic administrator.Emmanuel Katongole (Campling), Managing Director Quality Chemicals & CEO Vero Foods Limited. Current chairman of

Uganda National Oil Company The Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), also known as the National Oil Company of Uganda, is a limited liability petroleum company in Uganda owned by the Ugandan government. The 2013 Petroleum (Exploration, Development and Production) Act of Uga ...

. * Geoffrey Scott Sempiiga (d. 21 July 2013), (Campling), Cargo Manager KLM Uganda & CEO GSS Enterprise Limited, Katwine Shipping Company and GSS Music Industriè.

References

External links

Namilyango College Is 105 Years Old

Profile at Newvision.co.ug
{{Mukono District Boarding schools in Uganda Boys' schools in Uganda Secondary schools in Uganda Education in Uganda Mukono District Central Region, Uganda 1902 establishments in the British Empire Catholic universities and colleges in Africa Educational institutions established in 1902