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 Kisubi is a neighborhood in the Central Region of Uganda. Location Kisubi is located in Busiro County, Wakiso District, on Kampala-Entebbe Road, about northeast of Entebbe International Airport. This is approximately south of Kampala, the cou ...

along the

Kampala–Entebbe Road The Kampala–Entebbe Road, also known as the Entebbe–Kampala Road or the Entebbe Road, is a road in the Central Region of Uganda, connecting the capital city of Kampala and Entebbe International Airport. Location The road starts on Kampala ...

, approximately , by road, south of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. This is approximately , by road, north of

Entebbe International Airport Entebbe International Airport is the only international airport in Uganda. It is located about southwest of the town of Entebbe, on the northern shores of Lake Victoria. This is approximately by road south-west of the central business distric ...

, the main civilian and military airport in Uganda. The coordinates of the college are 0°07'17.0"N, 32°32'00.0"E (Latitude:0.121389; Longitude:32.533333).

History

St. Mary's School was founded by Reverend Raux Modeste of the White Fathers Congregation in 1906 and was named after its patroness, Saint Mary. Today, the Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala owns St. Mary's College Kisubi (SMACK). At the beginning of 1899, the Catholic chiefs in the

Buganda Kingdom Buganda is a Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Buganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala. The 14 m ...

, under the leadership of Chief Stanislas Mugwanya, raised the question of higher education for Catholic youths in the kingdom. Their request was laid for consideration by the August Assembly of the

White Fathers The White Fathers (french: Pères Blancs), officially the Missionaries of Africa ( la, Missionarii Africae) abbreviated MAfr), are a Catholic Church, Roman Catholic society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right (for Men) Founded in 1868 by then Ar ...

' General Chapter at

Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...

in 1900. Out of those efforts, SMACK was founded.

Reputation

According to a 2018 published report, St. Mary's College Kisubi is the most prestigious school in

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 ...

, owing to its excellent academic performance and all round nurturing of its students. The school offers education that encourages independent thinking and development. St. Mary's started out occupying only about 10 buildings. The oldest of them was the two-storeyed dormitory for Senior One and Two students that was later brought down and replaced by the current Chemistry Laboratory. The administration block remains unchanged from back in the day. Standing at the centre of the college, it serves as the most centralised block on campus.

Uniform

The SMACK students from 1906 to the early 1960s wore a pair of shorts and a white shirt as their uniform. Those who could afford a pair of shoes did wear them and others stayed barefooted. With many years of development, the uniform and the badge inclusive have had to succumb to many changes in design. The students today don a white shirt with a plain navy blue tie for ordinary level students, a striped tie for the advanced level students and a pair of grey trousers. Blazers have since become mandatory for all higher school certificate students.

Lord Snowdon Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, (7 March 1930 – 13 January 2017), was a British photographer and filmmaker. He is best known for his portraits of world notables, many of them published in ''Vogue'', ''Vanity Fai ...

, in 1964, commissioned the SMACK memorial library, after the death of 12 students in a motor accident. Some of these students were part of the school football team that had gone to participate in a tournament at which they emerged victors. Cheering on the way back from the match,

Milton Obote Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda to independence from British colonial rule in 1962. Following the nation's independence, he served as prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to ...

’s army suspected them to be rebels and the school lorry, which with the school bus was carrying the students, was knocked down by the army truck. In addition to the 12 deaths, an even greater number was injured that day. Today, the twelve trees planted also in memory of these students still stand tall right next to the Senior Six block. The ever growing college, alongside its infrastructural developments, saw the introduction of a number of sports like basketball, football, swimming and hockey. St. Mary's youngest building sits atop Kisubi hill as the tallest one yet. The new three-storied building, valued at Ugandan Shs.2.9 billion, serves as the new HSC block, replacing and outcompeting the older single-storied S5 block which stood erect since the introduction of the Higher School Certificate in SMACK in the recent past.

Alumni

The SMACK Old Boys’ Association (SMACKOBA) has been involved in the running of the school in one way or another right from its foundation in the latter half of the 20th century. Called upon in the 60s, the Old Boys took charge of the c of a circular profile, but because of cost, the current plan was taken up depicting a gallant eagle in flight. Notable alumni of St. Mary's College Kisubi (Old Smackists) include two Vice Presidents of Uganda, two Prime Ministers of Buganda Kingdom, Cabinet ministers, judges, lawyers, and distinguished academics.

Politics

Omara Atubo Daniel Omara Atubo is a Ugandan lawyer, educator and politician. He is the former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, in the Ugandan Cabinet, a position he served in from May 2006 until May 2011. In the cabinet reshuffle on 27 ...

– former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, 2006–2011; former member of parliament for Otuke County, 1987–2016 *

Gilbert Bukenya Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya is a Ugandan politician and physician who was the seventh vice president of Uganda from 23 May 2003 until 23 May 2011. He has represented the constituency of Busiro County North in the Ugandan Parliament since 1996. H ...

– former vice president of Uganda, 2003 – 2011 * Henry Kajura – 2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Service, since 2006 *

Hilary Onek Hilary Obaloker Onek (born 5 May 1948) is a Ugandan engineer and politician. He is the current Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees in the Ugandan Cabinet. He was appointed to that position on 27 May 2013. He replaced Tarsis ...

– Minister of Internal Affairs, since 2011; represents for Lamwo County in the Uganda Parliament, since 2011 *

Edward Ssekandi Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi (born 19 January 1942) is a Ugandan politician and lawyer who served as the eighth vice president of Uganda from 24 May 2011 to 21 June 2021. Prior to that, he served as the Speaker of Parliament from 2001 to 2011. He ser ...

– Vice President of Uganda since 2011 * Paul Ssemogerere – former member of parliament representing North Mengo, 1962–1966; President of the Democratic Party 1972–1986 and 2001–2005; presidential aspirant in 1986 and 1996 * Gerald Karuhanga – member of parliament representing Ntungamo municipality, 2016–2021 * Michael Mabikke – former member of parliament Makindye East and President Social Democratic Party * William Byaruhanga – Uganda's

attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

, 2016-2021 * Matia Kasaija – current

Minister of finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

of Uganda * Baguma Isoke - former minister of Lands

Buganda Kingdom

Charles Peter Mayiga Charles Peter Mayiga (born 1962) is a Ugandan lawyer, cultural leader and author. He is the current '' katikkiro'' (prime minister) in the government of Buganda, a constitutional monarchy in present-day Uganda. He was appointed to that positio ...

– Katikkiro (Prime Minister) of the

Kingdom of Buganda Buganda is a Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Buganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala. The 14 m ...

, May 2013–present * JB Walusimbi – Former Katikkiro (Prime Minister) of the

Academia

Paul D'Arbela Professor Paul George D'Arbela MBChB, FRCP, is a Ugandan physician, cardiologist, academic, and medical researcher. According to a 2008 published report, he is a professor of medicine and the dean of postgraduate studies at the Mother Kevin Post ...

, professor of medicine and Dean of Postgraduate studies at UMU Nkozi * James Gita Hakim, professor of medicine, cardiologist and HIV clinical trialist * Michael B. Nsimbi PhD, Luganda language scholar and historiographer *

Charles Olweny Professor Charles Mark Lwanga Olweny, MBChB, MMed, MD, FRACP, is a Ugandan physician, oncologist, academic and medical researcher. Currently he is a professor of medicine and Immediate past vice-chancellor at Uganda Martyrs University, based at ...

, Vice Chancellor UMU Nkozi * Francis Omaswa, professor of medicine and surgery * Dr. Alex Countinho, Executive director, Partners in health Uganda * Gabriel Kariisa, PhD, Economist, former senior level international executive, AfDB *

John Ddumba Ssentamu John Ddumba Ssentamu (born 1953) is a Ugandan economist, academic and banker. Currently, he is a Professor, Professor of Economics and former Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor (2012-2017) at Makerere University, Uganda's oldest university, founded in ...

, PhD Economist, former vice Chancellor

Makerere University Makerere University, Kampala (; Mak) is Uganda's largest and oldest institution of higher learning, first established as a technical school in 1922. It became an independent national university in 1970. Today, Makerere University is composed of ni ...

and board chairperson Centenary Bank

Writers

Okello Oculi Okello Oculi (born 1 January 1942) is a Ugandan novelist, poet, and chronicler of rural African village life. Currently, he is a private political and social consultant based in Abuja, Nigeria. Before that, he served as Professor of Social & Eco ...

, novelist, poet and chronicler of African village life * Eneriko Seruma, author and playwright * Robert Serumaga, playwright

Civil service

Muhoozi Kainerugaba Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba (born 24 April 1974) is an Ugandan general and son of president Yoweri Museveni. He has been commander of the Special Forces Command (SFC) from 2008 to 2017, and again from December 2020 to 2021, then commander of the l ...

, first son and senior presidential advisor on security *

Kale Kayihura General Edward Kalekezi Kayihura, commonly known as Kale Kayihura, is a Ugandan lawyer, military General, farmer and former policeman. He was the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Uganda Police Force, the highest rank in that branch of ...

, former Inspector General of Police 2005–2018

Businessmen/ Managers

* Francis Kitaka – founder and Chairman of Quality Industries Limited * Frederick Kitaka – chief financial officer of

Quality Chemical Industries Limited Cipla Quality Chemical Industries Limited (CiplaQCIL) is a pharmaceutical manufacturing company in Uganda. According to a 2007 published report, it was the only company in Africa that manufactured triple-combination antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. Ci ...

, currently the only company in

Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...

that manufactures triple-combination anti-retroviral drugs *

Charles Mbire Charles Magezi Mbire is a businessman, entrepreneur, and industrialist in Uganda. He was reported to be the wealthiest indigenous Ugandan, with an estimated net worth exceeding US$200 million as of January 2012. Background Mbire was born Charle ...

– entrepreneur, businessman and industrialist; reportedly the wealthiest indigenous Ugandan; shareholder and Chairman of MTN Communications Company * Louis Kasekende - Economist, former Deputy Governor

Bank of Uganda The Bank of Uganda ( sw, Benki Kuu ya Uganda) is the central bank of Uganda. Established in 1966, by Act of Parliament, the bank is wholly owned by the government but is not a government department. History In 1979 and again in 1987, the Ba ...

* Charlie Lubega - Proprietor Club Guvnor

References

External links

Location of SMACK Campus at Google Maps
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mary's College Kisubi Boarding schools in Uganda Educational institutions established in 1902 Boys' schools in Uganda Wakiso District White Fathers 1902 establishments in the British Empire Schools in Uganda