Deceased Muni University VC hailed for championing girl child education

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The deceased Muni University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Christine Dranzoa has been described as an icon of girl child education in the sub-region.

Dranzoa, died on Tuesday at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala where she had been admitted for an unknown illness. Her death was announced through the university’s official Twitter account.

“We have just received the sad news of the untimely death of our dear Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Christine Dranzoa who passed on at 3:30 am this morning. An official communication will be made later in the day. May her soul rest in eternal peace”, the university’s Tweet read.

Alice Akello, Arua City Resident Commissioner says the death of Dranzoa has created a huge gap in the promotion of girl child education.

Joel Aita Jaffer, the Chairperson of the University Council described the death of the vice-chancellor as a very sad moment.

Harold Acemah, a retired career diplomat says Prof. Dranzoa has left a rich legacy in West Nile which is worth emulating.

Babra Acuga, the Guild President Muni University has described the death as a big blow to the students, noting that she had been a mother figure for the students, especially regarding their welfare.

Prof Dranzua who was born in Adua village in Moyo district was a member of the Taskforce Committee appointed by the Ministry of Education and Sports to kick-start the University.

Others are Fr. Dr. Epihany Picho – Member (the deputy vice-chancellor in charge of Finance) and James Lagoro .

In June 2014, she was appointed to the position of Acting Vice-Chancellor Muni University.

Before her appointment, she served as Deputy Director School of Graduate Studies, Makerere University between April 2005- May 2010.

Over the years, her work has attracted wide-ranging recognition from the public including her professional peers. Her first major recognition came in 1999 from the Forum for African Women Educationists-Uganda chapter who awarded Dranzoa a medal of excellence in education for mentoring the girl child and she went on to become the honorary secretary for the pan-African body.

In 2002, her contribution to wildlife conservation was rewarded with the Wankele Aarde (Unbalanced Earth Trophy) by the Dierenpark Amersfoort of the Netherlands while the Pan-African Ornithological Congress between 2004 and 2008 made her its president in honor of Dranzoa’s contribution in the field of avian research and conservation.

She also has numerous publications in chapters of important journals in the field of zoology, wildlife, and biodiversity.

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