“We have been struggling with transport, looking for the best vehicle whenever we go for field work. We now have the best. We are also happy that a Ugandan company has produced the bus for us,” said Sister Jane Francis Namuddu, the Principal of St. Michael Lubaga Hospital Training School.
St. Michael Lubaga Hospital Training School has acquired a brand new bus to ease transport operations and support medical training.
The semi-luxury 67-seater brand new bus UBQ 905Z comes equipped with decent features and a warranty of five years.
Ululation and dancing filled the air as the school unveiled the brand new bus during a thanksgiving service on Wednesday, marking a historic first for the institution since its founding in 1956.
Sister Jane Francis Namuddu, the Principal of St. Michael Lubaga Hospital Training School, said the new bus would greatly improve the school’s transport needs.
“We have been struggling with transport, looking for the best vehicle whenever we go for field work. We now have the best. We are also happy that a Ugandan company has produced the bus for us,” she said.
Dr Cecilia Nawavu, the Chairperson of the school’s Governing Council, said the new bus would not only provide a safer and more comfortable means of transport for the students but also open up opportunities for educational excursions to improve the quality of training, sporting events and other extra-curricular activities.
“Our objective is to produce holistic healthcare providers, as a contribution to the rest of the bigger national goal of having quality healthcare providers. This bus helps us to work towards that goal,” she said.
She also encouraged the students to take good care of the bus during their trips for practicum, and to harness their talents during extracurricular activities.
The tender for procurement of the school bus was awarded to Metu Zhongtong Bus Industries, a Ugandan company that designed and assembled the bus in Namanve, Wakiso district.
The chairman and proprietor of Metu Zhongtong Bus Industries, Metu Katabaazi, thanked the school administration and the Catholic Church for supporting the rapid industrialization of Uganda by procuring the bus from an indigenous firm.
“By buying a bus from us, you have put yet another brick to the development of our company. More importantly, you have supported the industrialization of Uganda,” he said.
“When I build an industry in Namanve, this is not my industry but an industry for Uganda, because when you support me, you are supporting our own. Instead of going to neighbouring countries, you can come to us and have a custom-made bus,” he said.
Katabaazi noted that it was important to establish industries with a long-term footprint and a legacy for future generations.
“We make these industries for posterity; for the benefit of our children and grandchildren. We are educating all these children. They need jobs. If we don’t build industries, where will they work?” he asked.
Eng Doreen Akorebirungi, the company’s production engineer, said the buses produced by the firm adhere to international standards and are more affordable compared to imported buses.
St. Michael Lubaga Hospital Training School was established in 1956 in Lubaga Hospital by the Archdiocese of Kampala.
The institution offers both diploma and certificate courses in nursing, midwifery, laboratory techniques, emergency, and theatre techniques for both male and female students.
Thanksgiving
The Thanksgiving service was led by the school’s Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Felix Kasibante, who welcomed new students to the training school.
In his homily, Fr. Kasibante warned the students about different kinds of ‘wolves’ in their lives, which have the potential to derail or destroy their dreams.
“There are wolves in yourself of things that you cannot achieve. But there are also wolves around you. Many will seek to distract you and entice you to take drugs. Resist them,” he explained.
Fr Kasibante advised both the new and continuing students to stand firm against peer-pressure, which often pushes them into alcohol and drug abuse.
He also encouraged the learners to focus on achieving their dreams and dedicating their lives to God through prayer and supplication.
“Have a dream, have a goal, and set your levels up there. Don’t contend with cheap stuff,” he said, with a promise that the students at the institution enjoy moral and spiritual support.
About Metu Zhongtong Bus Industries
Metu Zhongtong Bus Industries is the first company to domestically fabricate and assemble a bus, using more of local resources to build an automobile.
In 2019, President Yoweri Museveni commissioned the first fleet of buses built at the plant and praised Katabaazi for growing Uganda’s automobile industry.
“They have helped to demystify vehicle making. I am very happy to support him (Metu). It is easy to push someone who is squatting,” the President stated.
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