On Wednesday June 1, some roads in Kampala were closed reason being that the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan was moving around the country.

Among his main routes was the one to Makerere University where he was going for conferment of his prestigious honorary Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) degree.

Most Ugandans would wonder why Makerere decided to award Erdogan and not any other president in Africa, or any other country in the world.

However, Journalism@Mak has learnt the reasons behind awarding of the degree to H.E Erdogan.

The Turkish president has been known for his philanthropic motives, world over. Nationally and internationally, he has received several awards and honorary degrees, a reason Makerere's Senate, the highest academic decision making body voted 99.98 per cent in favour of awarding him the degree.

While speaking at the award-giving ceremony, the Vice chancellor of Makerere, Prof John Ddumba-Ssentamu said: " The award is in accordance with Section 47 (i) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001.

"It stipulates that the University Senate may consider conferring an
Honorary Degree upon any person who has excelled in any sector of life as it may deem fit on the recommendation of an Honorary Degrees Committee established jointly by the Senate and the University Council."

The European Voice Organisation named Erdogan as the European of the year, in 2004, while the Time Magazine listed him twice as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. The honorary degree bestowed to him at Makerere was the 16th.

ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE

President Erdogan has championed the wellbeing of the multitude of migrants that have either found themselves into Turkey, or have been returned to Turkey from other, especially, European countries. Its stated that in some places in Turkey, there are more migrants than Turkish people.

The country is currently holding more than 3 million refugees.

In terms of giving international aid, the country, under the leadership of Erdogan, has been ranked number one. To African states, Turkey contributes USD 4.5 billion annually, which accounts for 30 per cent of the total aid the continent gets from Europe.

Erdogan has allied with Spain and launched the Alliance of Civilizations with the aim of countering the atmosphere of mutual mistrust, fear and polarisation between the Islamic world and the West.

TO AFRICA

President Erdogan has played a key role of observing and supporting the African Union, and also focusing in African countries under the Turkish G20 presidency, pushing for their voices to be heard globally, just as Turkey is doing in the UN.

In 2011, when Somalia was facing severe famine due to protracted wars, he visited the country and established a Turkish embassy through which he could channel aid to the starved, on top of engaging in talks with various concerned parties so as to bring about lasting peace.

In the education sector, Turkey signed the Academic and scientific cooperation protocal with 40 Vice Chancellors from Africa who had visited the country in 2014. The protocol aims at ensuring African education system becomes more relevant to those who receive it , so as to bring about meaningful development on the Continent.

HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO UGANDA AND MAKERERE

Since 2010, a minimum of 60 Ugandans have been receiving scholarships, annually, to go and further their studies in different fields in Turkey.

Erdogan has spearheaded poverty eradication in Uganda by encouraging Turkish investment in agriculture value addition and infrastructural development, with some farmers being taken to Turkey for training in modern faming techniques.

In 2013, the government of Turkey donated radio equipment to Uganda Moslem Supreme Council to establish Bilal FM. On top of this 30 journalists are taken to Turkey, annually, for training in media in peace and sustainable development.

In October last year, president Erdogan donated ICT equipment worth Shs 100 million to Makerere's Peace Centre trough the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

"There are ongoing negotiations for further support towards the construction of the multi billion state of art home for a peace centre which will include lecture theatres, office space for staff, conference facilities, visiting lecturers' research facilities, e-learning centre be baby care facilities, here at Makerere University," Ddumba-Ssentamu said.