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The Vice Chancellor’s speech on the 59th Graduation ceremony

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This colorful graduation ceremony has a total of 12,346 students graduating with PhDs, Masters degrees, bachelors degrees and diplomas in various fields, and this is the biggest ever number of graduands ever in a year. Of this number, there are 30 PhDs.

This colorful graduation ceremony has a total of 12,346 students graduating with PhDs, Masters degrees, bachelors degrees and diplomas in various fields, and this is the biggest ever number of graduands ever in a year. Of this number, there are 30 PhDs.

Welcome remarks

It is with great pleasure that I once again welcome you to Makerere University on the 59th graduation ceremony. You are all most welcome. Let me also take this opportunity to wish you a happy and prosperous 2009. As a university we have began the New Year with hope that it will be a good year for us as we seek to take Makerere to greater heights.

Graduation Statistics

This week we have a total of 12,346 students graduating with PhDs, Masters degrees, bachelors degrees and diplomas in various fields, and this is the biggest ever number of graduands ever in a year. Of this number, there are 30 PhDs. This is also an increase from the last graduation. Of these, five (5) are female and 25 male. Mr. Chancellor Sir, four (4) of these are Joint PhDs in Medicine awarded jointly by Makerere University and the Karolinska Institute of Sweden.

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A total of 878 students are graduating with masters degrees, of which 336 are female and 542 are male. In addition, 34 female and 76 male students making a total of 110 are graduating with Post Graduate diplomas while 231 are undergraduate diplomas, with 126 female and 105 male.

The majority of graduands this week are undergraduates with 5197 female and 5900 male totalling 11,097.

The female graduands make up 46.2% while the males are 53.8%. Mr. Chancellor Sir, the percentage figures clearly indicate that we are making great strides in our efforts to educate more female students and make Makerere a truly equal opportunities institution in line with the National objectives of empowering the women. You will recall Sir, that last year we had 43.7% females and 57.3% male. These figures show that the gap has closed significantly and we will soon realise parity.

Graduands

A total of 180 of the graduands this week have attained First Class degrees and I would like us all to commend them on their achievement. Last year we had 58 First Class degrees. This brings to mind the old joke that either the examinations were easy or the students are becoming cleverer or both. Whichever of these, I certainly commend them on their achievement.

Mr. Chancellor Sir, the best student overall this year is Ishengoma Emmanuel who scored a CGPA of 4.91 out of 5.0 in Bachelor of Industrial and Fine Arts. He is also the best in the humanities. Mr. Olaka Joseph Derrick performed best in the Sciences with a CGPA of 4.86 with a BSc in Computer Science.

While there are significant challenges in managing the increasing numbers of university students, the bigger number of graduands is a testimony to the role Makerere plays in meeting the vast demand for higher education in the country and in helping to build a human resource for national development.

For the entire speech, Click here to download…

 

Denis Wamala

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Women in Business Empowered at Makerere

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Prof. Sarah Ssali (Seated 3rd Right) with officials and participants during the Women in Business training on 20th August 2025. Institute of Gender and Development Studies in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), training program focusing on procurement and business development for women in business, 20th August 2025, Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University, through the Institute of Gender and Development Studies in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on 20th August 2025 commenced a training program focusing on procurement and business development for women in business. The two sessions, which brought together women from diverse business sectors, were held at the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility. The training covered critical areas such as business requirements and strategic positioning, access to credit—particularly the Women in Business initiative by Stanbic Bank—and navigating procurement processes in the public service, among other vital aspects.

In his remarks, Mr. Paul Agaba, Director of the Procurement and Disposal Unit (PDU) at Makerere University, outlined relevant laws and shed light on reservation schemes for women-owned businesses. He detailed the requirements for companies to participate in procurement reserved for women, the necessary qualifying documents, and the benefits associated with such schemes. Mr. Agaba referred to the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Act of 2003, a law aimed at regulating procurement processes while enhancing service delivery and ensuring value for money. He noted that the Act has undergone several amendments to address emerging issues and reinforce principles of fairness and inclusivity, including measures to integrate previously marginalized groups—women, youth, and persons with disabilities—into business opportunities.

He further emphasized that reservation schemes are designed to provide incentives for women-owned businesses. To qualify, a business must be registered with the appropriate authorities, with at least 51% of its shares owned by one or more Ugandan women. On specific requirements, he highlighted the need for registration with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), annual registration with the PPDA to be listed among providers, and documentation proving 51% female shareholding. However, Mr. Agaba noted that more effort is needed to actualize some provisions, such as ensuring that 15% of every procurement plan in public institutions and all procurements below UGX 30 million are reserved for women.

Representing UNDP, Ms. Beatrice Nabagya Mugambe, whose organization funded the training, underscored the importance of the program, describing it as a response to critical gaps identified through organizational assessments and surveys. She observed that despite ongoing efforts in gender-responsive procurement, women’s participation in procurement processes remains limited—a challenge not unique to Makerere but also evident across other agencies. She pointed to barriers such as lack of capital, insufficient information about bid opportunities and procedures, perceptions that bid amounts are beyond their reach, and limited business networks that could otherwise facilitate collective bidding. She stressed that such limitations can be overcome through collective action.

Addressing the topic of access to credit, Mr. Joel Mukasa, Relationship Manager at Stanbic Bank, highlighted opportunities available to women-owned businesses through the bank. Drawing from over seven years of experience, he noted that women tend to be better business managers, with 90% of loans disbursed to women being repaid, compared to less than 50% among men, attributing the gap to men often diverting business funds for personal use. Mr. Mukasa explained that Stanbic Bank has established several initiatives tailored for women, including the ‘Grow Project’ in partnership with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and the government, and the ‘Stanbic for Her’ program. He clarified that the ‘Grow Project’ does not provide free money but rather credit facilities designed for active women entrepreneurs. To qualify, businesses must be registered as sole proprietorships headed by women, companies with at least 51% female shareholding, partnerships led by women, or formal/informal savings groups composed entirely of women. Applicants are also required to have an operational account with Stanbic Bank for at least six months, which eases qualification without the need for audited books.

Prof. Sarah Ssali, Head of the Institute of Gender and Development Studies, reaffirmed Makerere University’s commitment to gender equity and justice as central pillars of its operations. She noted that Makerere is the first public institution globally to apply for the UNDP’s Gender Equality Seal, with the process beginning in 2022. As part of this commitment, the university is evaluated on gender parity in student enrollment. Since 1991, initiatives such as the 1.5 scheme, the establishment of a gender institute, and other affirmative action programs, including those addressing disability and inclusion, have been implemented to promote gender balance among students.

She added that as a gender-responsive employer, the university emphasizes women’s representation in its workforce, particularly in leadership and staffing. Makerere has a comprehensive Gender Equality Policy and Framework supported by affirmative action, which has significantly increased women’s representation in both employment and leadership roles. However, Prof. Ssali acknowledged that challenges persist in the area of procurement. Bound by the PPDA Act, the university cannot impose gender quotas since bidding is based on merit and fair competition. Low participation of women in bids is often due to their operation at a micro-level, lack of familiarity with the PPDA Act, and insufficient capital to handle large contracts.

To address these challenges, Prof. Ssali said Makerere is exploring lawful strategies to promote gender parity in procurement. The main focus is to strengthen women-owned businesses so they can compete effectively for large contracts, while also supporting small and medium women entrepreneurs as they scale up. She explained that the current workshop was deliberately designed for women in business, with participation restricted to women-owned companies. Its primary goal was to build competitiveness by equipping participants with knowledge of pre-qualification, bid submission, assessment, appraisal, and selection processes—ensuring women-owned businesses are fully integrated into Makerere’s procurement activities as part of the university’s broader gender inclusivity agenda.

Ms. Sara Nakibuuka, a practicing procurement professional at Makerere University, stressed the importance of such initiatives in supporting women entrepreneurs. She encouraged women to take full advantage of provisions under the existing Acts of Parliament to expand their business opportunities and strengthen their market presence.

The Women in Business Training 2025 was moderated by Donna Keirungi, a member of the Makerere University Gender Equality Seal implementation team.

Eve Nakyanzi
Eve Nakyanzi

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E-Mobility Skilling Programme: Cohort 2 Applications Now Open!

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E-Mobility Skilling Programme: Cohort 2, in partnership with Kiira Motors Corporation and UNDP Uganda launched! Apply by September 1, 2025. Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The Makerere University Innovation Pod is thrilled to announce the launch of the E-Mobility Skilling Programme: Cohort 2, in partnership with Kiira Motors Corporation and UNDP Uganda! This immersive one-year program offers exceptional Bachelor of Science and related discipline students (2nd-3rd year) the opportunity to gain cutting-edge skills in electric vehicle technology.

We are seeking motivated individuals from Physics, various Engineering fields, Industrial Art, Architecture, and Business (Marketing) with a strong academic record. Participants will engage in hands-on training, industrial immersion at Kiira Motors, and contribute to the development of the “Moonshot Project.”

Apply by September 1, 2025, to be part of this transformative skilling initiative. Female students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Learn more and apply here: https://forms.gle/jntp2TrzYqJ4TrKv9

Mak Editor

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Bid Notice: Refugee Law Project Mid-Term Review

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An aerial view of Left to Right: Mitchell Hall, Senate, CoCIS Blocks B and A, Lincoln Flats, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility and School of Social Sciences (white) Buildings, Makerere University, with Kampala City in the background, October 2018. Uganda.

DETAILED BID NOTICE UNDER OPEN BIDDING

Invitation to bid for Consultancy Services for Midterm Review of The Embassy of The Kingdom of Netherlands Funded Project; Securing Refugee-Host Relations Through Enhanced Protection, under Refugee Law Project, School of Law, Makerere University.
Proc. Ref. No. MAK/SRVCS/2025-26/00013

  1. The Makerere University under Refugee Law Project has allocated funds to be used for the acquisition of Consultancy Services for Midterm Review of The Embassy of The Kingdom of Netherlands Funded Project; Securing Refugee-Host Relations Through Enhanced Protection, under Refugee Law Project, School of Law, Makerere University.
  2. The Entity invites sealed bids from eligible bidders for the provision of the above consultancy services.
  3. Bidding will be conducted in accordance with the open domestic bidding procedures contained in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act, 2003, and is open to all bidders.
  4. Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information and inspect the bidding documents at the address given below at 8(a) from 8:00am to 5:00pm.
  5. The Bidding Documents in English may be purchased by interested bidders on the submission of a written application to the address at 2 above and upon payment of a non-refundable fee of UGX. 100,000/= (One Hundred Thousand), only. The method of payment shall be cash payment after downloading Application Advice Slip from https://payments.mak.ac.ug/ and thereafter obtain a receipt from the bank before picking the document.
  6. Proposals must be delivered to the address below at 8(c) at or before 10:00am on Wednesday 20th August 2025. All proposals must be accompanied by a proposal securing declaration which must be valid until 28th February 2026. Late proposals shall be rejected. Proposals will be opened in the presence of the consultants’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below at 8(a) at 10:15am on 20th August 2025.

See below for detailed bid notice.

Mak Editor

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