General
Highlights of the 20th Anniv. of Dept. of Food Science
The Origin of the Department of Food Science and Technology can be traced back to when the Department was approved as an academic unit in the then Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry by the Makerere University Council in 1987.
The Origin of the Department of Food Science and Technology can be traced back to when the Department was approved as an academic unit in the then Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry by the Makerere University Council in 1987.
The two lead-persons involved in the establishment of the department, including compilation of the curriculum used by the first student intake, were the late Prof. J.S. Mugerwa (then Dean, Faculty of Agriculture & Forestry) and Dr. David Muduuli (then Senior Lecturer, Department of Soil Science). Dr. Paul Hansen from Ohio State University also made a strong input in the curriculum development.
In 1989, Dr. Muduuli was appointed as the first Head of the newly established Department of Food Science and Technology, which was by then assigned only three offices in the Faculty of Agriculture. In the same year Dr. Kasirye Alemu, having been appointed Executive Director UNBS, joined the group as a part time lecturer.
The last 20 years have seen steady growth in student numbers and department space from the initial 12 male and 2 female students to over 400 graduates thus far housed in a 4000 square meter complex located on the western end of the Makerere University Main Campus with well furnished lecture rooms, teaching and research labs, a library, a computer lab, meeting rooms, a conference hall and a pilot plant. The pilot plant is being equipped to host the Technology and Business Incubation Center (TBIC).
To commemorate the last two decades of fulfilling growth, the Department currently headed by Assoc. Professor John H. Muyonga (PhD), a pioneer student himself and recipient of the TWAS prize for Young Scientists by the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology organized a series of events aimed at raising awareness.
The first of these was a charity walk held on 26th September 2009 aimed at raising a total of 65,280,000 Uganda Shillings for the purchase of laboratory equipment. The walk, which started at the Department’s complex, saw walkers go through Wandegeya, Yusuf Lule road to Garden City, Jinja road, Parliamentary and Kimathi Avenues, Speke Road and back to Makerere University Main Campus. The Chief Walker was Professor James Mulwana and the walkers included Professor Ddumba Ssentamu, then acting Vice Chancellor and the Dean of Agriculture, Professor Sam Kyamanywa.
Exhibitions, which run from 30th September to 2nd October 2009, provided an opportunity for industrialists and researchers to showcase their innovations in the food industry to the general public and also forge ties between themselves and other stakeholders. Some of the products on display included Pasteurized banana Juice, indigenous malted and fermented cereal products, Sorghum flakes, Tomato paste, Jackfruit Jam, Watermelon wine, Campus water, Gooseberry Jam, Chutney, Gooseberry juice, peanut butter, Mango sauce, Bee products like honey, propolis and wine. Also on exhibition were services like Body Mass Index and blood glucose measurement for healthy lifestyle promotion.
A dialogue was also held from 30th to 1st October 2009, during which food industry stakeholders took time off to reflect on the performance of the sector and develop strategies for its strengthening. The dialogue was officially opened by Honorable Simon Lokodo, Minister of State for Industry and was addressed by the Dean Faculty of Agriculture Professor Samuel Kyamanywa and the Head of the Department of Food Science & Technology. The FAO Country representative H.E. Percy Misika presented a paper titled. Addressing hunger and food shortage in the face of climate change.
Other papers presented are listed below:
- Quality and competitiveness of the food industry in Uganda by Mr. H. Ngabirano of UCDA
- The role of standards in food businesses by Gyavira Musoke of Uganda Bureau of Standards
- Modernization of Agriculture in Uganda: Role of Agricultural Scientists by Prof. Bernard Bashasha – Faculty of Agriculture
- Food Science impacting on grass root development by Dr Florence Muranga Department of Food Science & Technology
- Versatility of a Food Science graduate by Gorret Massade of Trusts Bank
- Higher Education for a knowledge based food industry by Prof. William Kyamuhangire – DFST
- Nutrition as a business/ service to address Uganda’s dynamic nutritional challenges by Dr R. Mwadime of the RCQHC
- Harnessing university – private sector partnerships for development by Joseph Rubalema of Uganda Industrial Research Institute
The participants at the dialogue resolved to continue working towards promoting University-Industry linkage for mutual benefit.
On the final day of the anniversary, as the sun started to dip over the horizon a gentle breeze heralded the arrival of the Chief Guest, His Excellency, President of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. After being received by the Minister of State for Higher Education Hon. Mwesigwa Rukutana, the Minister of State for Industry Hon. Simon Lokodo and members of the University Administration, the President led by the Head of Department Assoc. Prof. John Muyonga and Assoc. Prof. Joyce Kikafunda went ahead to tour the stalls and admire the products on display.
His Excellency then proceeded to officially open the Food Technology and Business Incubator. The incubator will provide support services to small food processors to enhance their chances of success. Incubation is a proven mechanism for enterprise development. In this regard The Department of Food Science and Technology at Makerere University is taking the lead in provision of incubation services for the food sector.
The president was then shown around the facility by a team led by Dr. Yusuf Byaruhanga, the Chairman of the Food Technology and Business Incubation Committee, assisted by Dr. Mohammed Sserunjogi and Mr. Joseph Balamaze. The team demonstrated the extraction of orange and process for making tomato sauce, among others.
After his tour of the Food Technology and Business Incubator, the President addressed a gathering of Government officials, University Members of staff and members of the business community in the Department’s Conference Hall. Also in attendance was Her Excellency Bjorg S. Leite, the Ambassador Royal Republic of Norway to Uganda. In his speech, the President emphasized the importance of value addition and promised to help student groups, whose stalls he had toured earlier help to commercialize their products. He also promised to help the Department to more food processing and laboratory equipment and agreed to be the patron to the newly opened Food Technology and Business Incubation Center.
Addressing some of the grievances faced by the upcoming entrepreneurs, the president promised to help the department overcome the problem of food packaging by linking them to producers of packaging materials. He further reiterated government’s commitment to improve pay for scientists and help pursue improvement in research funding.
He then handed out awards to five organizations/individuals for their contribution to the department
To the Government and People of the Royal Kingdom of Norway for helping fund construction of the Department’s 3.8 billion Uganda Shillings home
Associate Professor Joyce Kikafunda , who served as the Head of Department for 12 years
Dr. David Muduuli – the first Head of Department
Dr. Eve Kasirye-Alemu – for her selfless service to the Department
Mr. Benjamin Sentongo – for his long and dedicated service to the Department
Finally, His Excellency flanked by the Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza, The Head of Department, and The Minister of State for Higher Education cut the cake commemorating the 20th anniversary and marking an end to the celebrations.
The two-week training programme aims to equip government officers with practical skills to assess project viability, manage investment risks and ensure public resources deliver value for money.
The Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) is strengthening the capacity of government officers to undertake financial appraisal and risk analysis of public investment projects through a two-week training programme designed to improve the quality of project preparation, appraisal and decision-making in Uganda.
The training, which started in Fort Portal on October 19, 2026, brought together participants from various government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), alongside facilitators from Makerere University, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Cambridge Resources International (CRI), the National Planning Authority and the Uganda Development Bank.
Officially opening the training on behalf of the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury, Ms Esther Ayebare, Acting Assistant Commissioner in the Project Analysis and Public Investment Department of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, emphasised the importance of rigorous project appraisal in strengthening Uganda’s public investment management system.
She noted that projects admitted into the public investment plan must be aligned with national priorities, technically sound, financially viable and capable of delivering value for money.
“Government must be able to compare investment alternatives and ensure that only viable projects proceed through the public investment process,” she emphasised.
Ms Ayebare explained that sound appraisal enables government to make informed investment decisions, maximise returns on public expenditure and ensure that limited public resources are directed towards projects with the greatest potential to deliver development outcomes.
Building practical skills for better investment decisions
The training builds on the Public Investment Management course conducted in June, which introduced participants to Uganda’s public investment management framework, including project conceptualisation, stakeholder analysis, project costing, implementation action plans, the Integrated Bank of Projects, and monitoring and evaluation of public investment reforms.
The current programme advances this foundation by equipping participants with technical competencies in financial appraisal, financial modelling and risk analysis.
Participants will explore integrated investment appraisal, alternative investment criteria, cash-flow statements, inflation and exchange-rate movements, asset valuation, project financing, project scale and timing, risk-sharing arrangements and cost-effectiveness analysis.
Through practical exercises and case studies, participants will apply these concepts to investment scenarios in sectors such as roads, health, education and water. The programme will also examine how climate change, social considerations and other risks can be integrated into project preparation and appraisal.
Ms Ayebare encouraged participants to engage actively with the facilitators, question the practical application of the tools and consider how the skills acquired could improve investment decisions within their respective institutions.
She also reminded participants that the programme includes an examination and that certification requires more than attendance. Participants are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and acquire practical skills that they can apply in their work.
Reducing dependence on externally prepared studies
A key objective of the training is to strengthen the ability of government institutions to undertake high-quality project appraisal studies using their own technical teams.
Ms Ayebare observed that many studies submitted to the Development Committee have traditionally been prepared by external consultants, often at considerable cost. Building the capacity of public officers to conduct these studies independently can help institutions strengthen their technical expertise and improve the quality of project proposals presented for consideration.
She urged participants to take full advantage of the facilitators’ expertise and return to their institutions equipped to undertake sound financial appraisals and provide evidence-based advice to decision-makers.
She further emphasised that project approval requires thorough preparation, analysis and justification, rather than simply identifying available funding and proposing a project to utilise it.
Strengthening public investment management through capacity development
In his remarks, Prof. Edward Bbaale, Director of the PIM CoE, thanked the Ministry of Finance for its financial support and for identifying participants from government institutions. He also recognised the contributions of the facilitators and partner institutions in delivering the programme.
Prof. Bbaale noted that the Centre’s work extends beyond training to include research and advisory services aimed at improving public investment management practices. He encouraged continued collaboration with government institutions and other partners to advance research, knowledge sharing and capacity development.
Speaking during the training, Dr John Sseruyange, Manager of the PIM CoE, highlighted the importance of commitment, active participation and punctuality throughout the programme. He encouraged participants to engage with the facilitators, ask questions and apply the knowledge gained to the projects they support.
Dr Sseruyange also acknowledged the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, for financing the training, and appreciated Cambridge Resources International for its continued support towards improving public investment preparation and analysis in Uganda.
The training reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen Uganda’s public investment management system by equipping public officers with the knowledge and practical competencies needed to assess projects rigorously, identify potential risks and make informed investment decisions.
By developing in-house expertise across government institutions, the programme seeks to contribute to better-prepared projects, more efficient use of public resources and improved delivery of Uganda’s development priorities.
President Yoweri K. Museveni while officiating as Chief Guest at the Julius Nyerere Annual Symposium 2026: Nyerere-Museveni Dialogue at Makerere University called upon the audience not to merely hold Nyerere’s Legacy as a historical footprint but as a masterplan for the future that remains unfinished. Organised by the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC), the symposium was a two day event that started with “ekyooto” on 13th October at the JNLC gardens and climaxed on 14th October in Freedom Square. The second day hinged on the theme: Borrowing from the Past, Building the Future.
In the President’s message delivered by Rt. Hon. Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of Makerere University, the president spotlighted, “Mwalimu Nyerere as the greatest African that ever lived in terms of contribution to the African people’s efforts for freedom, human rights, and dignity.”
This greatness, he notes, spilled not just to political ideals but also to economics and security. The President agreed with him and warned that “freedom without economic transformation and economic prosperity, without a robust strategic security, remains incomplete.”
Reaching out to the younger generation of scholars and leaders, the President issued a strong warning to move beyond simply remembering Nyerere to action. He said, “you must carry forward the torch of pan-Africanism, reject sectarianism and tribalism, build our regional markets, and champion the total political integration of our motherland.”
He appreciated Mwalimu for his; unwavering support for the struggle of the East African Federation, courageous backing of the armed anti-colonial struggles in the southern half of Africa, principled and decisive support for the anti-Idi Amin struggle, pro-people and pro-unity policies that kept Tanzania peaceful for decades, and ensuring that Tanzania remained a strategic rear base for the entire African resistance.
As a believer in Nyerere’s ideals, the President urged the audience to honor Mwalimu “not merely through commemorative speeches, but through completing the historical task of uniting, defending, and prospering our motherland,” for the motive is to ensure that the independence wars won by our predecessors were not in vain.
To this note, he reiterated the case for Uganda, saying “we shall never forget his profound contribution” to Africa.
Professor Nyamsenda’s Keynote Unparked Pan-Africanism
During the Nyerere-Museveni Dialogue symposium at Makerere University, Professor Sabatho Nyamsenda, a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam delivered the Keynote Address titled “The Unfinished African Project: From Liberation Legacies to a New Generation of Transformation” during the symposium”.
He started on a lighter noticing “Nyerere is being Ugandanised.” This he said looking at the annual Public Lectures dedicated to his name and felt like challenging his home institutions to follow suit.
At the calm of the room, he presented a critique of the current state of Pan-Africanism, arguing that it has been grabbed by the ruling elites, a challenge Professor Nyamsenda identifies to have started in the period of 1960 -1980.
He explained that it was around this time period that Pan-Africanism was snatched away from the masses and it became a state project. Currently, he said the ideology exists in two forms: Boardroom and Street Pan-Africanism.
Professor, characterised Boardroom Pan-Africanism as a State Project. He said “boardroom Pan-Africanism sits comfortably with imperialism and elite-centered accumulation.” While Street Pan-Africanism to which Professor advocates, he emphasised that historically, this approach “united the African liberation movement and liberated the African continent from the most barbaric colonial powers.”
As he concluded, Professor Nyamsenda joined Mwalimu and the President of Uganda in urging youth to consider joining and leading the struggle for a better Africa.
Role of JNLC in Realising Nyerere’s Ideas
Professor Saturninus Kasozi Mulindwa, the JNLC Board Chair highlighted the primary objective of the center as “imparting knowledge and sharing experiences from the old generations to the new generations.” Therefore, JNLC contributes to the actualisation of Nyerere’s ideas by focusing on the development of the next generation of African leaders.
To supplement this, Dr. Nansozi K. Mwanga the Executive Director at JNLC said that the center is committed to “nurturing ethical, conscious, and transformative leaders inspired by Mwalimu’s ideas of service, human dignity, self-reliance, and Pan-African solidarity.”
She explained their focus is on several key areas with training as core. They have “trained over 1,500 young people and young leaders from across Uganda.”, and developed leadership programs “grounded in ethical decision-making, civic responsibility, public service, and action.”
In her remarks, it was observed that training alone is not enough; they are also doing mentorship, to provide opportunities for networking and learning from experienced leaders. There are already testimonies when you visit the Centre wall of fame. To which Dr. Nansozi revealed “leadership development matters when learning becomes service and meaningful action.”
The Centre remains proud of those they have touched and are eager to support as many cohorts.
Julius Nyerere Family Pour their Heart out
Mama Maria Nyerere, addressed the Symposium virtually and commended the Centre for keeping Mwalimu’s values alive.
As a memory of her husband, she reminded the audience that his greatest legacy was anchored on the values by which he lived: service, humility, integrity, unity and love for Africa and its people. She also urged the young people to take up leadership responsibilities and lead with humility, integrity and always remember the people they serve.
Mama Nyerere also advised the youth to learn from those who came before them like her husband with courage to build a better Africa for their generation and those who will come after them.
Joining Mama Nyerere, on behalf of the Nyerere family was Ms. Julia Nyerere, a granddaughter, who attended physically and thanked H.E. Kaguta Museveni for supporting the establishment of the Julius Nyerere Centre at Makerere University and also commended the Keynote Speaker Professor Nyamsenda for Critiquing Nyerere’s ideas.
Julia further shared an understanding of her grand-father’s interest in preserving humanity as a moral.
As a family they are happy that his (Nyerere) values and legacies continue to inspire Africa and beyond.
Appreciation for All who Made the Symposium Possible
Addressing the symposium, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, represented by Professor Henry Alinaitwe the Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Finance and Administration expressed the University’s appreciation and commitment.
He thanked “the government of Uganda for the support they are giving to the Julius Nyerere Leadership Center,” and requested Dr. Kiyonga to “convey the message to the fountain of honour for this initiative that Makerere University is happy for, and is going on well.”
To the leadership of the Center, he specifically thanked the Director Dr. Nansozi for her focused leadership. He stated, “I commend my friend, Dr. Nansozi, for the work that you are doing.”
Professor Alinaitwe also emphasized “we” value these symposiums, saying, “as a university, we acknowledge that such activities create great visibility.”
Dr. Kiyonga was also thanked for delivering the President’s message, together with veterans like Professor Kabwegyere, among other distinguished guests and partners that attended.
Professor Tarsis Bazana Kabwegyere as well appreciated all and emphasised the collective duty of the youth in building the next generation.
He advised “your responsibility is to identify and build Africa forward, building on the legacies and foundations of our forefathers,”.
The Professor also argued that “being young on its own is not a virtue. It is what you are when you are young.” He challenges the audience to avoid being ignorant and claim that you are young.
Background of the Nyerere Symposium
The Julius Nyerere Annual Symposium is an intergenerational gathering hosted at Makerere University. For more than six years now, it has been connecting past leadership legacies of Nyerere and other revolutionaries with current regional and continental priorities under the (JNLC) centre.
The Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC) serves as a training ground and research hub designed to mentor the next generation of African leaders. Co-hosted by Makerere University and the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), the Centre bridges the gap between older statesmen and youth by focusing on Pan-African ideals, ethical governance, and social transformation.
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