Every third Friday of the month, the Linux User Group – Uganda (LUG) gathers for its monthly meeting at a venue around town. This time around, the Faculty of Computing and Informatics Technology played host to the assembly and by 4:00pm, the Level 3 lecture theatre was filled with chatter from a sizeable number of students and ICT professionals.
Every third Friday of the month, the Linux User Group – Uganda (LUG) gathers for its monthly meeting at a venue around town. This time around, the Faculty of Computing and Informatics Technology played host to the assembly and by 4:00pm, the Level 3 lecture theatre was filled with chatter from a sizeable number of students and ICT professionals.
As promised by the online postings on the LUG mailing list , this was not going to be any ordinary monthly gathering as Friday 19th February 2010 had been chosen as the date to launch the Makerere chapter of the LUG. A quick scan of the babbling audience revealed mixed looks of expectation and curiosity for the first-time attendees and calmer poised-to-share looks from the more seasoned professionals and their waiting soon paid off.
Jubal Harpster, Technology Officer, AGCommons (Agricultural Geospatial Commons) program took the attendees through a presentation detailing the extensive work done by AGCommons in identifying and developing data, tools and services that deliver relevant, timely and affordable geospatial information to smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Citing a Kenyan project in his presentation, he displayed how AGCommons made use of Open Source Software to create A map of existing seed (and other inputs) dealers and carry out Spatial analysis of the information leading to decision on location of new outlets. These maps are then updated at monthly/seasonal intervals on varieties available, with all this done using applications like QGIS . Simon Vass, Technical Manager, E-Tech Uganda Ltd then presented his customized Ubuntu operating system, which he admitted to have put together during his free time so demonstrate the ease of customization and challenge them to come up with their own. He proposed that if willing students were identified to maintain the project, he could push for his prototype to become a release in its own right. He however, availed a copy of his release for students to explore get motivated to develop their own.
Sam a developer from Digital Solutions, who admitted to have completed his Bachelors degree less than two years back, took attendees through his daily use of Open Source Software to develop cutting edge applications like the latest cross-platform Butterfly all the while extolling Linux’ versatility and suitability for development.
At the end of the presentations, Battenberg, Director, Mountbatten Ltd encouraged the students to explore Open Source Software, especially the Ubuntu distributions, which have a locally hosted cache to ease the regular update of their installations. The team also talked about a proposed project to build an Ubuntu mirror at Makerere University or Uganda Christian University Mukono . They then took time off to answer the numerous questions from the students and at the end, thanked them all for coming to the launch, encouraging them delve even further into the daily use of Open Source Software.
Today, on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate the incredible women scientists at Makerere University who are driving innovation, advancing research, and shaping the future of science in Uganda and beyond.
Your dedication, resilience, and groundbreaking contributions continue to inspire generations. As you break barriers and push the frontiers of knowledge, remember that your work is not only transforming communities but also paving the way for more young women to embrace science.
We honor your achievements and reaffirm our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where women in science can thrive. Keep leading, innovating, and inspiring!
Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science!
The swearing-in-ceremony for the 91st Students’ Guild Electoral Commission was held on Friday 31st January 2025. Mr. Joseph Murungi, a commissioner from the College of Health Sciences (CHS) was unanimously chosen as the chairperson of the commision.
Mr. Murungi thanked the good Lord and students for entrusting him with the position and promised to deliver a free and fair electoral process and head a commission that is impartial.
The Dean of Students, Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli urged the new commission to execute its duties in line with the Guild statute and Constitution.
“You must execute your duties in line with the Guild statute and Constitution, anything outside that is invalid. I wish you the best and I am looking forward to working with you,” she said.
Ms. Ruth Iteu, the Head of the Online voting team, urged the commission to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the law as it will lead to severe consequences.
Rev. Fr. Josephat Ddungu, the Chaplain of Makerere University St. Augustine Chapel said they will continue to pray for the commission to have a peaceful and successful.
“The Electoral Commission is a very important body and the success of the electoral process depends on you. Please concentrate on doing what is right before the Lord. As your spiritual leaders, our duty is to pray. We are therefore praying for you to have a peaceful and successful election,” he said.
Administrator who urged the commission to always do the right at the right time.
Mr. Nickson Maberi encouraged the new commission to follow the law and avoid tarnishing the image of the university.
Mr. Joseph Murungi, Commissioner from the College of Health Sciences (CHS) swearing in as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission for the 91st Guild Elections.
“Makerere University elections attract national attention. Please follow the law and be people of integrity to avoid tarnishing the image of the university,” he guided.
Mr. Aston Tayebwa from the College of Natural Sciences was elected as the commission’s General Secretary while Ms Sharon Nyonyozi from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences was elected as the commission’s Vice Chairperson.
Other commissioners include: Mr. Ijoot William from the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Mr. Ntambi Moses from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (COVAB), Mr. Perez William Mwesigwa from the School of Law (SoL), Alyosius Mutagubya from the College of Computing and Information Science (CoCIS) and Mr. Mugisha Hamidu from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
The Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU) is a community-driven, non-profit organization with a major focus on nurturing collaboration among member institutions (i.e. research and education institutions), and global partners. Founded in 2006, RENU has grown from a small National Research and Education Network (NREN) that focused on just connectivity needs of universities and research organisations, to a fast-growing specialized ICT solutions provider for the entire Research and Education (R&E) community including schools, colleges, other tertiary institutions, hospitals, and their end users. RENU is located at House No. 31, The Edge, Makerere University and on Plot 6B, Mabua Road, Kololo, Kampala.
Highlights from the 2024 Edition featuring Makerere:
Universities Launch Global Coalition to Support Refugee Education at Scale
16 universities from across the globe have come together to improve and increase access to higher education for refugees and their communities, where they reside. Universities based in Africa, Europe, and North America formed the Global University Academy (GUA) following a workshop hosted by the University of Oslo in June 2024.
The GUA is currently looking into the possibility to pilot the initiative in Uganda. Key partners in this work are Makerere University and Gulu University, who are already actively engaged in providing access to higher education for refugees, and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Uganda.
Advancing Child Welfare The AfriChild Centre’s Inter-University Programme
The Inter-University Programme, spearheaded by the Centre of Excellence for the Study of the African Child (AfriChild Centre), is a landmark initiative focused on equipping researchers with the essential skills needed to conduct high-quality child-focused research. The success of the Inter-University Programme is built on the strong partnerships the AfriChild Centre has established with universities including Makerere University.
Liberate your Mind from the Present and Dream Big to Provide Meaningful ICT Solutions for Research and Education!
At the 2024 RENU ICT Directors Forum, Dr. Francis F. “Tusu” Tusubira, the Chief Guest, delivered an electrifying address urging ICT leaders to dream beyond the present and shape the future of research and education. Reflecting on his time at Makerere University, he shared his philosophy of granting autonomy to team members and supporting them unconditionally. “Allow your team to make decisions and mistakes, especially in the current environment, which presents opportunities for learning. Protect them when they make mistakes. Once you do this, your team will build your dream.”
Advancing Open Science and Open Access in Africa, with a Focus on Uganda
Open Science and Open Access have emerged as transformative movements in the global academic and research community. Their principles—sharing knowledge freely, fostering collaboration, and driving practical solutions to societal challenges—are especially resonant in Africa, where equitable access to resources and innovative solutions are essential for sustainable development. Institutions like Makerere University are driving Open Science efforts by encouraging researchers to adopt open frameworks.