General
LIS Academic Debate underlines importance of information
“The problem is not Museveni. People have misconstrued the problems of Uganda to a mere individual. This is due to lack of information.” Kahinda Otafiire expressed.
“The problem is not Museveni. People have misconstrued the problems of Uganda to a mere individual. This is due to lack of information.” Kahinda Otafiire expressed.
Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire the Minister of Tourism, Trade and Industry together with Prof. J.R. Ikoja Odongo the Director Institute of Psychology and Mr. Aaron Mukwaya a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Education were the panelists at the Academic Debate on 7th April 2010. The session was chaired by Prof. Kigongo-Bukenya.
The East African School of Library and Information Science (EASLIS), organized the Library and Information Science Education Week, with one of the activities being an Academic Debate with a topic on “Information as a resource for Democracy and good Governance”.
The gathering of students, staff and well wishers in the EASLIS hall could not have had a better way of spending their Wednesday afternoon than listening to the three panelists, who voiced their concerns and ideas on Information – a topic that many easily sweep under the carpet.
Information is of key importance. It is what the businessman in Kikuubo will rely on to make profits. In governance it is what leaders rely on as a strategic resource in making informed decisions. Information cannot be ignored because it is the focal point on which humanity exists and is able to realize development.
Starting off the debate was Prof. Ikoja who passionately highlighted that without information we are bound to backwardness and are prone to make fundamental mistakes. Information is a resource not just for the educated, but also for the uneducated and illiterate.
He applauded the government that has put up various entities to give people information such as public universities, public libraries and also through statutes like the National Records Act, the Information Act and the Electronic Media Act. These have allowed for the public to acquire and disseminate information freely. Government also transfers information through local council representatives and parliamentarians and also available in various ministries.
Prof. Ikoja however expressed concern on government’s inadequacy to provide information countrywide. He highlighted that there were only twenty public libraries countrywide, leaving over seventy districts without public libraries. “The scope of librarianship also needs to change by introducing indigenous knowledge and the internet. Government should avail sub county chiefs ICT services” he added
However, Dr. Aaron Mukwaya had a different take on the issue. “Information is not a resource, it is the core! It is the theme! Information does not thrive only in the human world, but in the entire world and its existence” emphasized Dr. Mukwaya. He further said that information collected over a period of time turns into knowledge, values, and cultures among other things.
Dr. Mukwaya aired that many a time, westernized information is vigorously fighting the values of our continent Africa. Case in point; issues debated in the Ugandan parliament such as polygamy and homosexuality are destroying African cultures.
As democracy is a process that is continuously giving people the power, there is need for constant supply of information. Government is the custodian of the people so the onus is upon them to provide the public with information.
Hon. Kahinda Otafiire opened his segment by appreciating that there can be information without democracy but there cannot be democracy without information. “Information is a recollection of incidents that determine interpretation of phenomenon.” Otafiire defined. Information therefore is important for organization and interpreting phenomenon.
Hon. Otafiire expressed that democracy in many African countries is a parasitical relationship that people do not challenge because they are uninformed. “We are enslaved in a culture of politicians telling lies. This has led to the people making wrong decisions endangering democracy.” Otafiire explained. Therefore, there cannot be democracy without information because it is from informed decisions that democracy is achieved.
As a representative of the government at the gathering, Hon. Otafiire was glad to say that the government has played a significant role in availing information to the public for it has seconded electronic media hence the many radio stations in the country, it has given freedom of expression to the citizenry and promoted press. However, he pointed out that as a government, it has the right to regulate how information is processed and in cases where mismanagement of information has been cited, the government has taken it upon itself to put in place measures to keep peace in the country, for example the closing of CBS FM.
To manage and lead people, one must be informed. It is through information that political prejudices are broken hence improving the quality of politics in a country that is thirsty for democracy to prevail. Citing examples from his Ruhinda County constituency, the charismatic Member of Parliament enthused that it was through telling his electorates the truth that he empowered them “So good leaders tell their people the truth!”
The Library and Information Science (LIS) Education Career Week continues with the LIS Symposium on 9th April 2010 from 9:00 to 5:00pm. The theme for the symposium is R-alignment of LIS Education to meet the emerging information management challenges in the Knowledge Society.
Powerpoint presentation of the day.
In a landmark event symbolizing Uganda’s stride towards sustainable transportation, Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, commissioned the first Electric Fast-Charging Station at Makerere University on Friday 13th March 2026. The ceremony, held at the Senate Building Parking Lot, marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s e-mobility journey, blending academic innovation with industrial application and governmental support.
The station, a DC Fast Charger C6-180 installed in collaboration with Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC), is designed to power electric vehicles efficiently, supporting Uganda’s shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This setup ensures high-power DC charging ideal for fleet operations.
Hon. Dr. Musenero, in her keynote remarks, highlighted the profound significance of the occasion, tracing its roots back to 2011 when Makerere unveiled the Kiira EV – Uganda’s first electric vehicle prototype. “This infrastructure is the physical manifestation of a journey that began on this very hill nearly two decades ago,” she stated, emphasizing how the university’s initial proof-of-concept challenged skepticism about Africa’s role in automotive technology.
The event, she noted, completes a narrative full circle, with the birthplace of the Kiira EV now hosting the infrastructure to sustain a modern electric fleet. The commissioning aligns seamlessly with Uganda’s National E-Mobility Strategy, which aims to localize 65% of the e-mobility value chain by 2040 and create over 500,000 high-quality green jobs.
Hon. Dr. Musenero underscored the strategy’s focus on reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels while enhancing environmental well-being. “We are transforming Uganda into a net source of e-mobility solutions,” she declared, pointing to the potential for Ugandan intellect to produce vehicle parts and charging systems domestically.
In his remarks at the event, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe described the launch as a “multi-faceted achievement,” not only advancing the institution’s inclusive agenda but also setting an example for public institutions in adopting e-mobility. In so doing, Makerere University has positioned itself at the forefront of this transition.
On September 26, 2025, President Yoweri Museveni commissioned the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja and handed over three Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) buses to Makerere University to enhance staff and student mobility. The fleet included two diesel-powered Kayoola Coaches and one electric Kayoola EVS 8.5m bus donated by KMC specifically to aid the movement of differently-abled staff and students. This move demonstrates academia’s capacity to integrate home-grown solutions into daily operations, impacting the economy through practical science.
The commissioning of the fast-charging station is rooted in a long history of collaboration. The Kiira Electric Vehicle Project, hatched in the former Faculty of Technology, has evolved into a national movement for automotive manufacturing. Hon. Dr. Musenero praised this progression: “We have moved beyond proving that an electric vehicle can be built in Uganda. We are now ensuring our electric vehicles are deployed across the continent, solving Africa’s mobility problems.”
Academia’s role remains central, as Hon. Dr. Musenero elaborated. While government provides policy frameworks and the private sector offers capital, universities supply the essential knowledge. The E-Mobility Skilling Programme at Makerere University‘s Innovation Pod (Mak-UniPod) is training the next generation of electric vehicle engineers, who are tackling “moonshot projects” to redefine urban transport. Research into optimizing local resources, such as Uganda’s lithium and cobalt deposits for battery production, is also underway.
A key environmental highlight of this development is Uganda’s renewable energy advantage. With over 95% of the national grid powered by hydroelectric dams, every charge at this station utilizes clean energy. “We are using our own water to power our own vehicles, keeping our wealth within our economy rather than exporting it to purchase foreign oil,” Hon. Dr. Musenero remarked, framing the launch as Uganda plugging into the global renewable shift. She pledged the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Secretariat’s continued collaboration with Makerere University, KMC, and partners to proliferate such stations across Kampala and beyond.
Addressing Makerere students, Hon. Dr. Musenero issued a challenge: “See this charging station as a symbol of your own potential. The engineers who built the first Kiira EV were once sitting exactly where you are. They did not wait for permission to be great.” She urged them to leverage available resources to innovate, building on a legacy that has shifted national conversations.
The event drew distinguished guests, including Members of Management, Eng. Paul Isaac Musasizi, KMC’s CEO and his management team, private sector partners, development agencies, and university faculty.
Looking ahead, this launch propels Uganda towards a “Qualitative Leap” in its economy, as Hon. Dr. Musenero described. By fostering innovation and investing in young minds, the nation aims to lead in technological advancement. The station not only powers vehicles but ignites progress, ensuring Uganda remains at the forefront of Africa’s e-mobility revolution.
As the ceremony which was intermittently “blessed” by drizzles drew to a close, the feeling of hope for a cleaner, self-reliant future – one charged by Ugandan ingenuity, was unmistakable.
General
Makerere University and International Partners Sign MoU for the 9th Kampala Geopolitics Conference
Makerere University, on 10th March, 2026, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Embassy of France in Uganda, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), and Alliance Française de Kampala to organize the 9th edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference (KGC), scheduled to take place on 15–16 April 2026 at Makerere University.
The signing formalizes the continued partnership that has established the Kampala Geopolitics Conference as one of the region’s leading platforms for dialogue on global affairs, bringing together scholars, policymakers, civil society leaders, and students to debate the major geopolitical and socio-economic transformations shaping the world.
The conference, inspired by the Nantes Geopolitics Conference in France, was first launched in Kampala in 2018 and has since grown into a unique intellectual space for cross-continental exchange between Africa and Europe.
A Platform for Ideas, Dialogue, and Youth Engagement
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, emphasized the importance of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference as a platform that connects academic discourse with global policy conversations while empowering students to engage with the complex challenges shaping the international system.
The Vice Chancellor noted that hosting the conference reflects Makerere University’s long-standing commitment to fostering intellectual exchange and positioning the institution as a hub for regional and global dialogue.
“Makerere University is proud to host the Kampala Geopolitics Conference because it creates an important platform for debate and exchange on the global issues shaping our world, while giving our students the opportunity to engage directly with leading thinkers and policymakers,” said Prof. Nawangwe.
Prof. Nawangwe further commended the Embassy of France in Uganda, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Alliance Française de Kampala for their continued collaboration with Makerere University in organizing the conference over the years. He expressed confidence that the 2026 edition will once again provide a dynamic platform for dialogue, bringing together scholars, policymakers, and students to examine the geopolitical trends shaping Africa and the wider world.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, H.E. Virginie Leroy, Ambassador of France to Uganda, highlighted the significance of the conference as a platform that encourages dialogue on global issues while empowering young people to participate in shaping the future.
Since its inception, the Kampala Geopolitics Conference has created opportunities for students, researchers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to engage with some of the most pressing global debates. The Ambassador noted that the curiosity and engagement of Ugandan students have become one of the defining features of the conference.
“This conference has become a unique space where students, researchers, policymakers and civil society exchange ideas on the major transformations shaping our world,” Ambassador Leroy said, adding that the event demonstrates the intellectual vitality of Uganda’s youth and the strength of the partnerships that sustain it.
Strengthening Partnerships for Global Dialogue
The Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a long-standing partner in the initiative, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting platforms that foster meaningful discussions on international affairs and regional dynamics.
Speaking during the ceremony, Anna Reismann, Director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Uganda, emphasized the importance of the conference in connecting local perspectives with global debates.
She noted that Africa has increasingly become a focal point in global geopolitics, attracting engagement from a wide range of international actors through investments, trade, security cooperation, and diplomatic partnerships. While these engagements create new opportunities for economic growth and technological advancement, they also raise important questions about sustainability, governance, and the terms of international cooperation.
According to Reismann, the conference provides an important forum to examine these issues and to encourage dialogue that bridges academic perspectives with practical policy considerations.
The 2026 edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference will focus on key global and regional issues shaping international relations and development.
Among the themes to be explored are the future of development cooperation, particularly as global aid dynamics evolve and countries explore more sustainable and balanced partnerships. Another panel will examine youth and public policy in Africa, recognizing the critical role that young people play in shaping governance, innovation, and development across the continent.
With Africa home to the youngest population in the world, discussions will highlight the importance of ensuring that young people are not only beneficiaries of public policies but also active contributors to their design and implementation.
Makerere University at the Centre of Global Conversations
Hosting the conference reflects Makerere University’s continued commitment to fostering intellectual exchange and positioning the institution as a hub for regional and international dialogue.
Through its partnerships with global institutions such as the Embassy of France, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Alliance Française de Kampala, Makerere continues to create platforms that connect academic knowledge with policy discussions and real-world challenges.
The Kampala Geopolitics Conference is expected to once again bring together leading experts, scholars, and practitioners from across Africa and Europe, while providing students with a rare opportunity to engage directly with global debates.
As preparations for the 2026 edition gather momentum, the partners expressed confidence that the conference will continue to inspire critical thinking, encourage dialogue across disciplines and generations, and strengthen cooperation between Africa and its international partners.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office, Makerere University.
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