General
Arbitrary borders are only artificial-EAC Secretariat
“The borders of the East African countries Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi were a creation of European colonialism” remarked Rt. Hon. Eriya Kategaya amidst his opening remarks at the
“The borders of the East African countries Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi were a creation of European colonialism” remarked Rt. Hon. Eriya Kategaya amidst his opening remarks at the
East African Community (EAC) Sensitization workshop held at Makerere University on 7th May 2010.
The EAC was consolidated after the signing of a treaty by the Heads of State in 1999 and inaugurated in 2000.
The workshop was geared towards helping students and academic members of staff understand exactly what the EAC was, what it was doing to attain its goal of formation of a community and also act as an invaluable source of feedback on what can be improved within this effort.
As far back as 1897, the British tried to revive regional cooperation and integration for they had realized that they could not manage and administer effectively and efficiently small and unviable entities like Uganda Protectorate or Kenya Colony separately.
However, the integration declined and eventually collapsed due to problems such as inadequate involvement of the people in the decision-making process, and ideological differences among partner states.
However, on Friday, the First Deputy Prime Minster and Minister of East African Community Affairs Hon. Kategaya, reassured the congregation that this time around, there would be no such thing as a collapse. “The current East African Community is built on a firmer foundation and measures have been put in place to mitigate any collapse.” The minister highlighted.
In order to avoid another collapse, the current EAC secretariat is making the community more people-centered and market driven. Power has now been decentralized from the summit to the council of ministers; the civil societies, local government and private sector as the key stakeholders. Also, procedures for withdrawal from the community are more stringent and rigid.
“African states continue to be marginal players in the global world. We produce what we do not largely consume. We are the producers of the western world’s raw materials that they sell back to us expensively as processed goods” Hon Beatrice Kiraso, EAC Deputy Secretary General said.
Hon. Kiraso challenged the gathering to stand up against arbitrary borders. These borders are only artificial and are separating Africans that speak the same language and have the same cultures. She also urged that all Ugandans should be in favor of EAC because with it, Uganda ceases to be land locked.
“Countries that are more developed than the African countries have integrated such as the European Union which consists of 27 countries. This justifies our efforts to move towards integration too” added Hon. Kiraso.
With this, it is evident that deeper regional integration has become necessary for sustainable economic survival the world over. Donor countries have found it necessary to integrate for survival- the bigger, the better, the stronger!
In all, it is hoped that with integration, there will be more attractive investment and trading blocks, drastic reduction in the cost of doing business and also free movement of people and goods, among others.
Downloads
Ministry of East African Community Affairs overview (powerpoint)
Brief Overview of the EAC (powerpoint)
Frequently Asked Questions on the EAC
mwamai@admin.mak.ac.ug, Public Relations Office
Business & Management
PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support
The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University today, October 10th, 2025, held its 9th Steering Committee Meeting to review progress made in the first quarter of the financial year and plan for the months ahead.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.
In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.
She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.
Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.
She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.
The centre team presented the proposed structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.
The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.
A significant development unfolded at Makerere University during a strategic, hour-long meeting in the vice chancellor’s boardroom on 7th October 2025, marking a deepening bond with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The primary goal was to move beyond existing collaborations and formalize a new Double Doctorate (PhD) program. Prof. Sarah Saali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, set the tone by emphasizing that institutional partnerships are crucial to Makerere University, which she proudly called the leading research and most collaborative university in the world.
The discussion promptly formed the core structure of the program: a four-year PhD (or three if the master’s was research-based), with supervision duties split 50-50% between the two institutions. A key feature is the mobility requirement, stipulating that PhD candidates would spend a total of six months in the Netherlands, potentially divided into two three-month periods. Crucially, the University of Groningen confirmed there would be no teaching requirement during this stay, allowing students full access to focus on their research. A major financial hurdle was overcome with the adoption of a fee-waiver policy; Makerere would waive tuition for incoming Groningen candidates, and Groningen would reciprocate for Makerere‘s students, significantly boosting the program’s financial viability.
However, the critical issue of the stipend remained. Dr. Anita Veltmaat explained that to meet the required living standard of approximately €1,875 per month in Groningen, the incoming candidate must secure a partial external scholarship of around €250 per month. The positive news is that if the candidate secures this minimum scholarship, the University of Groningen is prepared to top up the amount to the full living standard for the six months the student spends in the Netherlands. It was noted that this initial financial hurdle might be simplified for Makerere students, as many are already staff members receiving a salary, which could help cover the required €250.
The path forward was clear: it was to complete the agreement template guided by the setup committee from both institutions. The plan culminated in scheduling an online follow-up meeting for Tuesday, November 11th, to review the first revision of the agreement, capping a highly constructive discussion that solidified the two universities’ shared future in graduate education.
Makerere University was represented by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics Affairs; Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, Head of the Department of Gender Studies; Dr. Patricia Ndugga, School of Statistics; Dr. Stella Achen and Dr. Joseph Watuleke, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning; Agatha Ainemukama, School of Engineering; Racheal Nuwagaba, School of Psychology; Awel Uwihanganye, Martine Rugamba, and Hawa Ndagire from the Advancement Office; and Muhammad Kiggundu from the Institute of Gender and Development Studies.
The University of Groningen was represented by Dr. Dinie Bouwman, Senior Policy Advisor, Internationalization and Quality Assurance; Dr. Anita Veltmaat, Faculty of Social Behavior and Social Sciences, Department of International Studies, involved in mentorship programs for women; and Dr. Alette Arendshorst, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, working on graduation/collaboration for students/staff.
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