General
CIT builds capacity for African Anglophone Satellite Operators
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) held a workshop on ‘Satellite Communications’ for all African English speaking countries from 18th-22nd October 2010 at the Faculty of Computing and IT (CIT).
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) held a workshop on ‘Satellite Communications’ for all African English speaking countries from 18th-22nd October 2010 at the Faculty of Computing and IT (CIT).
The workshop was held under the ITU supported Center of Excellence (CoE) at Makerere University.
The workshop was aimed at helping VSAT operators, Telecom technicians and engineers come up to speed with the most technical concepts and practices. This is part of a recent capacity building partnership entered between the ITU and International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (ITSO) for the delivery of satellite communication training, under the auspices of the Centers of Excellence network for Africa.
The workshop covered a wide range of issues relating to satellite communications and regulatory issues, including the role of the regional and internal satellite communications organizations. The workshop addressed topics on: Satellite systems design and technology; Earth stations technology; Transmission and network planning; Link budget analysis and design; VSAT installation and maintenance; Audit of VSAT maintenance; regulatory factors: licensing, orbital slot registration and ownership, frequency registration, intersystem coordination; and Earth station and VSAT registration –best practices, WiMAX and other terrestrial interface issues.
Andreas Spoormaker, Director Customer Solutions Engineering-Intelsat Africa and an ITSO expert with 
extensive experience in satellite communications together with Eric Niameogo a VSAT expert, facilitated the training and took participants through sessions Satellite Network Dimensioning and Interference Initiatives.
Speaking about the 5-day training, Dr. Idris Rai, who is the ITU Center of Excellence Manager at Makerere University, noted the significant skills gained by the participants who attended the training from as far as Ghana, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso and South Africa in addition to a host of participants from all local telecom operators. In particular, he stressed the importance and relevance of the ITU CoE in building capacity in telecom related disciplines in conjunction with ITU. For the first phase of three years, ITU supports the Center of Excellence in terms of identifying and funding experts in various Telecommunications disciplines.
There are six ITU CoE in Africa that were established last year through a very competitive bidding process. Two centers are located in West Africa, one in Central Africa, two in Eastern Africa, and one is a virtual CoE that delivers training through distance learning platforms. Other workshops that have been conducted at Makerere’s CoE include Customer Service Management, and the next workshop due to take place early next year, will be announced shortly.
Downloads
Training schedule MS Word version, PDF version
Andreas Spoormaker: Satellite Network Dimensioning presentation
Andreas Spoormaker: Interference Initiatives presentation
mwamai@admin.mak.ac.ug, Public Relations Office
In a vibrant celebration of youth leadership and African unity, Makerere University hosted the Second Annual Guild Leaders’ Summit, an event that brought together high-profile dignitaries, student leaders, and international partners for a powerful dialogue on the future of the continent. The summit, organized by the Guild Presidents Leadership Academy, served as a rallying point for East Africa’s young leaders to confront Africa’s most urgent challenges—on their own terms and with their own solutions.
A Warm Welcome and Reflections on Makerere’s Legacy
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, welcomed the distinguished guests, who included Former President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Uganda’s Vice President H.E. Jessica Alupo, former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Ruhakana Rugunda, Justice Simon Byabakama, Hon. Mathew Rukikaire, and European Union Deputy Ambassador Mr. Guillaume Chartrain, among others.
In his address, Prof. Nawangwe reflected on Makerere’s deep historical ties to East Africa’s liberation and development movements. He reminded the audience that Makerere University has been a crucible for the continent’s leadership, stating:
“Jomo Kenyatta was the first person to receive a degree from Makerere when, in 1963, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by then Chancellor Julius Nyerere. All freedom fighters in East Africa studied at Makerere.”
Building on this rich history, Prof. Nawangwe affirmed the university’s current mission to tackle pressing continental issues. “Today,” he said, “Makerere is committed to addressing Africa’s challenges—climate change, disease, poverty, food security, conflict resolution, and economic development. But we cannot do this alone.”
He echoed sentiments later shared by the keynote speaker, stressing that Africa must no longer depend on external interventions:
“Foreign agencies will not solve all Africa’s problems. It is our young people who must step forward and lead the change.”
Uhuru Kenyatta: “You Are the Last Line of Defence”
In a keynote address that resonated deeply with the students and delegates in attendance, Former President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a bold and urgent call to action for Africa’s youth.
“No one is coming to save us,” Kenyatta declared. “You are the last line of defence in the battle to rescue the heart and soul of Africa.”
Positioning today’s youth as the heirs of the continent’s freedom fighters, Kenyatta described the current moment as a new “independence era”—not of political liberation, but of economic and intellectual sovereignty. He urged students to think critically about intra-African trade, which currently accounts for less than 2.5% of global commerce, and to advocate for the removal of internal barriers to trade, innovation, and mobility.
“You are the freedom fighters of this generation,” he said. “Universities must be incubators of change, and students must be the trustees of tomorrow’s Africa.”
Pan-Africanism, Leadership, and Action
Uganda’s Vice President H.E. Jessica Alupo encouraged students to take up the mantle of Pan-Africanism with unwavering commitment. She acknowledged that while the rhetoric of African unity is inspiring, real progress demands more than words:
“You must embrace the spirit of Pan-Africanism. But it is easy to say these words—the challenge lies in collective implementation.”
She emphasized the importance of action-oriented leadership and urged the youth to harness their creativity, energy, and education for the benefit of the continent.
European Union’s Message: Leadership with Integrity
Representing Team Europe, the EU Deputy Ambassador to Uganda, Mr. Guillaume Chartrain, gave a passionate speech on the values of authentic leadership, integrity, and inclusive development. He praised Makerere University as a space where “intellectual ambition meets civic responsibility” and emphasized that leadership is not about prestige, but purpose:
“Be a leader because of what you want to be—not because of what you want to have,” he said.
Citing former Makerere alumni such as Julius Nyerere and Wangari Maathai, Chartrain called on students to model courage, resilience, and humility:
“True leadership emerges in moments of loss—when resilience, not triumph, becomes the measure of one’s character.”
The EU, he said, remains committed to supporting youth through programs like Erasmus+, the EU Youth Sounding Board, and partnerships with organizations like Faraja Africa Foundation and Restless Development. These initiatives empower youth not as symbols, but as active participants in shaping policy and governance.
The Legacy Continues
Throughout the summit, speakers highlighted the importance of legacy and long-term impact. They challenged young leaders to think not just about the present, but about the systems and institutions they will leave behind. In the words of Former President Kenyatta:
“Leadership is not about the next election. It’s about the next generation.”
The summit ended on a high note, with students invigorated and inspired to lead with purpose. As global support grows less predictable and Africa stands at a crossroads, the message from Makerere was clear: the future of the continent is in the hands of its youth. And as the Guild Leaders’ Summit demonstrated, they are ready.
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