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An Enchanting evening in celebration of 200yrs of Chopin Music

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As the evening breeze gently swayed the ribbons and other decorations, he walked in with a sense of purpose, and paused briefly to take in the surrounding. His sweeping gaze observed the walls draped in the traditional Makerere red, black and green; the audience murmuring softly;

As the evening breeze gently swayed the ribbons and other decorations, he walked in with a sense of purpose, and paused briefly to take in the surrounding. His sweeping gaze observed the walls draped in the traditional Makerere red, black and green; the audience murmuring softly;

the piano, set and ready to go; and finally the dignitaries conferring quietly at the high table. With a satisfied grin, he took a few steps and assumed his position at an imaginary podium. Back straight and respectfully clutching the programme of the day with both hands in front of him, he cleared his voice and made his remarks.

“It is my honor, to invite you today, to a concert where we are celebrating 200years since the birth of Francois Fryderyk Chopin,” remarked Prof. Justinian Tamusuza, Department of Music, Dance and Drama and emcee of the evening, as he welcomed the audience. The Chopin Music Concert was jointly organized by the Quality Assurance Directorate and The Department of Music, Dance and Drama, and featured eight of the over 230 pieces of Chopin’s surviving work.

Francois Fryderyk Chopin (1 March 1810 – 17 October 1849) was a Polish Composer, Virtuoso Pianist, and music teacher of French-Polish parentage. He was one of the great masters of Romantic music, and his music is penetrated by a poetic feeling that has an almost universal appeal. On the evening of Friday November 26, 2010, Makerere University’s Senior Common Room played host to the first ever Chopin project in East and Central Africa, and four of Uganda’s distinguished pianists; Fredrick Kiggundu Musoke, Wilson Tamale, Job Ivan Tezigattwa and John Baptist Walugembe had been lined up to enchant the audience.

The evening’s able emcee was however not yet done with his audience. Before he could invite the Vice Chancellor to address his guests, he ordered everyone in the room to switch off their phones and strictly not to applaud, until the pianists had finished their pieces, as signaled by a polite bow. “I am a dictator and I hope we will all adhere to this,” he added to the amusement of the now anxious audience.

The Vice Chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba in his speech read by Dr Tickodri-Togboa, commended the Quality Assurance Directorate and the Department of Music, Dance and Drama for embracing the University’s strategic vision. “As an institution that is increasingly becoming conscious of the importance of integrating internationalization in her core functions, we are truly proud to be the pioneers not only in Uganda, but in the East African region to participate in this project,” remarked Dr Togboa. Without further ado, Prof. Baryamureeba then wished everyone a great evening.

Wilson Tamale holds an Associated Board of Music (ABRSM) diploma in piano playing and has until recently, been living in Iowa State, USA. He kicked off the evening’s performances with an Etude in C Major. Op. 10 No.1, and the audience were immediately captivated. The audience watched with almost bated breath as this up-tempo piece, which required swift movements of the fingers as well as accuracy was played. However, the towering Wilson Tamale seemed to breeze through the piece and the resounding applause as he bowed at its end was well earned. His performance had indeed set the pace for this “vehicle artistic expression”, The Chopin project.

The bespectacled John Baptist Walugembe was soon to follow with another Etude in F Minor. Op. 25 No.2 and the first Nocturne of the evening in A flat Major. Op. 32 No. 2. Whereas Etudes as piano pieces focus on stretching the fingers, Nocturnes on the other hand are shorter pieces with a song-like melody. Walugembe an Engineer by training who currently works as a management consultant showed his expertise in not only playing the more dazzling Etude but also seamlessly switching to the more melodious Nocturne. A respectful bow after playing both pieces and the applause that followed confirmed the audience’s appreciation of Eng. Walugembe’s piano mastery.

The youthful Job Ivan Tezigattwa then played two Nocturnes in E Minor. Op 72 and E flat Major. Op. 9 No. 2. Tezigattwa a Bachelor of Music Student at Makerere University sought to explain that Nocturnes were best suited for playing in the evening; a time most relied upon by lovers to woo their partners. Starting off with the Op. 72 composed by Chopin in 1827, Tezigattwa then switched to the popular Op. 9 No. 2. A glance at the audience at this point revealed faces unmistakably lost in reflection. The evening of musical enchantment had indeed claimed its victims. Their reverie was soon abruptly brought to an end as the piece turned more passionate as it wound up.

Next up was the most traveled of the evening’s pianists. A Civil Engineering graduate from Makerere University, Fredrick Kiggundu Musoke holds the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (LRSM) in piano performance and the Associated Board of Music (ABRSM) Diploma in piano teaching and flute performance. He has performed at the National Theatre, in Amsterdam with the Nairobi Ochestra, at the Edinburgh Festival, and at a luncheon held in honor of Her Majesty the Queen of England when she visited Uganda during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2007.

Before his performance, Musoke dedicated the Ballade in F Minor Op. 38 to his late Engineer Father, who admittedly spent 60% of his time playing the piano. The ballade which opens very softly progresses into an almost violent tempo before halting suddenly then resuming with calmer tempo till its end.

Eng. Walugembe then returned to perform the Waltz Grand ValseBrillante in A Flat Major Op. 34 No. 1, and thereafter Musoke returned to play the evening’s last piece, A Scherzo in C# Minor. Op.39.

Reacting to the evening’s performances, Mr Carr, husband to Mrs. Fiona Carr who taught piano at Makerere University in the early seventies commended the artists for a job well done. He praised the organizers for a putting together a state-of-the-art show, which brought back memories from their times at Makerere where students of the Department of Music, Dance and Drama congregated in the Senior Common Room to listen to similar performances.

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mwamai@admin.mak.ac.ug, Public Relations Office

Mark Wamai

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ZAMREN Board Visits Mak, Discusses AI

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Prof. Sarah Ssali and Prof. Mundia Muya (C) with Members of Management, the ZAMREN delegation and other officials after the courtesy call on 14th October 2025. Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) Board led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, 14th October 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The Board of the Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya on 14th October 2025 paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, Makerere University. The Board which is on a two-day exposure visit to the Research and Education Network of Uganda (RENU) was received by the Acting (Ag.) Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Sarah Ssali in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom.

The Chairperson was accompanied by Mr. Ronald Hatoongo and Mr. Stein Mkandawire, the Board Secretary and CEO of ZAMREN respectively, as well as RENU’s CEO-Mr. Nicholas Mbonimpa and RENUMESH Technologies CEO-Mr. Brian Masiga. In attendance were Mr. Samuel Mugabi-Director DICTS, Prof. Robert Wamala-Director Research, Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP), and Prof. Tonny Oyana-Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).

Also present were; Prof. Paul Birevu Muyinda-Director Institute of Open, Distance and eLearning (IODeL), Dr. Godfrey Mayende-Deputy Director IODeL, Dr. Michael Walimbwa- College of Education and External Studies (CEES), Dr. Cathy Mbidde- Ag. Manager. Makerere University Innovation Pod, Ms. Eunice Rukundo-Deputy Chief-Public Relations and staff from the Office of the Vice Chancellor.

In her welcome remarks, Prof. Ssali thanked the ZAMREN Board for including the courtesy call on their Kampala itinerary and extended warm greetings from the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. She noted that Makerere as a founding member of RENU has enjoyed a mutually beneficial collaboration, that has benefited both staff and students in the form of supporting growing connectivity needs, as well as training, mentorship, and development of technical skills for both continuing students and graduates.

Prof. Sarah Ssali (R) presents an assortment of Mak Souvenirs to Prof. Mundia Muya (L). Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) Board led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, 14th October 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Sarah Ssali (R) presents an assortment of Mak Souvenirs to Prof. Mundia Muya (L).

Turning to the gist of the courtesy call, the Acting Vice Chancellor noted that the Makerere University through the Centre for Artificial Intelligence (MAK-AI) seeks to harness the transformative power of AI to address society’s most pressing challenges. “Projects undertaken by our Centre tackle real-world challenges in health, agriculture, languages, and beyond.”

Prof. Ssali nevertheless underscored the importance of upholding ethics in all AI undertakings “Mindful of global trends elsewhere, the work of the Makerere AI Centre is guided by the principles of Responsible AI, ensuring that systems are transparent, accountable, fair, and designed to benefit society.”

She therefore called upon the delegation to thoughtfully engage with the ideas presented during their visit with the aim of collectively exploring both institution can better equip staff and students to meaningfully make the most of this fast-evolving trend.

On behalf of the Board, Prof. Muya who is substantively the Vice Chancellor of the University of Zambia thanked Prof. Ssali and Members of Management present for according his delegation a warm reception to Makerere University, “one of Africa’s most distinguished centres of higher learning.

Makerere University is not only a symbol of academic excellence but also a beacon of leadership in higher education on the African continent”, remarked Prof. Muya.

The Chairperson equally expressed the delegation’s keenness to understand how AI is being adopted, and how the academia is embracing the technology as an enabler of teaching and research. “At ZAMREN, we view digital transformation and AI integration as critical enablers of academic excellence, efficiency, and competitiveness across higher education institutions,” he remarked, adding that “We therefore look to Makerere University’s experience to draw practical lessons that can inform and inspire our efforts back home.”

Prof. Mundia Muya headed the ZAMREN delegation. Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) Board led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, 14th October 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Mundia Muya headed the ZAMREN delegation.

Turning to the lessons from Makerere in line with digital transformation and ICT, the Director DICTS shared that owing to the partnership with RENU, internet bandwidth, a vital enabler of AI transformation currently stands at 5 Gbps of monthly consumption, with plans to scale-up to 8 Gbps. He added that RENU has also facilitated Makerere’s access to Open Libraries, and Eduroam – a secure, encrypted Wi-Fi network across to staff and students freely access the internet across partner institutions in Uganda using their University emails.

Furthermore on the enablers of AI integration, Mr. Mugabi noted that in line with digitalization of institutional business process, the University Council took a bold step to develop all information systems in-house, a move that has reduced costs spent on offshore solutions, and hemorrhage of skills. He pointed to the introduction of open source solutions, and AI policy and global collaborations with corporations such as Google as additional enablers.

Addressing AI readiness, Prof. Tonny Oyana pointed out the need for the University of Zambia to start early, citing Makerere efforts which began as far back as 2007, when Dr. John Quinn joined the institution after his PhD. He added that Dr. Quinn together with other former staff from Makerere formed Sunbird AI, a thriving initiative creating practical systems for the benefit of community.

Prof. Oyana also pointed to AI initiatives that have attracted up to USD 5million from Google Awards, staff with specialized skills in the creation and development of sensor technologies, top notch students that win continental and global awards from companies such as Huawei, and active engagements with partners to produce solutions to enhance diagnosis of malaria, tuberculosis and cancer as some of areas that demonstrate Makerere’s AI readiness.

The meeting in session. Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) Board led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, 14th October 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
The meeting in session.

Addressing academic and research innovation, Prof. Robert Wamala pointed out that Makerere, in recognition that the institution cannot achieve its vision alone is intentional about seeking and nurturing mutually beneficial partnerships. Furthermore, he shared that Vice Chancellor’s Annual Research Excellence Awards reward and recognize the efforts of staff who have excelled in publication, teaching and winning grants.

The Director DRIP equally underscored the need for dissemination of research produced by staff and students, pointing out the annual research and innovation week as a flagship event for not only showcasing research but also forging meaningful partnerships with stakeholders. In line with technology transfer, Prof. Wamala said that the University through the Intellectual Property Management Office ensures that innovations developed by staff and students packaged for adoption by other individuals or organisations.

Addressing the use of technologies in academic work, Prof. Birevu noted that IODeL conducts capacity building in instructional design, online facilitation, use of AI in teaching and digital assessments. “We have also advised the University on ODeL and Distance Education strategies, for instance, we have developed a ten-year masterplan for distance education with support from the Korean Government to outline how Makerere University is going to integrate distance education within its offering” he added.

At the close of the deliberations the ZAMREN expressed sincere appreciation to the Ag. Vice Chancellor and Members of Management for the free sharing that pointed out a number of priorities.

Mark Wamai

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Call for Applications: Government Sponsorship 2026/27

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Makerere University -Main Building

The Academic Registrar, Makerere University informs all Head Teachers of Advanced Level (UACE) Schools with UNEB Centre Numbers that applications for admission to Public Universities and other Tertiary Institutions for 2026/2027 Academic Year for government sponsorship will be done electronically/online using the Academic Management Information
System (ACMIS) from 15th October, 2025 to 31st December, 2025. The Public Universities include:
(a) Makerere University
(b) Makerere University Business School
(c) Mbarara University of Science and Technology
(d)Kyambogo University
(e) Gulu University
(f) Busitema University
(g) Muni University
(h) Kabale University
(i) Lira University
(j) Soroti University
(k) Mountains ofthe Moon University

NB: The list of Other Tertiary Institutions is provided on the online application portal.

Other Important documents:

Mak Editor

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Business & Management

PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support

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Mak PIM COE Steering Committee

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.

The PIM Steering Committee in a meeting held at Emin Pasha Hotel

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.

Betty Kyakuwa
Betty Kyakuwa

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