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2009 Events and before

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2009

December 2009

21st – 24th December 2009: NON-RESIDENTIAL WORKSHOP FOR MENTEES & RESIDENTIAL WORKSHOP ON CAPACITY BUILDING.

This workshop held at Imperial Royale Hotel enabled participants benefit from the Mentoring Strategy Spearheaded by Prof. Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza. The key topics of the four day workshops were: Concretisation of Personal Mission Statements and Development of Strategies for personal growth (1,3 and 5 personal year plans), Exploration of resource opportunities to realize the objectives of your personal mission statement, Sharing of the GMD mentoring strategy for the next four years (2010-2013), Sharing of personal experiences from female professors in Makerere University, Understanding issues and principle of Gender, Women and Leadership in Makerere University, Tips on how the “Act like a LADY and think like a MAN”, Personal branding and Repositioning for leadership in Makerere University and Strategies for Women to support fellow Women.

13th – 15th December 2009: First APEDIA Conference

Makerere University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine hosted the First International Academic Partnership for Environment and Development Innovations in Africa (APEDIA) Conference on Sustainable Land Use in Africa. The conference aimed at examining the issue of land use and conflicts, with a focus on Sources and Solutions

11th December 2009: Nora's Sisters; Gender Mainstreaming Division & Norwegian Embassy.

These organized an event held in the Main hall with the highlight being a play titled Nora's Sisters " The rights and roles of women in society" .

11th December 2009: i@MAK Official Launch of 19 New Publications.

The Publications Board was established as a Sub Committee of I@Mak.com, to promote scholarly writing and publishing initially among the staff and students of partnering institutions. The Board had since its formation published over 40 books through a public private partnership with M/s Fountain Publishers Limited, a leading local publishing firm. A peer reviewed Journal titled Makerere University Research Journal (MURJ) was also introduced and five issues published thus far. The Committee launched 19 peer reviewed books.

10th December 2009: Makerere-NUFU Crafting the Bamasaba.

The Mak-NUFU Folklore Project Coordinator, invited the public to the screening of a documentary film titled, Crafting the Bamasaba that focused on the ritual of Imbalu among the Bagisu. This 62 minute film was research documentation under the MAK-NUFU Linkage Folklore Project that is housed in the Department of Literature. The event was held at the Department of Food Science & Technology Conference Hall
9th December 2009: H.E. President Yoweri Museveni visit to Faculty of Technology. President Museveni visited the Faculty of Technology where he toured and inspected some of their innovations. They included sanitary pads made from papyrus and a mini- hydro-power station that could produce about 10 megawatts of electricity ideal for institutions situated near water sources. The President also said the Government will start funding science students' placement in industries.

November 2009

27th November 2009: Consultation Meeting on the formation of a National Remote Engineering Consortium

The Faculty of Technology organized the first Consultation Meeting on the formation of, “The National Remote Engineering Consortium”. The Seminar under the theme: “Enriching Science Education through Remote Engineering” was held at Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala, on November 2009 27, 2009 from 8:30 am to 4:30pm. The formation of a National Remote Engineering Consortium, premised on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership, constituted by the Academia, Industry and the Public/Private Sector, was aimed at enriching science education. It was presided over by the Minister of State for Higher Education, The Permanent Secretary Ministry of ICT, The Deputy Director NCHE, The Ag. VC Makerere University, DVC F&A, Dean and Staff Faculty of Technology and members from the private and public sectors.

27th – 28th November 2009: Inaugural Makerere University Grand Alumni Re-union

Makerere University Convocation held the inaugural Makerere University Alumni Re-union on November 2009 28, 2009 at Makerere University Freedom Square. The event was presided over by H. E Benjamin Mkapa as Chief Guest, and as part of the Pre re-union activities, a public lecture on the role of the academia in governance and National developmentwas held on November 2009 27, 2009 in the University Main Hall. Makerere University Convocation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment jointly organized the lecture. The Grand Alumni re-union was marked by other activities like a 2-day exhibition at the Freedom square, A cocktail hosted by the Chief guest at Kampala Serena Hotel on 27th November 2009 and on the 28th, Laying of a foundation stone for the Alumni House in Katanga and crowned by an Alumni Dinner at the Freedom Square.

24th November 2009: Sir Tim Berners-Lee visits Makerere

Makerere University hosted the Inventor of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee. At the Faculty of Computing and IT Block B Lab 2, where he delivered an address about the origin of the World Wide Web and answered burning questions from Students and Staff. He later on met with the Ag. Vice Chancellor, Professor Venansius Baryamureeba

23rd – 25th November 2009: International Workshop on Research in Adult Education

Makerere University Institute of Adult and Continuing Education in partnership with Deutschen Volkshochschul-Verbandes (DVV) organized the International workshop on Research in Adult Education.

23rd – 26th November 2009: COVIDSET 2009 Conference

From 23rd to 26th November 2009, Makerere University hosted the COVIDSET 2009 Conference for Vice Chancellors and Deans of Science, Engineering and Technology. The conference was held under the theme Revitalising Science, Engineering and Technology Research and development for Sustainable development in Africa. The Conference attracted participants from twelve African countries as well as the donor community and other agencies involved in higher education.

23rd November 2009: International Workshop on Research in Adult Education.

Makerere University Institute of Adult and Continuing Education in partnership with Deutschen Volkshochschul-Verbandes (DVV) organized the International workshop on Research in Adult Education.

23rd – 25th November 2009: First International Ethnomusicology Symposium

The Department of Music, Dance and Drama, supported by Norwegian Government and NUFU organized the First International Ethnomusicology Symposium at Makerere University. The symposium aimed at discussing issues around ethnic music and the preservation of that important aspect of our culture. The symposium concluded on the 25th November 2009 with the handover of ethnic music from Uganda collected in the 1940s and 50s collected by Professor Waschmann and which had since then been kept in Britain.

15th – 18th November 2009: International Conference on Family Planning Research and Best Practices

The School of Public Health in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health organized and hosted the International Conference on Family Planning Research and Best Practices from the 15th to 18th November 2009. The objective of the conference was to enable scientific and programmatic exchange and sharing of available findings and identification of knowledge gaps regarding family planning. Over 800 international, regional and local participants attended the workshop at the Speke Resort Munyonyo.

13th November 2009: International Students' Cultural Day.

The University Management together with the international students studying at Makerere University organised the first ever international students’ cultural day to showcase their culture, identity and countries. The event was held under the theme “Appreciating our culture in harmony.” The international students presented cultural exhibits; folk songs; tongue twisters; cultural dances; drama and plays; fashion shows and cultural dishes/delicacies.

13th – 18th November 2009: Statistics week and Africa Statistics Day Celebrations

The Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics together with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) celebrated the statistics week. This week was marked by painting of the Makerere Police Post on Friday 13th Nov; A Student-organized statistics symposium, which started with a March 2010 around the University on 16th Nov and a public lecture that was delivered by Prof. J.P.M. Ntozi on the 18th of Nov at the St. Francis Conference Hall.

9th – 13th November 2009: Makerere-Sida Bilateral Research Program Annual Review meeting

Makerere-Sida Bilateral Research Program Annual Review Meeting was held at Makerere University. All Program and Sub-program Coordinators, researchers, past and current students supported under this program were scheduled to attend the plenary meeting.

8th – 13th November 2009: The 13th East, Central and Southern African Regional Meeting and International Scientific Conference

The 13th East, Central and Southern African Regional Meeting and International Scientific Conference organised by the Uganda Veterinary Association, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University and the Commonwealth Veterinary Association was held from 8th to 13th November 2009 2009 under the theme “Convergence Of Veterinary Science, Public Health And Trade For Sustainable Livelihoods In Sub-Saharan Africa”.

5th – 6th November 2009: School of Graduate Studies Annual Research and Innovations Dissemination Conference

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) also organized and hosted the Annual Research and Innovations Dissemination Conference from the 5th to 6th November 2009 at Hotel Africana. The purpose of the Conference was to open an opportunity for individual researchers, units and research projects at the University to disseminate their research findings and share knowledge and experiences in research.
It was also an opportunity for our researchers and academics to interface with members of the public and private sector who could have an interest in our research projects for possible business solutions or investment opportunities.

 

2009

December 2009

21st – 24th December 2009: NON-RESIDENTIAL WORKSHOP FOR MENTEES & RESIDENTIAL WORKSHOP ON CAPACITY BUILDING.

This workshop held at Imperial Royale Hotel enabled participants benefit from the Mentoring Strategy Spearheaded by Prof. Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza. The key topics of the four day workshops were: Concretisation of Personal Mission Statements and Development of Strategies for personal growth (1,3 and 5 personal year plans), Exploration of resource opportunities to realize the objectives of your personal mission statement, Sharing of the GMD mentoring strategy for the next four years (2010-2013), Sharing of personal experiences from female professors in Makerere University, Understanding issues and principle of Gender, Women and Leadership in Makerere University, Tips on how the “Act like a LADY and think like a MAN”, Personal branding and Repositioning for leadership in Makerere University and Strategies for Women to support fellow Women.

13th – 15th December 2009: First APEDIA Conference

Makerere University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine hosted the First International Academic Partnership for Environment and Development Innovations in Africa (APEDIA) Conference on Sustainable Land Use in Africa. The conference aimed at examining the issue of land use and conflicts, with a focus on Sources and Solutions

11th December 2009: Nora's Sisters; Gender Mainstreaming Division & Norwegian Embassy.

These organized an event held in the Main hall with the highlight being a play titled Nora's Sisters " The rights and roles of women in society" .

11th December 2009: i@MAK Official Launch of 19 New Publications.

The Publications Board was established as a Sub Committee of I@Mak.com, to promote scholarly writing and publishing initially among the staff and students of partnering institutions. The Board had since its formation published over 40 books through a public private partnership with M/s Fountain Publishers Limited, a leading local publishing firm. A peer reviewed Journal titled Makerere University Research Journal (MURJ) was also introduced and five issues published thus far. The Committee launched 19 peer reviewed books.

10th December 2009: Makerere-NUFU Crafting the Bamasaba.

The Mak-NUFU Folklore Project Coordinator, invited the public to the screening of a documentary film titled, Crafting the Bamasaba that focused on the ritual of Imbalu among the Bagisu. This 62 minute film was research documentation under the MAK-NUFU Linkage Folklore Project that is housed in the Department of Literature. The event was held at the Department of Food Science & Technology Conference Hall
9th December 2009: H.E. President Yoweri Museveni visit to Faculty of Technology. President Museveni visited the Faculty of Technology where he toured and inspected some of their innovations. They included sanitary pads made from papyrus and a mini- hydro-power station that could produce about 10 megawatts of electricity ideal for institutions situated near water sources. The President also said the Government will start funding science students' placement in industries.

November 2009

27th November 2009: Consultation Meeting on the formation of a National Remote Engineering Consortium

The Faculty of Technology organized the first Consultation Meeting on the formation of, “The National Remote Engineering Consortium”. The Seminar under the theme: “Enriching Science Education through Remote Engineering” was held at Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala, on November 2009 27, 2009 from 8:30 am to 4:30pm. The formation of a National Remote Engineering Consortium, premised on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership, constituted by the Academia, Industry and the Public/Private Sector, was aimed at enriching science education. It was presided over by the Minister of State for Higher Education, The Permanent Secretary Ministry of ICT, The Deputy Director NCHE, The Ag. VC Makerere University, DVC F&A, Dean and Staff Faculty of Technology and members from the private and public sectors.

27th – 28th November 2009: Inaugural Makerere University Grand Alumni Re-union

Makerere University Convocation held the inaugural Makerere University Alumni Re-union on November 2009 28, 2009 at Makerere University Freedom Square. The event was presided over by H. E Benjamin Mkapa as Chief Guest, and as part of the Pre re-union activities, a public lecture on the role of the academia in governance and National developmentwas held on November 2009 27, 2009 in the University Main Hall. Makerere University Convocation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment jointly organized the lecture. The Grand Alumni re-union was marked by other activities like a 2-day exhibition at the Freedom square, A cocktail hosted by the Chief guest at Kampala Serena Hotel on 27th November 2009 and on the 28th, Laying of a foundation stone for the Alumni House in Katanga and crowned by an Alumni Dinner at the Freedom Square.

24th November 2009: Sir Tim Berners-Lee visits Makerere

Makerere University hosted the Inventor of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee. At the Faculty of Computing and IT Block B Lab 2, where he delivered an address about the origin of the World Wide Web and answered burning questions from Students and Staff. He later on met with the Ag. Vice Chancellor, Professor Venansius Baryamureeba

23rd – 25th November 2009: International Workshop on Research in Adult Education

Makerere University Institute of Adult and Continuing Education in partnership with Deutschen Volkshochschul-Verbandes (DVV) organized the International workshop on Research in Adult Education.

23rd – 26th November 2009: COVIDSET 2009 Conference

From 23rd to 26th November 2009, Makerere University hosted the COVIDSET 2009 Conference for Vice Chancellors and Deans of Science, Engineering and Technology. The conference was held under the theme Revitalising Science, Engineering and Technology Research and development for Sustainable development in Africa. The Conference attracted participants from twelve African countries as well as the donor community and other agencies involved in higher education.

23rd November 2009: International Workshop on Research in Adult Education.

Makerere University Institute of Adult and Continuing Education in partnership with Deutschen Volkshochschul-Verbandes (DVV) organized the International workshop on Research in Adult Education.

23rd – 25th November 2009: First International Ethnomusicology Symposium

The Department of Music, Dance and Drama, supported by Norwegian Government and NUFU organized the First International Ethnomusicology Symposium at Makerere University. The symposium aimed at discussing issues around ethnic music and the preservation of that important aspect of our culture. The symposium concluded on the 25th November 2009 with the handover of ethnic music from Uganda collected in the 1940s and 50s collected by Professor Waschmann and which had since then been kept in Britain.

15th – 18th November 2009: International Conference on Family Planning Research and Best Practices

The School of Public Health in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health organized and hosted the International Conference on Family Planning Research and Best Practices from the 15th to 18th November 2009. The objective of the conference was to enable scientific and programmatic exchange and sharing of available findings and identification of knowledge gaps regarding family planning. Over 800 international, regional and local participants attended the workshop at the Speke Resort Munyonyo.

13th November 2009: International Students' Cultural Day.

The University Management together with the international students studying at Makerere University organised the first ever international students’ cultural day to showcase their culture, identity and countries. The event was held under the theme “Appreciating our culture in harmony.” The international students presented cultural exhibits; folk songs; tongue twisters; cultural dances; drama and plays; fashion shows and cultural dishes/delicacies.

13th – 18th November 2009: Statistics week and Africa Statistics Day Celebrations

The Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics together with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) celebrated the statistics week. This week was marked by painting of the Makerere Police Post on Friday 13th Nov; A Student-organized statistics symposium, which started with a March 2010 around the University on 16th Nov and a public lecture that was delivered by Prof. J.P.M. Ntozi on the 18th of Nov at the St. Francis Conference Hall.

9th – 13th November 2009: Makerere-Sida Bilateral Research Program Annual Review meeting

Makerere-Sida Bilateral Research Program Annual Review Meeting was held at Makerere University. All Program and Sub-program Coordinators, researchers, past and current students supported under this program were scheduled to attend the plenary meeting.

8th – 13th November 2009: The 13th East, Central and Southern African Regional Meeting and International Scientific Conference

The 13th East, Central and Southern African Regional Meeting and International Scientific Conference organised by the Uganda Veterinary Association, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University and the Commonwealth Veterinary Association was held from 8th to 13th November 2009 2009 under the theme “Convergence Of Veterinary Science, Public Health And Trade For Sustainable Livelihoods In Sub-Saharan Africa”.

5th – 6th November 2009: School of Graduate Studies Annual Research and Innovations Dissemination Conference

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) also organized and hosted the Annual Research and Innovations Dissemination Conference from the 5th to 6th November 2009 at Hotel Africana. The purpose of the Conference was to open an opportunity for individual researchers, units and research projects at the University to disseminate their research findings and share knowledge and experiences in research.
It was also an opportunity for our researchers and academics to interface with members of the public and private sector who could have an interest in our research projects for possible business solutions or investment opportunities.

 

Denis Wamala

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The 3rd Fundis and Technicians sensitization event and exhibition held successfully

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The 3rd annual Fundis and Technicians sensitization event and exhibition by manufacturers of building materials organized by the Department Architecture and Physical Planning at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University came to a close with a call for increased partnerships between training institutions and the community.

The event that attracted 200 participants including masons, fundis, painters, builders, metal and electrical fabricators ran from Thursday 24th to Friday 25th October 2024 at CEDAT. It was supported by several stakeholders and was characterized by training sessions and an exhibition of building materials by different companies that make cement, paint, water tanks tiles and many more.

Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration, Makerere University.

Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe at the opening of the training. In his remarks, he extended appreciation to the technicians for accepting to take part in the training which he said was key in ensuring that they gain from continuous learning. Prof. Alinaitwe observed that although some of them did not get through formal training, it was important that they took part in such training programs to keep abreast of the developments in the construction industry where they undertake the bulk of the work as masons, technicians, plumbers, and metal fabricators.

‘Keep improving, we need to up our game in terms of quality’, he said while making reference to the need for quality output.  He cautioned them on issues of cost and cheating of their clients by making realistic costs.  ‘We need to cost the work well taking into account the materials, the labor, the equipment used, and the overheads’.  The other area that needed to be taken care of by the technicians included time management, which reflects on attitudes towards work, team work.   While addressing the gathering in his capacity as Chairman of the Engineers Registration Board, Prof. Alinaitwe said the upcoming engineering Registration Bill, if approved, has a provision for the registration of all artisans and hence the need to have the minimum requirements for the stakeholders to be registered. He also stressed the need to bring on board as more women as possible.  ‘We want to see more women, who can do some aspects in construction better than men like painting.

Prof. Moses Musinguzi, the Principal of the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, Makerere University.

Prof. Moses Musinguzi, the Principal of the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology while welcoming the trainees to the college said the training is a good initiative that will help address challenge of skill and work match.  He encouraged the trainees to do smart work, and take due consideration of ethics and customer care. He encouraged the department to extend the training opportunity to other units of the college and the university and also make it more formal, as part and parcel of the training program of the college in liaison with bodies like UBTEB.

Assoc. Prof. Kizito Maria Kasule, the Deputy Principal CEDAT while appreciating the initiative of the department said countries like Germany have apprenticeship training that help the training of students to gain skills equivalent to those acquired while in formal institutions of learning.  He said the academia in Uganda is increasingly recognizing the importance of the informal sector in the growth of the country. ‘We need to learn from you. Almost 90% of the people in the construction industry have been informally trained’. He said by learning from each other, the two sectors jointly make a contribution towards the development of the country.

Dr. Amin Tamale Kiggundu, the head of the Department of Architecture and Physical Planning said the initiative, a community outreach program of the college started three years ago in the year 2022 with 60 Fundis and masons, in 2023, the number was increased to 120 Fundis and the current 2024, was 200 Fundis of various categories, including painters, builders, metal fabricators, plumbers and electrical fabricators. He said this community outreach program aims at sharing the accumulated scientific knowledge in building, design and construction technologies at CEDAT, sharing the expertise, knowledge and experiences with communities in greater Kampala and hence bridging the existing knowledge and skills gap between the training institutions and the communities.

Dr. Amin Tamale Kiggundu, the head of the Department of Architecture and Physical Planning, Makerere University

The 21st century is characterized by collaboration, partnerships, and establishment of knowledge economies.  He said based on the trainings held so far, it is clear that partnerships between the training institutions and the communities were possible especially the Fundis who are closer to the communities. ‘We also want to learn from the Fundi’s experiences, how they are able to connect to the communities in some cases better than those who have gone through the training institutions’, he said. He further noted that the majority of fundis are young people that need to be supported with skills and other ways of nurturing them. The dream of the department, he said is to introduce an open door policy that allows fundis and other university students to come to learn.  

Several organizations supported the event and participated in the exhibition and they included Habitat for Humanity, Uganda, Green Building Council Uganda, The National Building Board, Uganda Clays Limited, Centenary Bank, Steel and Tube Industries Ltd, Simba Cement, Plascon, Goodwill, Cresttanks among others.

Alex Isemaghendera

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MURBS has declared 13.40% interest on members’ balances for the financial year that ended on 30th June 2024.

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By: Ritah Namisango

Dr. Elizabeth Patricia Nansubuga, Chairperson of the Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme (MURBS) Board of Trustees, announced this milestone during the 14th Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the year 2023/24 held on Thursday, 24th October 2024, at Makerere University Main Campus, School of Public Health Auditorium.

The AGM attracted various stakeholders, including trustees, Audit Committee Chairperson CPA David Ssenoga, Board Evaluation Consultant Vincent Kaheeru, URBRA Representative Mark Lotukei, Audit Committee members, co-opted members, and university administrators.

Presenting the performance report, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Nansubuga highlighted that this is the highest interest declared by the scheme in the past five years, and she anticipates continued improvements. She noted that for the previous financial year, which ended in June 2023, the Board of Trustees declared an interest an interest of 12.34%.

Dr Nansubuga also announced that the scheme has achieved a Net Investment Income of UGX 44.6 billion, far higher than the UGX34.4 billion collected in Contributions during the year.

The Chairperson of the Board also revealed that the fund value had grown from UGX352.4 billion recorded at the end of the last financial year to UGX409.2 billion, indicating an increase of 16.1%.

“By 30th June 2023, MURBS had a fund value of UGX 352.4 billion. The Board of Trustees targeted Fund growth of 17%, and I am glad to inform you, that the fund value of MURBS, as per the Audited Financial Statements of 30th June 2024 is UGX 409.2 billion, which is an increase of 16.1%. This achievement was made possible by strategic periodical activities undertaken by the Board and our fund managers, supported by the strong oversight committees of the Board,” she reported.

Dr. Elizabeth Patricia Nansubuga(Centre) responding to questions from members.

She attributed the positive growth to factors such as improved debt recovery, operational efficiency, timely remittance of contributions by the sponsor (Makerere University), an increase in project and contract contributions, and the recovery of UGX8.85 billion in debts.

Dr. Nansubuga also expressed gratitude to Makerere University, the scheme’s sponsor, for consistently remitting contributions, a key factor that has significantly contributed to MURBS’ smooth operation. “I am happy to announce that the sponsor-Makerere University remitted your retirement benefits for the financial year 2023/24,” she said.

In the same development, Dr. Nansubuga reported that MURBS registered a legal victory against Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) over a real estate investment in Sonde undertaken in 2019, and which URA sought to tax heavily. She notified the AGM that MURBS won the case and was awarded costs which also set a precedent.

Consultant Mr. Vincent Kaheeru and CEO of Profiles International

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am pleased to inform you that during the financial year, we received a favorable outcome on a key court case. How did we end up with this case? In 2019, MURBS invested in real estate, we bought land in Sonde,” Dr Nansubuga explained.

“Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) then charged us with a tax assessment worth UGX600 million. It has been four (4) years in the tax appeals tribunal. Since then, the lawyers, the former and current trustees, have been appearing before the appeals tribunal, but in December 2023, MURBS won the case. We challenged URA, and this case was awarded with costs. URA has to pay MURBS. We therefore saved UGX600 million,” she added.  

In terms of governance, Dr Nansubuga said that the scheme made changes in the board. Initially, the trustees were six and they needed a seventh member, and following a competitive race, they recruited another trustee; CPA Edina Rugumayo who has over thirty years in accounting.

Part of the MURBS members who physically attended the Annual General Meeting

“In terms of governance, we continue to uphold good governance practices and we align with international standards. Last year during the presentation, I said we were six and we needed to have the seventh trustee because the Board composition is supposed to be seven,” she explained.

“So, following a competitive process, we recruited an independent trustee. It was a very competitive position. You must have served on board which has over UGX50 billion. So, from that process, we were able to recruit CPA Edna Rugumayo Simbwa. She is a certified public accountant with over thirty years of experience in accounting, taxation, and corporate governance,” she mentioned.

She also thanked other stakeholders for making sure that MURBS activities run smoothly. These entities include Makerere University, KPMG, Gen Africa, Arcadia Advocates, Zamara, URBRA, and Stanbic Bank among others.

While discussing investments, Dr. Nansubuga mentioned that 86% of MURBS’ funds are currently invested in government bonds, but added that the Board is exploring diversification to reduce risks. 

“86% percent of our money is invested in government bonds, and sometimes, you do not have to put all your eggs in one basket, there is a high concentration of risk. so that is one of the key material risks that we want to address to reduce the amount we have in government securities. We want to diversify our portfolio and avoid investing heavily in government securities. The Board will venture into other fields in order to earn money or return on investment from the diverse undertakings,” she said.

Mr. Mark Lotukei, represented the CEO of Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority

In terms of membership, Dr. Nansubuga reported a 4.4% increase, with the number of members rising from 8,229 to 8,590. She attributed this growth to the reinstatement of in-house beneficiaries and an increase in project and contract staff.

Dr. Kakuba also thanked the sponsor-Makerere University for remitting the membership contributions timely which has helped the scheme to grow.

Dr. Godwin Kakuba -Secretary, MURBS Board of Trustees, who presented the record of the 13th Annual General Meeting stressed that the AGM climaxes a financial year and the Board of Trustee has been vigilant on this and has not missed any AGM for 14 years now.

“We applaud the sponsor because many of these positives in the chairperson’s report can only be attributed to the support by the sponsor through fulfilling the obligation of remitting members’ contributions to the scheme,” he added.

Dr. Godwin Kakuba (L) and Asad Ssenoga

Partner Asad Ssenoga, an independent auditor who audited the scheme said that he was impressed with the level of compliance that the scheme exhibited in all aspects. He said they focused on ensuring that the member contributions are supported with statements and allocated to members appropriately.

“Overall we were satisfied with the work we did on the audit, the numbers that were presented by the Chairperson are the correct numbers that we audited. We were comfortable with those numbers, due process was followed during the audit,” he said.

Mr. Mark Lotukei who represented the CEO of Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority (URBRA) thanked the Trustees for always prioritizing governance, which has helped them to reach several milestones.

Members of the MURBS Secretariat led by Ms Susan Khaitsa(Centre)

“As URBRA, we look at governance as the biggest component of our compliance. MURBS Trustees from the former to the current, have taken governance as the most important aspect. We really encourage them to continue with this good practice because governance informs all the other aspects,” he said.

Mr. Arthur Kibira, a member in attendance, expressed his appreciation for the Board’s efforts. He urged them to explore higher-risk investments for potentially greater returns. He expressed concern over the scheme’s heavy reliance on government bonds.

“Dr Elizabeth Nansubuga, I want to congratulate you, and your team and also congratulate ourselves. But, I want to believe that there is room for improvement. I am one of those who do not believe that the sky is the limit, we are limited by our own thinking. I am thinking that high risks give high returns. Is there a way of managing those risks, so that we could push this 13.40% interest to a figure much higher? If we do so, we shall say we have learnt how to manage risks,”, he guided.

Ritah Namisango

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Makerere University at the 2024 O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs Annual Gathering in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

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Uganda’s Chair elect, Prof. David Meya of Makerere University’s College of Health Sciences (extreme left) and other O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs

The Research Chairs concept is similar to Centers of Excellence (for instance in supporting world-class research in a priority area), but also has many distinguishing features. Most notably, it recognizes individual excellence, leadership and talent. The O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs Initiative (ORTARChI) builds on the work of Oliver Tambo, a prominent South African and pan-Africanist with a science education background, who believed in creating change through education and in cooperation and solidarity among African nations. The Initiative focuses on celebrating his legacy in building knowledge-based economies for the advancement of Africa.

ORTARChI builds on and leverages existing continental frameworks and interventions geared towards institutional capacity strengthening; recruitment and retention of excellent researchers; and incentives to support research that contributes to socio-economic and transformative development. 

Ten (10) O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs across seven (7) countries in Africa, namely; Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia have been selected for funding through a rigorous and competitive two-stage review process. These research chairs are focused on research priorities identified by each host institution in conjunction with, especially the Science Councils, and in alignment with AU Agenda 2063 and STISA 2024.

[L-R] Prof. Henry Alinaitwe (DVC F&A, Mak), Dr. Dorothy Ngila (Director, NRF), Ms. Natasha Allie (CEO Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation), Dr. Martin Ongol (Ag. Executive Secretary, UNCST), Associate Professor David Meya (Uganda Chair Elect, ORTARChI) and Assoc. Prof. Robert Wamala (Director, DRGT)

Prof. Noble Banadda from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences had been inaugurated as one of the first 10 (ten) Oliver Tambo (ORTARChi) Chairs. Unfortunately, Prof. Banadda (R.I.P) passed on in July 2021, which created a vacuum. To ensure that Uganda and Makerere University continue to tap into the ORTARChi, we are glad to announce the appointment of Associate Professor David Meya from the College of Health Sciences at Makerere University for the purpose. The appointment will attract USD 170,000 annually for 5 years for graduate research with a target of training 5-6 PhDs, 10-15 Post-doctoral fellows and 10-12 Masters of Medicine and Master of Science Students at Makerere University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

Makerere University has had the pleasure of attending 2024 O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs Annual Gathering in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The annual gathering is co-hosted by the Joseph Ki-Zerbo University, National Research and Innovation Fund for Development (FONRID) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. The theme for this year’s gathering is: African Sovereignty: A Catalyst for Research Collaborations and Social Impact in the Continent“. At the annual gathering, Uganda was represented by Associate Prof. David Meya (Uganda Chair Elect, ORTARChI), Prof. Henry Alinaitwe (Deputy Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration, Mak), Associate Prof. Robert Wamala (Director, Research and Graduate Training) and Dr. Martin Ongol (Ag. Executive Secretary, UNCST). Assoc. Prof. David Meya – ORTARChI Chair Elect – is from Makerere University’s School of Medicine at the College of Health Sciences.  

[L_R] Prof. Henry Alinaitwe (DVC F&A, Makerere University), Dr. Dorothy Ngila (Director, NRF), and Assoc Prof. Robert Wamala (Director, Mak DRGT)

Mak Editor

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