General
Mak Bids Farewell to the old University Council
Bidding farewell, for most, is usually a sad affair. However, on this particular night, it was a time for appreciation and celebration! The Makerere University community came together on 11th January, 2011 to bid fare thee well to the outgoing Council that has served Makerere for the last four years.
Bidding farewell, for most, is usually a sad affair. However, on this particular night, it was a time for appreciation and celebration! The Makerere University community came together on 11th January, 2011 to bid fare thee well to the outgoing Council that has served Makerere for the last four years.
Praises filled the air as speaker after speaker commended the outgoing council for a job well done. And their response, words of encouragement and wisdom to the new council members.
“We are expecting a lot from you, especially in the area of policy. We are ready to work under your guidance.” Prof. Baryamureeba said to the new Council members, as he made his brief remarks.
In her personal reflection, Mrs. Christine Kiganda, the Vice Chairperson of the Makerere University Council (2002- 2010) confessed that her eight year tenure had been a profound experience that greatly changed the lives of her family. “It has touched and formed us so fundamentally that we will never be the same again.” Mrs. Kiganda emotionally highlighted.
Mrs. Kiganda confessed that she has lived through periods of both student unrest in the earlier years and the relative calm experienced today. Through close interaction with the students, Mrs. Kiganda’s experience has led her to understand that the majority of the students were genuinely struggling to understand and resolve issues at the university, all along being tempered by negative adult forces in the wider society.
“I would agree with bringing the students into all important forums and giving them hands on training in running their own and institutional affairs.” Mrs. Kiganda recommended.
The high profile affair was graced by some of Uganda’s influential personalities such as the Governor Bank of Uganda, the Southern Sudan Ambassador to Uganda, the University Secretary Busitema University, former Vice Chancellors and Deputy Vice Chancellors , Deans and Directors of Makerere University, among others.
In his speech, the former Makerere University Council Chairperson Hon. Matthew Rukikaire confidently assured the gathering that he believes that in repositioning the role of Makerere University in society, Makerere will no longer only be known as the ivory tower but as a university of learning and research whose products are delivered to promote the wellbeing of the country. He also challenged the university staff to move out and address real social issues, demand from government to be heard and play a role in government programmes.
“I have got no doubt that this new group is going to push forward Makerere, especially at a time when we, the former Council, have created stability and a better relationship with government and as Makerere now goes out to play a role with the extended society,” Hon. Rukikaire added.
In his first speech, the incoming Council Chairperson Eng. Dr. Charles Wana- Etyem praised his predecessor; Hon. Mathew Rukikaire for being a brilliant team leader and consensus builder. “It was indeed a privilege to serve with him in the previous council, but a greater privilege is for me to succeed him as the Chairman. I hope I will fit in his very large shoes,” Dr. Wana-Etyem remarked.
The new council consists of highly qualified men and women; the composition reflects a diversity of expertise and experience. There are members that bring on board the traditions of the 1960s like Mr. Stephen Maloba, members of the “dot com” era like Bruce Kabasa, among others. This rich composition will surely bring about a smooth and mature policy formulation and decision-making process.
Representing the Ministry of Education and Sports, Ms. Elizabeth Gabona deeply appreciated the efforts of the former University Council. “Thank you for loving Makerere and doing your very best!” She also thanked Makerere staff and the student body for the support they have given the council over throughout their term.
The Guest of Honour, Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, Apolo Nsibambi, while quoting Section 40 of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, explained that the University Council is the supreme organ of the university and is therefore responsible for the overall administration of the university, and ensuring that the university duly implements its objects and functions. He thereafter commended the outgoing council for doing an excellent job.
“Your outgoing Council has registered many achievements as we have heard tonight. These achievements demonstrate no more than a vision, collective work and focused leadership of the Rukikaire-Kiganda led Council,” Prof. Nsibambi added.
The Makerere Community is confident that the new University Council will carry on with this legacy, as they take Makerere to even greater heights. The incoming Deputy Chairperson Council Dr. Katherine Namuddu in moving a vote of thanks commended the Office of the Vice Chancellor and the University Secretary Mr. David Kahundha Muhwezi, for successfully organising the colourful event. Mr. Muhwezi is also Secretary to the University Council.
Downloads
Reflections on two terms as Vice Chairperson: Mrs Christine Kiganda MS Word Version, PDFVersion, Postscript Version
Hon. Matthew Rukikaire's address: MS Word Version, PDFVersion, Postscript Version
Eng. Dr. Charles Wana Etyem's Inaugural address: MS Word Version, PDFVersion, Postscript Version
The Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Apolo Nsibambi's address: PDFVersion, Postscript Version
Article by Moreen Katushabe
Makerere University has officially launched its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, marking a major milestone in its commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and human capital development in line with Uganda’s national development priorities.
The launch brought together senior government officials, university leadership, and development planners, including the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, and a representative from the National Planning Authority (NPA), alongside the University Vice Chancellor.
A Vision Anchored in National Transformation
Speaking at the launch, the Vice Chancellor underscored the University’s ambition to significantly expand graduate training and strengthen its contribution to national development. He noted that the institution is targeting a return to pre-COVID enrolment levels and a substantial increase in postgraduate numbers by 2030, with a focus on producing highly skilled graduates, innovators, and researchers.
He emphasized that the Strategic Plan positions the University as a key driver of Uganda’s transformation through knowledge generation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, aligned with national priorities.
“The staffing distribution is shown here. Under the approved establishment, we intended to have 419 Professors, but we currently have only 75. We planned for 473 Associate Professors, but currently have only 144. This clearly demonstrates that we still have considerable room for growth in strengthening our academic staff profile,” the VC said.
The VC appreciated researchers and research centres, that continue to attract substantial research funding. He highlighted the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and the Makerere University Walter Reed Project which attracted approximately US$70 million in international research funding into Uganda.
“When you combine the grants won by all our researchers through competitive international funding, the total exceeds US$200 million,” he said.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the University Council, Dr. Lorna Magara, described the Strategic Plan as more than an institutional roadmap, calling it “a public covenant with the people of Uganda.”
She noted that the Plan marks “the launch of Makerere University’s next chapter,” adding that decisions taken over the next five years will shape not only the future of the institution, but also Uganda’s development trajectory through graduates, research, innovations, and leadership.
Dr. Magara emphasized Makerere’s unique national role as Uganda’s premier public university, entrusted with public resources and public confidence.
“Every investment made in Makerere must produce measurable value for the people of Uganda,” she said, underscoring the need for accountability, integrity, and impact.
Ambitious Targets for Transformation
The Council Chairperson and the Vice chancellor outlined bold performance targets under the Strategic Plan, including doubling postgraduate enrolment, increasing STEM enrolment from 30% to 55%, improving PhD completion rates from 10% to 35%, and more than doubling peer-reviewed research output, alongside a significant rise in patents and innovations.
Dr. Magara stressed that these targets are not aspirations alone but binding commitments against which institutional performance will be measured.
“Ambition is precisely what this moment demands. A strategic plan is not measured by the elegance of its language, but by the lives it transforms,” she said.
Call for Stronger Governance and Legal Reform
Dr. Magara also highlighted the need for reform of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, Cap. 262, noting that the current legal framework has not kept pace with the evolving realities of university governance and innovation.
She called on Government and Parliament to support a timely review of the Act to enable universities to better optimise knowledge systems, productive assets, and innovation capacity in support of national development.
Government Endorsement and Strategic Alignment
Hon. Henry Musasizi commended the University for developing a forward-looking Strategic Plan aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), which serves as the foundation for the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
He explained that Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy from about USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion requires accelerated growth driven by productivity gains, innovation, and strong human capital development.
“Universities are central actors in national transformation. They are engines of knowledge creation, innovation, and human capital development,” he said.
The Minister stressed that government priorities include strengthening research, promoting industrialization, and ensuring that knowledge generated in universities is translated into practical solutions that support economic growth. He further highlighted the importance of accountability, efficiency, and value for money in public investments in higher education.
Universities as Drivers of the Tenfold Growth Strategy
In his presentation, the Senior Planner at the National Planning Authority, Samuel Kasule, emphasized that the Strategic Plan is firmly anchored in Uganda’s comprehensive development framework under Vision 2040 and NDP IV.
He noted that the Tenfold Growth Strategy seeks to accelerate Uganda’s economic growth into double-digit territory, enabling the country to achieve structural transformation and reach upper middle-income status.
Kasule underscored that universities play a critical role in this transformation through labour productivity, research, and innovation. He pointed out that priority sectors such as agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, and ICT depend heavily on skilled graduates and strong research ecosystems.
He also highlighted the importance of competency-based education, alignment of academic programmes with national human resource needs, and strengthening postgraduate training and research outputs.
A Shared Commitment to Transformation
Across all speeches, a strong message emerged: universities are central to Uganda’s development agenda and must evolve into research-intensive institutions that directly contribute to economic transformation.
The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 was widely commended for its focus on innovation, industry collaboration, digital transformation, and the commercialization of research outputs.
Government leaders reaffirmed continued support for higher education institutions through research funding, innovation ecosystems, and strengthened university–industry partnerships.
Conclusion
The launch of the Strategic Plan 2030 signals a renewed commitment to positioning the University as a key partner in Uganda’s development journey. With strong alignment to national priorities, the Plan is expected to accelerate research, innovation, and skills development necessary for achieving Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions. The Strategic Plan may be accessed at: https://mak.ac.ug/about/strategic-plan
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