General
Makerere Honours President Kibaki, Officially Launches Colleges
Makerere University on Tuesday 24th January 2012, concluded the 62nd Graduation Ceremony with the award of an Honorary Doctorate of Laws to President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya,
Makerere University on Tuesday 24th January 2012, concluded the 62nd Graduation Ceremony with the award of an Honorary Doctorate of Laws to President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya,
in recognition of his distinguished and outstanding contribution to public service at the national, regional and international levels – especially in the areas of Academic Excellence, Political, Social and Economic reforms. The highly colourful ceremony was attended by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Ministers, Diplomats, Makerere University staff and students.
Described as one of Africa’s illustrious sons and an eminent Statesman, President Mwai Kibaki, was applauded for his exemplary leadership. Part of the citation revealed that H.E. Dr. Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki worked as a bus conductor for the now defunct Othaya Bus Service Company during his school days.
Raised in a humble family, President Kibaki worked hard in School and earned a scholarship to join the then Makerere College (now Makerere University) – where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics, History and Political Science. He graduated in 1955 with a First Class Bachelor of Arts degree. President Kibaki also served as Vice Chairman of the Makerere Students Guild (1954-1955). In 1955, he enrolled at the London School of Economics for a Bachelor of Science in Public Finance, and graduated with distinction in 1958. He then served his alma mater-Makerere University as an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Economics from 1958 to 1960. Joining Makerere was a turning point for the fresh Doctor as acknowledged in his acceptance speech:
“This recognition is a great honour to me, my family and Country. I shall cherish it for the rest of my life. Being here has triggered a great sense of nostalgia for the many years I studied and lectured at this great institution. Many of my leadership skills were developed and nurtured here,’’ he stressed. “I sincerely thank Makerere University for the honour bestowed upon me. I look forward to working closely with you,’’ he added.
President Kibaki called upon the young generation to put their countries’ interest before self, adding that the current challenges facing Africa can be solved through a combination of homegrown and borrowed traditions. He applauded Makerere University for making the electric car, the KIIRA EV and called for mass production of such innovations.
President Yoweri Museveni revealed that he has secured approval for funding towards Makerere University, especially in light of the Presidential Initiative that kick started a number of Projects in the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology – CEDAT; the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio-Engineering; and the College of Veterinary medicine, Animal Resource and Bio Security, CoVAB.
“I applaud the young men and their professors for putting the little money we gave them to proper use. The NRM caucus has resolved to support me now. They will get for you the money you wanted,’’ he emphasized to the cheering crowd.
Before President Kibaki, Makerere University has awarded honorary doctorates of Laws to other Heads of State including H.E Benjamin Mkapa, H.E. Rashid Mfaume Kawawa, and H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
The Vice Chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba said Makerere University was taking the recognitions a step further. “Makerere University is going a step further to recognise-in-perpetuity through erecting buildings in the name of Makerere University and in the names of eminent statesmen and stateswomen that shall serve as centres of academic excellence for the current and future generations. For those already honoured we shall wait for their consent before we begin the fundraising drive to raise funds to put up buildings in their names. These projects are very feasible in the sense that for each project a contribution of an average of US$1,000 per person from 10,000 persons would raise US$10 million. For President Kibaki, who is being honoured today, we would like to request you to accept to be the Chairperson of Makerere University Mwai Kibaki endowment fund that shall raise funds that shall be used among others to put up a building at Makerere University that shall be named after you,’’ he explained.
The two Excellencies also officially launched the Constituent Colleges Makerere University. To symbolize this launch, they unveiled a beautiful relief sculpture designed by Assoc. Prof. George Kyeyune from the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology – CEDAT.
“This sculpture is a presentation of Makerere’s transition into a collegiate system. Its texture is similar to a rock to signify Makerere as a strong giant. It also shows that Makerere is striving for better,’’ explains Dr. George Kyeyune an Associate Professor at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts (MTSIFA), who sculpted the historical piece.
Inscribed on this sculpture are the names of the nine constituent Makerere University Colleges listed in alphabetical order. The sculpture will be put in the Main Building Hallway for all to see.
The 62nd graduation has come to a close. Special thanks to the various teams that have seen the event, which started on 16th January 2012, end successfully. It is worth noting that last week, students from the College of Business And Management Sciences, CoBAMS, exhibited a high level of discipline deserving of the Chancellor's mention.
Congratulations to all graduates and congratulations to Makerere University for officially turning Collegiate.
Downloads
Audio
Citation of Honour by Prof. Grace K. Bantebya: .wma(19.13MB)
H.E. Dr. Mwai Kibaki's Acceptance Speech: .wma(11.42MB)
Address by H.E. Dr. Gen. Yoweri K. Museveni: .wma(29.83MB)
Article by Marion Alina, Public Relations Office
Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11th and 12th April 2025 with a vision to leave no student behind by nurturing a community of confident, articulate, and visionary leaders who will drive positive change in society. The tournament was held in three preliminary rounds, followed by semi-finals and a grand finale.
The first round covered democracy and youth participation in politics, while the second round covered inequality and wealth distribution, and the third, the ban on export of raw materials. The semi-final round debated apprenticeship for blue-collar jobs, while the grand finale debated national budget allocations for healthcare and education. In the spirit of inclusivity, all colleges, including the Jinja Campus participated in the tournament.
Commenting on the choice of topics, the organisers noted Makerere University as a bastion of academic excellence has a profound responsibility to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of our nation. These leaders, they added, ought to be equipped with 21st century skills of self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving so as to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving world.
On the whole, Makerere Inter-college Debates were conceived as a strategic initiative to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and innovation. The Debating Union aims to empower the future leaders by providing a platform for students to engage in respectful discourse, articulate their thoughts, as well as develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the Debates serve as a platform for not only honing the intellectual prowess of students but also cultivating leadership skills, teamwork, and communication abilities that are essential for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. It is envisaged that this initiative will have a lasting impact on the lives of students, by exposing them to debates on topical issues that can shape the mindsets of transformative leaders our nation needs.
After a thrilling two days of debate, Daphine Kemigisha and Jibril Ssekandi from the School of Law (SoL) emerged as winners of the Makerere University Inter-college Debate Tournament 2025, while Olara Emmanuel George from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) was the Public Speech Champion, and Namujuzi Martha Mociita from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) was the Poetry Champion.
The 2025 Tournament was organized by Mayanja Owen and Nkalubo Oprah – 91st Guild Representative Councils (GRCs) of the Debate Union, Akatwijuka Arthur – Chairperson Debate Union, and Debate Union Representatives from colleges. The Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) partnered with the Debate Union to deliver the 2025 edition.
Addressing students at the award ceremony, UNNGOF’s Mr. Derrick Baluuku encouraged the youth to step out of their comfort zones and think of solutions to inspire change in their communities.
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