The 64th graduation ceremony came to a close at Makerere University on 31st January 2014, with a total of 12,615 students graduating. A higher percentage, 50.3% of these were female compared to their male counterparts at 49.7%. The closing day of the graduation saw Makerere University Business School present 3,794 graduands. Ms. Orobia Laura Aseru, stood out as the only PhD graduate of the day.

 

The best performing student in the Humanities Mr.  Frank Kabuye, with a CGPA of 4.79, received a plaque, a cheque of 1million shillings and souvenir items from Makerere Convocation. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration.

 

In his remarks, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu (Pictured below right) applauded MUBS for the progress made and called out for more collaboration with Makerere University. “There has been limited collaboration between Makerere University Business School and the School of Business in the College of Business and Management Sciences at Makerere University. I believe our two institutions can benefit greatly from mutual collaboration in teaching, research and supervision. MUBS being the leading business school in the region, it can surely assist the School of Business at Makerere University in a number of ways. Similarly, the School of Business at Makerere University has certain expertise that can be useful to MUBS. Indeed, our two institutions can reinforce each another. I therefore urge all of us to initiate stronger and visible links,” he emphasized.

 

The Principal of MUBS, Prof. Waswa Balunywa, was represented by Dr. Arthur Sserwanga. “Use the knowledge gained at MUBS to help your families, communities and the world. Individually and collectively,” he said.

 

The Makerere University Chancellor, Prof. George Mondo Kagonyera, commended MUBS for extending the Makerere University reach. “I further commend you for extending Makerere’s reach to as far as Arua, over 400km from Kampala. In so doing, you have saved our students the burden of commuting to and from Kampala and also increased our proximity to Southern Sudan and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,” he said.

 

The four-day ceremony kicked off on Tuesday, 28th Jan. 2014. As part of the celebration and efforts towards infrastructure development at Makerere University, an appeal to congregants to support the $30m proposed Students’ Centre was launched. Pledge cards were distributed to graduates (now alumni) and all well-wishers, to generously support this cause; which will benefit many generations to come. The Chancellor emphasized that support from the alumni and wellwishers is part of the success story of many of the top world universities. He urged members of Staff of Makerere University to equally support the cause. (To support the students Centre, contact Mr.  Agaba Issa of the Public Relations Office of Makerere University, iagaba@admin.mak.ac.ug, for more).

 

In other highlights of the 64th graduation ceremony, the fresh-in-office Vice Chairperson of Makerere University Council Hon. Irene Ovonji-Odida (Pictured Above), the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs (DVC AA), Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang, and the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration (DVC FA) were introduced to the parents and guests by the Chancellor. They were part of the powerful Chancellor’s procession, looking resplendent in their full official robes.

 

Ms. Sarah Kimala (Pictured 2nd Right), the best student in Sciences with a CGPA of 4.83 graduated with a Bachelor of Information Systems. She too received a plaque and a cheque of 1million shillings from Convocation. The Makerere University Public Relations Office also presented the overall best Students with copies of publications about Makerere University for their private libraries.

The highly colourful 64th graduation ceremony was organized by the Makerere University Ceremonies Committee, under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Steven Nyanzi.