General
MURBS Seminar provokes Staff Entrepreneurial Spirit
“Retirement goes beyond simply choosing a date to retire” were some of the words of wisdom that echoed across the Makerere University Main Hall during the second retirement planning sensitization seminar. As part of its Member Education series, the Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme (MURBS) held the seminar on Tuesday 18th March 2014, organized as a way of helping members devise the best plan for their retirement. The MURBS Board of Trustees (BoT) lined up a panel of speakers namely; Mr. Fulgence Mungereza, Mrs. Edna Rugumayo and Mr. Kaka Sudesh, with the promise to tickle, excite and educate.
Welcoming scheme and BoT Members present to the seminar, the Secretary BoT, MURBS, Dr. John Kitayimbwa emphasized the need to have a panel representative of at least three age groups so as to best cater for all Members, the target range being 20 to 70 years. In her opening remarks, the Chairperson, BoT, MURBS Hajjati Fatumah Nakatudde encouraged the audience to always reflect on retirement as a time enjoy the benefits of their hard work and hence prepare adequately for it.
“I encourage each and every one of us here to always seriously; assess your readiness to retire, identify actions to improve your readiness to retire, acquire adequate financial planning knowledge and most importantly develop a saving culture for your retirement,” counseled Hajjati Fatumah Nakatudde.
The first panelist at the seminar Mr. Fulgence Mungereza, a partner with Mungereza and Kariisa, a certified public accounts firm, thanked Members for taking time to attend the event, noting that eminent people especially those employed by Makerere ought to start preparing for retirement as early as the first day at work. “Planning and saving starts now,” emphasized Mr. Mungereza, further noting that “Few retirees live comfortably afterwards, with some being entirely devastated as retirement seems to catch them by surprise!”
He noted the dangers of overdependence on salaries and encouraged the audience to always devise means of securing a side income. Mr. Mungereza who delivered his presentation in a matter-of-factly way then challenged the members especially Men to always consider their partners when making investment decisions. “Working secretly is dangerous! The first partner is your wife,” he wisely counseled.
Mr. Mungereza encouraged the audience to adopt a saving culture, noting that it is not about the amount but the habit “wealth is a function of savings not earnings,” he elaborated. He cautioned members to always review the status of their assets so as to ascertain what to do with them. “Get out of bad debt. Do not borrow a “Cheap debt”; for the sake of servicing expenses.” He instead advised that members should adopt measures like mortgaging their property for the sake of garnering investment capital. Mr. Mungereza concluded by urging all members to write their wills so as to keep their hard-earned money within the family. He commended the audience for investing in quality education for their children but warned against depending on them for their retirement. “Children are a good investment but they may ignore you in your latter years,” he said.
Mrs. Edna Rugumayo, also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and the ICPAU-nominated MURBS BoT Member then gave her contribution on preparing for retirement as the second panelist of the day. An alumna from the School of Statistics and Applied Economics, Makerere University, Mrs. Rugumayo advised the audience against regarding retirement from Makerere as the complete cessation of active employment. Using her own example as a recent retiree, she noted that we were enjoying a higher standard of living than our forefathers and hence living longer, a factor that necessitated us to carefully plan for retirement. “Planning for retirement is planning for life,” she aptly stated.
Regarding the need to ensure that members lived a well-balanced life, Mrs. Rugumayo offered a few words of wisdom to the younger crop of MURBS members, who unfortunately were sparsely represented in the audience. “Do not wait to marry late, for in so doing, all your problems will be delayed.” She encouraged all present to keep on improving their qualifications so as to avoid going into obsolescence. Recognizing the need to set goals in all aspects of life including one’s income and expenses, Mrs. Rugumayo advised that every goal should be accompanied by a plan or else it would simply remain a wish. “Set long-term goals for your life and then set short-term goals on how to get there [incrementally]. Do not be disappointed when you fall short of your goals but instead have a personal change management plan to help you adjust accordingly,” counseled Mrs. Edna Rugumayo.
She also observed that personal financial planning is an aspect that is closely linked with our lifestyles. In this regard, Mrs. Rugumayo recommended that saving ought to be thought of before spending, noting that saving can only work as a culture. “Draw up a personal saving plan and stick to it. Mandatory saving is good but insufficient because the benefits are received only at the end and will not save you in the event of an emergency,” she advised.
On the subject of where we ought to keep our savings, Mrs. Rugumayo summarily but with the wisdom of one very knowledgeable on the subject said, “At worst, save in the bank. Savings dwindle with time and in the long run, you are enriching the bank,” she pointedly noted. She instead advised members to consider tried and tested avenues like land banking which has been discovered to be lucrative saving vehicle in Uganda. She also advised members to consider investing in Government securities like bonds and treasury bills. And whereas the small business sector is regarded as the least capital intensive, the former Assistant Commissioner Finance at the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) advised that Members should first seek to acquire specialized knowledge on the intricacies of their operations prior to investing in them.
In concluding her presentation, Mrs. Rugumayo noted that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for investment. She also advised that annuity; a fixed sum of money paid out by the Government to retirees each year, is not very well developed in Uganda and advised against totally relying on it.
The third and final panelist of the day and arguably the most energetic then took to the stage and encouraged members to get up and stretch before he could start his presentation. The 31 year old Business Coach and Keynote speaker who retired at only 24 then dared anyone to doze off during his presentation, as he walked to and fro the aisle in the Main Hall. The CEO at Sudesh International Consult Ltd and Graduate of Makerere University then launched into his presentation by defining that a business should be commercial, profitable and above all able to work without your presence.
As one who started doing business at only 10 years of age thanks to a well-established culture of business-minded parents and grandparents, Mr. Sudesh shared that he had lost it all so many times before but most importantly, had learned valuable lessons that continue shaping his business engagements to date. “The most important thing is to get and keep customers,” he shared as one of the lessons learned. He further noted that the principles of good business ought to come first and once mastered, can be applied across varying scenarios for they are more or less the same.
Mr. Sudesh by virtue of his profession meets a lot of business owners and practitioners. He noted that during one such engagement, he more than ever before learnt to respect the distinction between the two-sided nature of business; technical and managerial. He advised business owners and those intending to start to always identify their strength as either technical or managerial and then proceed to employ someone else to handle the side that they were less skilled at. In so doing, they would then be able to avoid stifling the business’ growth, “You cannot do it all. You need partners to carry your business beyond your own dreams,” he advised.
The best timing of when to go into business is a decision that beleaguers one too many. To this end, Mr. Sudesh advised members to always take the initiative to start now, as the conditions will never be 100% perfect. He however advised that once up and running, one ought to treasure their employees, “People matter the most. How you treat your team is the key to your success or failure.” In concluding his presentation Mr. Sudesh asked the audience to always ponder on the three questions; Are you [as a business owner/manager] seeing what is or what you hope for? Are you [as a business/product] remarkable or invisible? Are you [as a business/product] growing or dying?
At the conclusion of the presentations, the audience was given the opportunity to ask questions, which ranged from why one who has worked very hard all their lives should not just simply enjoy their savings, to how to purchase Government securities. In their responses the panelists and BoT Members advised the audience to always look at work as pleasure and even after retirement, to go into those business ventures that are fulfilling. MURBS Members also received advice from Prof. James Ntozi, Chair, Makerere University Pensioners Association (MUPA) to always be united in their demand for good retirement packages from both Makerere University and the Government.
At the conclusion of the seminar the Chairperson, BoT, MURBS Hajjati Fatumah Nakatudde thanked the panelists for their respective great deliveries and members for turning up to receive sound investment advice. She further encouraged members to increase their monthly savings to MURBS. “Mandatory savings currently being deducted are very small. Let us each try to make additional voluntary savings,” she said. The Secretary BoT, MURBS, Dr. John Kitayimbwa reiterated Hajjati Nakatudde’s appeal by sharing that “Last year, MURBS paid out 12.6% interest to members, which was above inflation and 1% more than what NSSF paid to its members.”
The next seminar in the series will feature the MURBS fund managers, who have expressed willingness to come and educate members on how to invest in equities and Government securities. Members are advised to come and attend these trainings to improve their knowledge on sound Financial investment.
Article and Pictures by Public Relations Office
When a delegation from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) visited Makerere University on 23rd July 2026, one of the biggest discussions was how universities can effectively manage research grants.
The MUST delegation, led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Pauline Byakika Kibwika, visited Makerere to learn from the University’s experience in managing externally funded research projects. During the meeting, Makerere Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe revealed that while MUST managed research grants worth about UGX 13 billion in the last financial year, Makerere’s research portfolio now stands at approximately USD 250 million.
The discussion focused on the systems, policies and accountability measures that have enabled Makerere to manage one of the largest research portfolios in Africa.
Research Funding Built on Trust.
Prof. Nawangwe explained that Makerere’s research funding comes from different colleges and research units.
He noted that the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) alone attracts about USD 70 million annually, while the School of Public Health receives approximately USD 30 million each year. Together, the two units account for nearly USD 100 million in research funding.
He said these grants are made possible because development partners trust the University to manage public resources responsibly.
“We must ensure proper accountability so that we don’t lose the trust of our donors and continue benefiting from their support,” Prof. Nawangwe said.
How Makerere Manages Research Grants.
Acting University Secretary Mr. Simon Kizito took the MUST delegation through the key requirements that every grant funded project must meet under Makerere’s Grants Administration and Management Support Unit (GAMSU).
He explained that every research project must first be included in the University’s approved budget in line with the Public Finance Management Act before any funds can be spent.
He also emphasized that procurement under research grants must comply with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Act, regardless of the donor’s procurement guidelines.
“The Auditor General will pounce on you” if procurement procedures are not followed, he cautioned.
Mr. Kizito further explained that all assets purchased using grant funds, including vehicles and equipment, must be recorded in the University’s central assets register unless the funding agreement states otherwise.
He added that separate project bank accounts can only be opened with approval from the Accountant General, while all projects must submit both financial and narrative reports to funders and government and undergo regular audits.
University Bursar Mr. Evarist Bainomugisha noted that although grant funds do not appear directly in the University’s main financial statements, they are fully disclosed in the notes to the accounts and are audited annually before reports are submitted to Parliament.
Lessons from the Research and Innovation Fund.
The delegation also learnt about the Makerere Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF).
Representing the Fund, Dr. Roy William Mayega said Mak-RIF has invested about UGX 172 billion in research and innovation over the last seven financial years.
He explained that 70 percent of the funding supports competitive research grants, 10 percent is reserved for projects addressing national priorities, while the remaining funds support monitoring, evaluation and dissemination of research findings.
According to Dr. Mayega, the Fund has so far supported 1,480 research and innovation projects, with 53% completed and 47% still ongoing.
Looking Beyond Research Grants.
Director of Research, Innovation and Partnerships Prof. Robert Wamala encouraged the visiting delegation to look beyond simply winning research grants.
He emphasized the importance of investing in strong internal systems, using artificial intelligence to improve efficiency, and ensuring that research leads to publications, patents, commercialization and partnerships with industry.
He noted that universities should not only focus on attracting grants but also on translating research into solutions that benefit society.
Learning from Makerere’s experience.
Prof. Pauline Byakika Kibwika said MUST recently established a Research Institute to coordinate research activities and grant management under one structure. She explained that the University wanted to learn from Makerere’s experience as its own research portfolio continues to grow.
“We have come to learn from your achievements as well as the challenges, so that we can do things better,” she said.
She added that the visit marks the beginning of closer collaboration between the two institutions, with a follow up technical engagement planned to allow the MUST team to learn more about Makerere’s grant management systems, including the GAMSU online platform.
General
Makerere, Southwest Minzu University and NARO Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance Livestock Research and Innovation
Makerere University has taken a significant step towards strengthening international research collaboration following a high-level meeting with a delegation from Southwest Minzu University, China, to advance a strategic partnership in animal husbandry, veterinary sciences and agricultural innovation.
Held on 23rd July 2026, the meeting brought together representatives from Makerere University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB), the Advancement Office, Southwest Minzu University and the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) to discuss a long-term collaboration aimed at enhancing livestock productivity, promoting scientific research and building institutional capacity.
The proposed partnership builds on an earlier study visit by NARO to Southwest Minzu University, where discussions identified opportunities to introduce high-quality goat breeds with superior genetic traits for crossbreeding with indigenous Ugandan breeds. The initiative positions Uganda as the first country in Africa to benefit from the introduction of these specialised breeds, with the goal of improving livestock productivity and supporting farmers’ livelihoods.
While livestock improvement forms the foundation of the collaboration, partners agreed that the five-year initiative will extend far beyond animal husbandry. The partnership is expected to foster joint research in agro-technology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, microbiology and laboratory sciences, creating new opportunities for scientific innovation and knowledge exchange. The project will be anchored at NARO’s Kawanda research facilities before expanding to twelve research institutions across Uganda, with Makerere University providing academic leadership, scientific expertise and research support.
Welcoming the delegation, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Sarah Ssali, reaffirmed Makerere University‘s commitment to international collaboration as a driver of research excellence, innovation and capacity development. She noted that the University, through the advancement office, continues to leverage its extensive global partnerships to facilitate knowledge exchange while addressing national development priorities through research.
Prof. Ssali further observed that introducing improved goat breeds presents an opportunity to transform Uganda’s livestock sector by enabling farmers to move beyond subsistence production towards more commercially viable animal husbandry systems. She emphasized that the success of the partnership will depend on effective coordination, well-defined institutional frameworks and sustained communication among all partners.
Speaking on behalf of Southwest Minzu University, the visiting delegation expressed appreciation for Makerere University‘s hospitality and reaffirmed their commitment to establishing a lasting institutional partnership with both Makerere University and NARO. Beyond collaborative research, the delegation highlighted opportunities for staff exchanges, joint scientific projects and postgraduate training, including scholarships for Makerere students pursuing Master’s and PhD programmes. They also extended an invitation to Makerere University‘s leadership to undertake a reciprocal visit to Southwest Minzu University in China.
Discussions also focused on operationalizing the partnership for the benefit of International education through staff and student exchange. Makerere University‘s International Office committed to developing an implementation framework linking Makerere University and Southwest Minzu University, while ensuring that staff and postgraduate students benefit from scholarship opportunities, research collaborations and international mobility programmes. The Office will also coordinate the development of exchange guidelines and work with the Academic Registrar on postgraduate scholarship applications.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to building a sustainable partnership that combines international expertise with Uganda’s research priorities. By bringing together Makerere University‘s academic excellence, Southwest Minzu University’s specialized expertise and NARO’s national agricultural research infrastructure, the collaboration is expected to strengthen livestock research, advance scientific innovation and contribute to Uganda’s agricultural transformation.
Expected Outcomes of the Partnership
The proposed collaboration between Makerere University, Southwest Minzu University and the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) is expected to create a strong platform for advancing research, innovation and capacity development in Uganda’s agricultural sector. By combining the complementary strengths of the three institutions, the partnership seeks to promote multidisciplinary research in animal husbandry, biotechnology, agro-technology, artificial intelligence and microbiology, while supporting the development of innovative solutions to address challenges in livestock production and animal health.
A key anticipated outcome is enhanced academic and research capacity through joint research initiatives, staff exchanges and postgraduate training opportunities. The partnership is expected to provide Makerere University students with access to Master’s and PhD scholarships at Southwest Minzu University, while enabling researchers and academic staff to participate in collaborative research, scientific exchange programmes and international knowledge-sharing initiatives. These engagements are expected to strengthen institutional research capacity and foster the development of highly skilled professionals in veterinary and agricultural sciences.
The collaboration is also expected to strengthen the link between research and practice. With NARO serving as the implementation anchor for field-based activities and Makerere providing academic and scientific leadership, the partnership aims to facilitate the translation of research into practical innovations that improve livestock productivity, enhance food security and contribute to sustainable agricultural development in Uganda.
At the institutional level, the partnership is expected to expand Makerere University‘s international research networks, attract collaborative research opportunities and reinforce its position as a leading research-intensive university. By fostering long-term collaboration across academia, research institutions and international partners, the initiative has the potential to contribute to Uganda’s agricultural transformation while advancing knowledge generation, technology transfer and evidence-based innovation.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and Members of Management on 23rd July 2026 hosted a delegation from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) led by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Pauline Byakika-Kibwika. The visit follows the formation of the Grants Office under the newly opened MUST Research Institute. This delegation was therefore keen to benchmark Makerere University’s Grants Administration and Management Support Unit (GAMSU)’s experience as the office responsible for managing all MUST’s research and innovation funding takes shape.
Welcoming the delegation, most of whom are alumni of Makerere University, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe commended MUST on strides made in human capacity development throughout the 37 years of existence, particularly in the health sciences.
“We have collaborated in various areas, particularly in medicine – I see many of our researchers publishing together, and we have joint programmes, especially in HIV/AIDS research” the Vice Chancellor remarked, before adding “Our collaboration in medicine is very strong, and it would be good to expand this collaboration to other disciplines.”
Prof. Nawangwe emphasized that although this was a benchmarking visit, the learning process is two-way and as such, the team from Makerere is equally keen to learn from their MUST counterparts. “As a slightly smaller university, you may have more time to reflect on issues than we do,” he explained.
In her remarks, Prof. Byakika-Kibwika thanked the Vice Chancellor and University Management for accepting to host the benchmarking delegation, noting that it was a homecoming visit for her and several colleagues. She equally acknowledged that collaborations in Medicine take the lion’s share of existing work between two intuitions.
“Our largest faculty, formerly the Faculty of Medicine, has recently been renamed the Faculty of Health Sciences to better reflect its broader mandate. However, our other faculties include: Faculty of Science, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Faculty of Computing and Informatics, and the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology (Engineering)” she explained.
She added that in 2026, MUST established the Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Veterinary Sciences, and is restructuring the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies to strengthen its focus as a science and technology university. Away from academia, Prof. Byakika-Kibwika shared that MUST’s hitherto semi-autonomous research centres had been brought under the umbrella of a Research Institute, “to provide a coordinated framework for research.”
They include the Centre of: Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine; Innovation and Technology Transfer; Tropical Forest Conservation; Maternal, Newborn and Child Health; Entrepreneurship; and Public Policy and Economic Data.
Turning to the gist of the visit, Prof. Byakika-Kibwika noted that as MUST continues to restructure its units and grow it’s grants portfolio, tapping into Makerere University’s wealth of experience in attracting and managing funding from both the Government and development partners is inevitable.
“Makerere, as the leading university in the country, continues to support other universities, and we would like to benefit from that experience,” Prof. Byakika-Kibwika remarked. “We hope to learn from both your achievements and your challenges so that we can improve our own systems” she concluded.
The meeting was attended by the Acting University Secretary-Mr. Simon Kizito, University Bursar-Mr. Evarist Bainomugisha, Director Research, Innovation and Partnerships-Prof. Robert Wamala, Director Research and Graduate Training-Prof. Julius Kikooma, Head GAMSU- Prof. Sylvia Antonia Nakimera Nannyonga-Tamusuza, Member of Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) Coordinator-Dr. Roy William Mayega and Advancement Office’s Mr. Vincent Lubega Nsamba.
The MUST delegation included; Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-Prof. Joseph Ngonzi, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration)-Prof. Robert Bitariho, University Secretary-Mr. Vincent Kansiime Kwatampora, and Chief Human Resources Officer-Mr. Prinari Behangana. Others included Finance Manager-CPA Annah Atuhaire, MUST Research Institute Chief Research Officer-Assoc. Prof. Angella Musiimenta, Principal Legal Officer-Mr. Timothy Mugumya, Deputy Secretary (Planning)-Ms. Robinah Nakakeeto and Dean Faculty of Business and Management Sciences-Dr. John Baguma Kule.
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