General
Mak-UPF toast to improved relationship at Oryema Memorial Lecture
As part of events to mark the Uganda Police Force (UPF) Centenary celebrations, on 16th September 2014 Makerere University hosted the Erinayo Oryema Memorial lecture in honour of Uganda’s first indigenous Inspector General of Police. Born on 1st January 1917, the late Lt. Col. Erinayo Wilson Oryema enlisted in the Uganda Police Force in 1939 and rose through the ranks to eventually serve as Inspector General of Police from 1964 to 1971.
By 2:00pm on the warm Tuesday afternoon that the Memorial Lecture was held, the Main Hall was abuzz with conversations as guests and members of the Makerere community were ushered to their seats; occasionally stopping to briefly greet and laugh with a few familiar faces in the midst of flashing green and blue strobes of light from the grand setup by the events company. With the Inspector General of Police, IGP-Gen. Kale Kayihura, Cabinet Ministers, UPF top brass and various dignitaries freely greeting and mingling with the audience, the security detail was obvious and meticulous in the execution of its duties. This was soon put to the test as several members of the audience had to be tactfully asked to take up seats in the gallery, as only the reserved seats were empty way before the talk could start.
Welcoming all present to the Memorial Lecture, the Chancellor Prof. George Mondo Kagonyera thanked the UPF for choosing Makerere University as the place of remembrance for an illustrious Ugandan. He thanked the IGP for closely relating with Makerere, noting that at one time the institution had the worst reputation with all armed forces in Uganda.
“The Makerere University community finds it wonderful to celebrate this marked improvement in our relationship as evidenced by the recent training of our students in crime prevention skills by the Uganda Police,” noted the Chancellor. “This is indeed remarkable progress as compared to situation in previous regimes where it was a serious offence to be identified as member of staff of Makerere University” added Prof. Kagonyera.
He noted that the late Lt. Col. Erinayo Oryema was a gentleman of perfect distinction and his death as well as that of Archbishop Janani Luwum and Mr. Charles Oboth Ofumbi was one of the biggest crimes of the Ugandan Government then, “I hope that this will never happen again in this country” reflected the Prof. Kagonyera, further adding “it is high time that the History of Uganda became a compulsory subject so as to educate our youth on the distinctive qualities of great leaders such as the late Oryema.”
The moderator of the day and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Vision Group Mr. Robert Kabushenga thanked the Uganda Police for the tremendous work done over their 100 years of existence, especially in line with the day’s theme “From Colonial Policing to Community Policing; A Century of Challenges, Achievements and Transformation”. He recommended that the audience reads Andrew Okello Lawoko’s The Dungeons of Nakasero and Henry Kyemba’s State of Blood to better appreciate how much policing had transformed in Uganda. He then asked Hon. Henry Kyemba who was also present in the audience to stand up for recognition of his authorship and contribution to the Nation’s transformation.
Prior to delivering his keynote address, Dr. Jude Kagoro a former Makerere University Lecturer currently serving at Bremen University, Germany took time to recognize his former colleagues in the Department of Religion and Peace Studies, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) like Dr. Paddy Musana and thank Makerere for firmly establishing him in the field of Peace and Conflict studies. He applauded Dr. Simba Kayunga, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, CHUSS whose then rousing political science talks in the Main Hall set the pace for his own now busy speaking schedule.
Dr. Kagoro then delved into his address, which sought to give a sociological understanding of the Uganda Police, an often neglected area. He noted and appreciated the role of the Media and NGOs whose reports help to inform and educate the public on UPF performance but added that these often do not take into consideration the other aspects that affect the force. “You would be surprised to note that research the world over almost exactly mimics details on the social aspects of the police however an academic understanding of this is missing,” said Dr. Kagoro.
He observed that the UPF does a commendable job in the Ugandan communities putting into considerations that factors that would have favoured policing like National Identity Cards and proper physical addressing are almost nonexistent in Uganda. He however noted that despite these encumbrances and in comparison to other countries, the Ugandan people overwhelmingly report crime to the Police, which speaks of confidence in the force and an intimate relationship between the UPF and masses.
Commenting on the colonial versus the community policing model, Dr. Kagoro appreciated the noticeable difference in gender balance as evidenced by the increasing number of female Officers heading Directorates, Police Stations and various departments. He also noted the increased presence of police officers of all categories in even the most remote locations citing an example of the unexpected presence of traffic officers on remote country roads in Kotido and other locations he had visited. He also noted the marked improvement in the psychosocial value of the UPF in the communities, as shown by the willingness of music artistes to freely partner with the Police. He also observed this also played out in the form of elderly citizens especially in the Central region often visiting police stations to report suspicious patterns in the community that were yet to break out into criminal activity. He concluded his keynote address by emphasizing that the ordinary citizen is not only a consumer but a co-producer of order in partnership with security agencies and therefore must embrace their civic duty and responsibility to remain orderly.
Discussing the keynote address, Mr. Andrew Mwenda, CEO-The Independent started off by observing that our media today was awash with self-proclaimed commentators whose opinions are mostly based on hearsay and as such rely on stereotypes and prejudice to make comments. He appealed to journalists to conduct meticulous research by interviewing a representative sample of the various stakeholders so as to exercise a degree of objectivity in what they were reporting.
He also advised the UPF to constantly publish all the community outreach activities and positive strides made in order to stem the tide negative publicity, which threatens to overwhelm all the good work that the force is doing. He however advised all those intending to organize demonstrations to first of all be organized by restraining all participants from participating in any illegal activity such as looting and destruction of property. In concluding his remarks, he commended to the IGP Gen. Kale Kayihura for increasing the visibility of the Uganda Police through transforming the force from the colonial to the community policing model. He also thanked the IGP for maintaining public order and thereby enabling the force to be better facilitated to improve its other units.
The patient audience was then given a chance to participate in the lecture and members expressed opinions that ranged from the need to improve on the welfare of retired police officers to the need for UPF to take advantage of the academic specializations of their Senior Officers, some of whom had earned Masters and Doctoral degrees. Participating as a member of the audience The Minister in charge of General Duties, Office of the Prime Minister, Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere commended Dr. Kagoro for once again awakening the sociology in him and acknowledging the improvement in the relationship between the UPF and general public; a very important aspect of sociology.
“Many of us are getting focused on causative and forgetting these qualitative differences that occur in our lives. I wish that another type of debate on the causative differences between the UPF and the public over the years could be organized,” commented Prof. Kabwegyere.
The Woman Parliamentary representative-Kitgum District Hon. Beatrice Atim Anywar then took time to make her contribution, noting that as the police celebrated 100 years, it was important to also examine the other side. She observed the need to desensitize members of the rural population in some regions from only looking at the UPF an organ that quells riots. She also requested the IGP to oversee the welfare of female Police Officers, especially those who needed to fulfill their maternity obligations.
In his remarks, the IGP thanked all present especially the families of the late Erinayo Oryema and Janani Luwum for attending the inaugural memorial lecture. He also commended the Management of Makerere University and student leadership for cooperating with the UPF to peacefully resolve any standoffs. Commenting on the current reputation of the UPF as a “tear gas force” he noted that circumstances often dictated police responses and such means were only a last resort.
The Chief Guest at the Memorial Lecture the State Minister for Internal Affairs Hon. James Baba paid tribute to the late Lt. Col. Erinayo Oryema for his distinguished service to his nation and people both as IGP and Minister. He shared that Lt. Col. Oryema will be reburied with full honours at his ancestral home in Tangi village, Purongo Sub-county in Nwoya District on 18th September 2014.
At the conclusion of the Memorial Lecture, the UPF hosted all guests present including members of the late Lt. Col. Erinayo Oryema and Archbishop Janani Luwum families to a cocktail where members of the force freely interacted with the public.
Article by Public Relations Office
General
From Information to Innovation: ‘This Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint’—Academic Registrar and Director of Graduate Training Urge PhD Cohort 11
By Moses Lutaaya
A strong message of transformation, resilience, and purpose defined the orientation of PhD Cohort 11 (2025/2026) held on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at the Makerere University School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering Conference Hall, with academic leaders urging students to rethink what it means to pursue doctoral education in the 21st century.
Presiding over the function, the Academic Registrar, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, delivered an expansive and deeply reflective message, challenging the new doctoral candidates to embrace a fundamentally different academic journey.
Welcoming the students, he reminded them that their admission followed a highly competitive process, placing them among a select group entrusted with shaping the future through research.
“You have come from a competitive pool of deserving Ugandans to embark on a journey that may turn out to be the most challenging in your life, but also the most transformative and rewarding intellectual experience,” he said.
Drawing a clear distinction between earlier academic stages and doctoral study, Prof. Buyinza emphasized that PhD candidates must now take full ownership of their learning journey.“The first time you were here, someone was driving you. This time, you are going to sit in your own seat and drive it.”
He stressed that doctoral study is not a quick academic exercise but a long-term intellectual commitment requiring discipline and endurance. A PhD is not a sprint, it is a marathon. Don’t burn out so fast. Build your stamina, be consistent, and be resilient.”
In a powerful reflection on global change, he noted that today’s complex challenges can no longer be solved within single disciplines. “No single discipline can solve the challenges of the day. You need multi-disciplinarily, inter-disciplinarily, and collaboration to address complex problems.”
He urged students to abandon disciplinary silos and embrace collaborative thinking. “Gone are the days when one discipline could despise another. The world has changed; we need all of these fields working together.”
Prof. Buyinza further emphasized the shift from the information age to the innovation age, challenging students to move beyond consuming knowledge to producing new ideas. “Artificial intelligence can tell us the known. For you, we want you to tell us the unknown.”
He dismantled the traditional image of isolated doctoral study, calling it outdated in the modern academic environment. “That mental image of being hidden away in a library for years is outdated. A PhD in 2026 is very different and the landscape has changed dramatically.”
He emphasized that success in doctoral education depends heavily on collaboration and global academic engagement. “No scholar has ever flourished in isolation. Success today requires peer-to-peer collaboration, cross-cultural learning, and a global mindset.”
In a striking moment, he reframed failure as an essential part of the research process. “Ninety-nine percent of what you try may fail, but the PhD is about using that failure as data to improve your next step.”
He also cautioned against overdependence on artificial intelligence, stressing academic integrity and independent thinking. “Use AI to strengthen your thinking—not to replace it. There are no ghostwriters in scholarship. You must be the thinker.”
Addressing mental health, he urged students to build supportive academic communities. A PhD can be emotionally exhausting. Build communities around you. Take care of your mental health, we need you alive.”
He further called for structured planning and accountability in the doctoral journey. “Write your study plan from day one, how you will move from semester one to semester six. This must be well-structured, well-managed, and supervised.”
Warning against perfectionism, he added: “Perfection is the enemy of completion. If you want everything to be perfect, you may never finish. The world will judge you immediately as a PhD holder. It has no time for excuses. You must be ready.”
In his opening remarks, the Director of Graduate Training, Prof. Julius Kikooma, welcomed the cohort and reinforced the university’s structured approach to doctoral education.
He explained that the cohort system is designed to ensure students progress together and support one another throughout their studies. “You are coming in as a group, and we have put systems in place to ensure you move as a group. This reduces the feeling that you are alone.”
He emphasized that doctoral research must be aligned with national and global priorities. “You are not here for research for its own sake. Your research must be fit for purpose and aligned to the challenges facing society.”
He reminded students of the structured three-year timeline for completion. “We have a contract with you for three years. It may look long, but it is also short. It requires commitment and responsibility on both sides.”
On technology, he cautioned against intellectual dependency on artificial intelligence. “AI is part of our reality, but it must not take over your thinking. Do not outsource the skills you are supposed to acquire.”
He concluded by reaffirming institutional support while stressing student responsibility. “We will do everything possible to ensure you complete in time, but you must also play your part.”
Speaking on behalf of the students, PhD outgoing President Habibu Malyamungu encouraged his colleagues to embrace practical habits and peer support systems.
He urged students to celebrate their achievement but remain grounded in discipline. “You need to congratulate yourselves for joining this program, it is a very important step.”
He challenged the perception that PhD study must be unnecessarily long and difficult.“A PhD is not necessarily a long journey. Sometimes simple things, like writing a few paragraphs before checking your phone can make a big difference.”
He emphasized the importance of collaboration among students.“A colleague can give you a solution that helps you overcome a problem in seconds.”
He further announced psychosocial support initiatives aimed at improving student well-being. “We are planning sessions to help you relax, engage, and relieve stress. These moments are important and they help the brain reset.”
The event closed with a unified message: doctoral training at Makerere University is evolving into a journey of innovation, interdisciplinary, and real-world problem solving—anchored in collaboration and resilience.
General
Advanced Research Methods Training of Trainers Sparks Transformation in Doctoral Training at Makerere University
By Moses Lutaaya
Makerere University has intensified efforts to strengthen graduate supervision and research excellence through a dynamic three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop in Advanced Research Methods held from April 28 to 30, 2026 at the Senate Building Telepresence Hall.
The high-impact training, organized by the Directorate of Graduate Training with support from iCARTA and funding from the NORHED Project, brought together lecturers from across colleges including the School of Law, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), College of Natural Sciences (CONAS), College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security (COVAB), and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS).
The training aimed to build institutional capacity to enhance supervision of graduate students and improve doctoral completion rates, a long-standing challenge in many universities.
Opening the workshop, Prof. Julius Kikooma underscored the strategic importance of continuous staff development in responding to evolving academic demands.
“This particular training is one of the routine tools that we use as the Directorate of Graduate Training to continuously re-tool and re-engage with staff in response to the requirements of the new policy of teaching and learning,” he said.
Prof. Kikooma highlighted that the training is anchored in the university’s shift toward competence-based education, a model increasingly being adopted globally and nationally.
“We are going to be engaging with very important issues on how to redesign and support learners in this new dispensation of competence-based teaching and learning,” he added.
He also pointed to recent reforms in doctoral training, including the introduction of a structured framework for PhD-by-research programmes aimed at addressing delays in completion.
“The expectation is that all staff should be aware of that framework and appreciate that it is designed such that the student picks up a range of skills and knowledge that gives them competence,” he explained.
The workshop also serves as preparation for lecturers who will facilitate upcoming cross-cutting PhD courses, with a long-term vision of decentralizing doctoral training to individual colleges.
Sharing his perspective, Dr. Robert Kakuru a Lecturer at the department of Philosophy described the training as both necessary and timely for strengthening the university’s academic core.
“By all standards, all academic staff are required to do research and supervise graduate students. Therefore, a ToT in Advanced Research Methods becomes important,” he said.
He noted that while the initiative is commendable, more staff still need to be reached.
“This is still a drop in an ocean we have more than 1,000 academic staff who all need these skills,” he observed.
Dr. Kakuru emphasized that improved understanding of research methods by both lecturers and students could significantly ease doctoral journeys. “Once the lecturers know the methods and the students know the methods, then the job is well cut out,” he said.
He further linked the training to Uganda’s broader development agenda, noting that research plays a central role across sectors. “Research has a multiplier effect… every programme area requires research,” he added.
From the participants’ perspective, Dr. Sarah Nakijjoba, a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Linguistics, English Language Studies & Communication Skills described the training as transformative and aligned with global shifts in higher education.
“We are being encouraged to move away from the traditional knowledge-based methods of teaching and embrace competence-based pedagogy,” she said.
Dr. Nakijjoba explained that the training emphasized learner-centered and practical approaches such as peer review, simulations, case studies, and role play. “Research methods is a practical course and requires learners to go out and do as opposed to just knowing,” she noted.
“This training is timely, it prepares us as instructors to deliver our content effectively,” she said, adding that the knowledge gained would be cascaded to other staff and students.
She also highlighted the wider implications for national development and employability. “If we have graduates who have the ability to problem-solve, they will devise practical solutions to real challenges,” she said, emphasizing the potential for evidence-based policymaking.
Dr. Nakijjoba further described research methods as central to the university’s agenda of being research led. “Research is the engine, the backbone and everything rotates around it,” she said, reinforcing Makerere’s ambition of being a research-led institution.
Participants were also equipped with skills in curriculum design, research ethics, academic writing, and the use of statistical tools, all within a competence-based framework. A key focus was on authentic assessment that measures what learners can do.
The training marks a significant step in Makerere University’s broader strategy to enhance graduate education, strengthen supervision, and produce competent researchers capable of addressing national and global challenges.
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