General
H.E Ssekandi launches Prof. Nsibambi’s book on national integration
In an interview on the day of the book launch, the author-Professor Apolo Robin Nsibambi said: “I have written this book on national integration to share ideas and knowledge with Ugandans and the world over. When the ideas are read world over, humanity will understand and appreciate what is in Uganda.”
The author is a former Prime Minister of Uganda (1999-2011), Minister of Public Service (1996-1998) and Minister of Education and Sports (1998-1999).
At Makerere University, Professor Nsibambi is respected for his enormous contribution to Makerere University’s transformation and continuity in building for the future. He is distinguished alumnus of Makerere University (Bsc Economics London at Makerere University) who served his alma-mater as member of faculty, Head of Department of Political Science and Public Administration (1978-1990); Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences (1978-1983, 1985-1987), and Director- Makerere Institute of Social Research (1993-1996), and Chancellor (2003-2007).
On Friday 26th September 2014, Professor Nsibambi presented to Ugandans and the world at large, another book titled, National Integration in Uganda 1962-2013, published by Fountain Publishers, Kampala, Uganda. Professor Nsibambi renown for encouraging people to publish has 54 publications including a book on decentralization and civil society in Uganda: The Quest for Good Governance,1998.
In his 337 page book, Professor Nsibambi examines the problems and prospects of national integration since 1962 when Uganda achieved independence to 2013. He presents seven chapters: Introduction: National Integration in Uganda (1962-2013); Definition of National Integration; Integrating Buganda into Uganda (1962-2013); Integrating Karamoja into Uganda; Integrating the Northern Region into Uganda; the Language Factor and National Integration in Uganda; the book ends with Chapter VI, which draws together the main themes of the work and provides some reflections by way of conclusion.
The book concludes by asking a question: ‘What is the main obstacle to the integration of Buganda,Karamoja and the Northern region into Uganda?’
To answer the question, Prof. Nsibambi provides historical evidence and lessons that can be learnt, uses the available literature/research on the evolution of Uganda, and he asserts that the Central Government has established central authority over Buganda, Karamoja and the northern region. He equally points out that the failure of the Government to take adequate deliberate steps to make English and Swahili, two official languages, to be widely understood national languages, has reduced the realization of trans-ethnic integration.
Launching the book, H.E Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda congratulated Prof. Apolo Nsibambi on yet another milestone in his very long and distinguished career as an Academician and a person who has made tremendous contribution in extending the boundaries of knowledge to a sizeable number of people.
“Prof. Nsibambi is eminently qualified to write this book because he is a not only strong academic but an experienced Political Leader. I discovered Prof. Apolo Nsibambi when he was a Member of the Constituent Assembly which made our Constitution. He was articulate on constitutional and political issues; and a wordsmith of sorts. You all remember words like “lugubrious,” said the Vice President drawing applause from Senior Citizens in this country, religious and political leaders, civil society, leaders of political parties, academia, media who attended the book launch at Sheraton Hotel, Kampala.
Arch Bishop Emeritus Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo thanked the Almighty God for blessing Professor Nsibambi with wisdom to write the book on national integration. He also appealed to the Almighty God to equally bless audience and all Ugandans with a reading culture.
The Managing Director, Fountain Publishers, Mr. James Tumusiime welcomed Prof. Nsibambi’s book as a timely addition to Uganda’s knowledge. Acknowledging Prof. Nsibambi as a great lover of knowledge and an advocate for the reading culture and publishing, Mr. Tumusiime thanked authors in Uganda and world over for writing books to bridge the knowledge gaps.
The Vice President, H.E Kiwanuka Ssekandi pointed out that the absence of national integration had caused Ugandans to fight religious and tribal wars. He reiterated the NRM Government’s commitment to the promotion and realization integration at National, Regional and Continental levels; for socio-economic transformation of our people, from Peasantry to Modernity.
“Government, therefore, will continue to emphasise the importance of unity and need for a common vision based on the desire to fight poverty, and improve the social wellbeing of the people. I, therefore, wish to take this opportunity to call upon all Ugandans to appreciate the importance of integration and unity if we are to overcome, the challenges of our times,” he said.
This valuable book published by Fountain Publishers Limited costs only Thirty thousand shillings only (30,000/=).
Written by: Ritah Namisango, Makerere University Public Relations Office
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.
-
General1 hour agoUndergraduate Admission Lists 2026/2027
-
General7 days agoMakerere Hands Over CCE Hall to NEC for Renovation
-
General1 week agoFees Waiver Female Scholarship 2026/2027
-
General2 weeks agoMakerere University Set to Develop Curriculum to Transform Graduate Supervision and Mentorship
-
Education2 weeks agoMakerere University Signs MoU with Fukui University to enhance Research, Teacher Development and STEM Education