General
Meet Dr. Steven Nyanzi: The Mak Graduation Guru
Assoc. Prof. Steven Allan Nyanzi is the reigning Chairperson of the Makerere University Ceremonies Committee, a position he has held for the last 5 years. Dr. Nyanzi took over from the former Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration, Prof. Tickodri Togboa. He holds a First Class Doctor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Karlsruhe (Germany), a Master of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Science degree with a Concurrent Diploma in Education from Makerere University. Below he shares his experience and thoughts of the Makerere University Graduation Ceremony with Marion Alina.
The Chairperson
As Chairperson of Ceremonies Committee, Dr. Nyanzi works with a committed team of about 20 Members of the Committee. In planning each graduation, more members are co-opted including the College Communication Officers, Public Relations Office, Vice Chancellor’s Office and Staff from other units. “I was a College representative to Senate but Prof. Baryamureeba, the then Acting Vice Chancellor believed that I could Chair the Ceremonies Committee. My name was proposed and I was unanimously elected by Senate,” says the Senator.
Changes in Graduation at Mak
With more students graduating each year, Dr. Nyanzi reveals that the next graduation ceremony will be organized and conducted by the Colleges but in liaison with the Ceremonies Committee. The College-based Graduation ceremonies will still be presided over by the Chancellor, Prof. George Mondo Kagonyera. “A recent sitting of Senate approved that graduation ceremonies be moved to Colleges to cut costs. Each graduation costs us between 500m- I billion shillings. The College-based graduation ceremony will require less personnel and will be easier to manage with smaller numbers of graduating students. We think it might also be less costly, especially if some Colleges combine their graduation ceremonies. The College Administration will fully exercise its autonomy on this issue and also identify a convenient place within the University to conduct its graduation ceremony. We welcome further proposals on this shift,” he explains.
The experience
The Makerere University Graduation ceremony is a big national event, with between 13,000 – 14,000 students graduating. Each graduand is allowed to invite a maximum of two people as witnesses of this special day. By implication, each graduation ceremony sits over 35,000 people spread throughout the graduation duration. Giant screens, a powerful public address system, huge tents, entertainment, high-level security deployment and refreshments are some of the items that heavily draw on the budget. “I used to think Graduation is a simple event but I have come to learn that there are a number of people who work so hard to make it a success. These include the unsung heroes in the Registrar’s Department who compile names and proof read the draft graduation booklet, the University printery which edits the graduation booklet, the security team and other categories of people,” he adds. In some cases, the graduation has not gone smoothly, necessitating printing of addendum lists of graduating students. Dr. Nyanzi says this delay starts from the Departments that are supposed to submit marks on time, and spills over to all the other processes. He nonetheless admits that some Departments have timely submissions, but the process cannot be complete until all submissions have been made.
Dr. Nyanzi is grateful that after the 64th Graduation ceremony, January 2014, the Vice Chancellor Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu hosted a thank-you dinner at his residence and invited most of the people who made this graduation a success. “This was the first recognition of its kind and we hope the practice is maintained. The 64th Graduation was indeed unique because for the first time, we had more female students, 50.3% graduating, compared to the 49.7% male students. It is said that once you educate a girl child you prepare the nation for better times. I am glad we are having more female graduates. It is also at this graduation that the Vice Chancellor insisted that the ceremony be held in four days as opposed to the usual 5 days, to cut costs. Indeed we saved some money. He had also proposed that we hold the 65th graduation in 2 days but this became impossible, so we will have it spread over three days. Prof. Ddumba-Ssentamu will leave behind a legacy of cutting costs, so that the money is diverted to other wanting areas. He is a true economist and we appreciate this,” he says.
Makerere University has also witnessed an increase in the number of students graduating with Masters and doctorate (PhD) degrees. Dr. Nyanzi is bothered that most of the research work of this category of graduates is not funded by government. “During graduation you hear funders from Sweden, Norway, Germany, South Africa and the like, a sign that they have confidence in what we do. But you hardly hear of funding from Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education or other Government entities and yet there are important areas for us as a nation that Government can choose to fund. We need people in Government to realize that there is value in ‘growing your own timber,’ if I am to borrow the words of Prof. Mamdani,” he says emphatically. “I am also pleasantly surprised by the increasing number of people who graduate in the distance education mode. I know that State Minister for Mineral Development Hon. Peter Lokeris, the first lady Hon. Janet Museveni and other important personalities have benefitted from this arrangement and I sincerely appreciate the efforts of our colleagues in Distance Education,” he adds.
Employment for Graduates
With Makerere University sending over 13,000 trained graduates each year to the already strained job market, the scare of insufficient jobs continues to worry many. “We need to think of how to skill students from an early age and make the curricula more practical to Uganda’s needs, lest we risk having a mass of disgruntled youth. It is up to Government to agree that the curricula is not serving the purpose and change it as soon as yesterday, right from Kindergarten,” Dr. Nyanzi reasons.
Honorary Doctorates
Makerere University also awards Honorary doctorates to outstanding members of society. The names of Such individuals are suggested by a College or School and forwarded to Senate for approval. “An Honorary doctorate is usually awarded to someone whose work is defendable and self explanatory as is the case with H.E. Mwai Kibaki the former President of Kenya and H.E. Yoweri Museveni the President of Uganda. Senators take time to debate the choices before the award is given,” he explains. Dr. Nyanzi believes that the awards also need to target other categories of people who have delivered exceptional services. “For example Dr. Mathew Lukwiya who lost his life saving ebola patients could be awarded an honorary doctorate posthumously. Fortunately, Senate has set up a special Committee to identify people who should be recognized. There are a number of women fighters like Rhoda Kalema who have fought for the rights of the girl child. The School of Women and Gender Studies or the Directorate of Gender Mainstreaming can propose such names with ample justification.”
Moving on
The Chemist is now thinking of retiring from the responsibility of Chairperson Ceremonies Committee and focusing on mentoring students and his research. “I am looking at how to purify water for the benefit of people with low incomes, especially in the remote settings. I also have interest in projects on cancer research, alternative energy sources like biofuels, and environmental conservation,” he says with a sparkle in the eye.
Dr. Steven Allan Nyanzi is grateful to all categories of Staff for the team work that has seen Makerere University successfully conduct graduation ceremonies. He remains optimistic that this high level team work will be maintained as Makerere University continues to scale the heights.
General
CHS Registrars, Heads of Departments Embrace RIMS as Makerere Deepens Digital Shift in Graduate Supervision
By Moses Lutaaya
The College of Health Sciences (CHS) at Makerere University has taken a significant step toward strengthening graduate training and research oversight following a hands-on training in the Research Information Management System (RIMS) held on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the CHS premises.
The training brought together over 25 Heads of Departments and College Registrars from the School of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, and School of Public Health, in a strategic push to digitize and streamline graduate supervision.
Leading the CHS team, Associate Professor Annettee Olivia Nakimuli, Dean of the School of Medicine, described RIMS as a transformative tool that will redefine how graduate students are tracked and supported.
“RIMS is definitely the way to go. It will help us track students in real time,” she said. “We have struggled to know how well students are progressing, and sometimes we are not even sure who needs help along the way.”
Prof. Nakimuli emphasized that the system will enhance accountability on both sides of the supervision divide.
“It will facilitate supervision for both the supervisor and the student. Supervisors will be more accountable, but students too will be more accountable. At any one time, we shall know exactly what is happening between student-supervisor pairs.”
Addressing concerns about possible resistance or tension arising from increased transparency, she noted that RIMS would instead clarify longstanding challenges affecting completion rates.
“Completion challenges are multifactorial—sometimes it is the supervisor, sometimes the student, and sometimes both. This system will make it clear where the problem is so it can be addressed,” she explained, adding that mindset change—not technical ability—remains the biggest hurdle for some staff transitioning from analog systems.
She further aligned RIMS with Makerere University’s broader agenda of becoming a research-led, graduate-focused institution.
“This is how we begin to walk the talk of being a graduate training university,” she added.
Representing the Director of Graduate Training, Mr. Nestor Mugabe underscored that RIMS is part of a larger, evolving digital ecosystem aimed at strengthening research management across the university.
“RIMS is a comprehensive system that captures the entire research process, but today we are focusing on the e-supervision component,” he said.
He noted that the system has been rolled out progressively across colleges, with CHS engagements tailored to accommodate the demanding schedules of health professionals.
“A student cannot progress if their supervisor is not on the system. That is why we are bringing everyone on board—supervisors, administrators, and students—so that the system works seamlessly,” Mugabe emphasized.
To ensure sustainability, he revealed that dedicated technical personnel have been deployed to provide on-site support.
“We now have resident technical staff who can support you directly in your offices, ensuring that no one is left behind in this transition.”
From a technical standpoint, Arthur Moses Opio of the Directorate for ICT Support (DICTS) highlighted RIMS as a critical pillar in Makerere’s digital transformation journey.
“This system is about bridging the gap between supervisors and students,” he said. “It logs activities, tracks feedback, and ensures that no academic guidance is lost or disputed.”
He explained that RIMS allows students to upload research milestones—from concept notes to final theses—while enabling supervisors and examiners to engage within a transparent, traceable system.
“Before, a student could get lost in the process. Now, every comment, every revision, every step is recorded. It brings clarity and accountability.”
Opio also noted that RIMS is integrated with key university systems, including the Human Resource Management System and the Academic Management Information System (ACMIS), ensuring data consistency and institutional oversight.
CHS College Registrar Mr. Herbert Batamye welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention in addressing inefficiencies in graduate supervision.
“RIMS is going to be a wonderful addition to our academic processes. It will accelerate supervision and improve efficiency if fully adopted,” he said.
He observed that the system had already received strong buy-in from participants.
“We brought together over 25 Heads of Departments and registrars, and the response has been very positive. Staff appreciate its potential.”
Mr. Batamye pointed out that one of the key strengths of RIMS is its ability to synchronize multiple supervisors on a single student’s progress.
“If a candidate has several supervisors, each will clearly see what the other is doing. It ensures that everyone is accountable and that delays are minimized.”
As Makerere University continues to digitize its academic and research processes, the CHS RIMS training signals a growing institutional commitment to improving graduate completion rates, enhancing supervision quality, and positioning research at the heart of its mission.
There are farewells that pass quietly and then there are those that leave a lasting imprint on the hearts of all who attend. The retirement luncheon of Patience Mushengyezi held at the Senate Building University was unmistakably the latter.
Held in an atmosphere filled with warmth, gratitude, and reflection, the event brought together colleagues, friends, and family to celebrate a woman whose 26-year journey at the University has been defined by diligence, humility, and quiet impact.
From the moment she rose to speak, Patience set the tone, not with grandeur, but with gratitude.
“I thank God for the opportunity He gave me to serve,” she said, her voice steady but reflective. “Everything I have achieved has not been by my own strength.”
Her career began in the Transcripts Office as an Assistant Registrar, a role that would become the foundation of her legacy. Over the years, she rose through the ranks to Senior Assistant Registrar and later Deputy Registrar, serving in various units including the Senate. Along the way, she became not only a custodian of records but also a steward of institutional memory.
Colleagues recalled how, in earlier years, obtaining a transcript in a single day was nearly impossible. Today, that process has been streamlined, thanks in part to Patience’s innovation and persistence. Patience initiated the Digitalization of Academic Records and Processes (DARP) project to ease the storage, retrieval and acquisition of academic documents by stakeholders. What began as a simple concern about poorly kept records evolved into a transformative records management initiative that has since improved efficiency and safeguarded academic history.
“She is like a moving encyclopedia,” one colleague remarked, highlighting her deep knowledge of university policies, many of which, he noted, exist as much in her mind as they do on paper.
The luncheon was not just a celebration of professional achievement, but also of character. Speaker after speaker described Patience as calm, dependable, and deeply empathetic “a friend you can trust,” as her supervisor, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, put it.
In his tribute, he reflected on his own transition from academia into administration, crediting Patience for guiding and mentoring him. “It is through her willingness to teach and support me that I became the administrator I am today,” he said.
Beyond the office, Patience’s impact extended into personal lives. Rev. Dr. Lydia Kitayimbwa – Chaplain, St. Francis Chapel spoke fondly of their friendship, describing her as a confidant and prayer partner. “She brings a sense of peace,” she said. “She listens, she prays, and she walks with people.”
Her sister, Alexandra Kalemera, offered an emotional reflection that captured the essence of the day. “It is a beautiful thing to serve in one place for 26 years and not simply disappear,” she said. “Today, we see the impact of a life well lived.”
Indeed, that impact was evident not only in speeches, but in the collective emotion in the room. There was laughter and moments of quiet introspection as colleagues reflected on their own journeys.
At the heart of Patience’s message was a call to action: to serve with integrity, to embrace small but meaningful change, and to value people above titles.
“Do not sit comfortably when things are not working,” she advised. “Do something.”
She also reminded colleagues of the importance of balance and self-care, urging them to find satisfaction in their work while recognizing the limits of their control.
As she steps into retirement, Patience is far from slowing down. She looks forward to pursuing personal ventures, including producing organic dairy products, and expanding her passion for mentoring young people, a calling she believes has already transformed lives.
“This is not the end,” Rev. Kitayimbwa noted. “It is the beginning of a new chapter.”
Perhaps the most profound reflection of the afternoon came from Prof. Buyinza, who posed a question to those gathered: When your time comes, will people come for you like this?
It was a moment that lingered, a reminder that legacy is not built on titles, but on relationships, integrity, and service.
As the luncheon drew to a close, one thing was clear: Patience Mushengyezi may be retiring from office, but her influence will remain deeply woven into the fabric of the Department of Academic Registry.
And in the words echoed throughout the room—this was not goodbye.
It was simply the beginning of another journey.
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