General
Multidenominational Composition of Uganda a plus for Tolerance
According to Wikipedia, Uganda is a religiously diverse country with Roman Catholics and Anglicans at 44.5% and 39.2% respectively making up the largest percentage of the population. Muslims follow at 10.5% while the remainder of the population consists of Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist, Orthodox Christian and other Christian faithful, not to mention the Bahai Faith as well as those who believe in Traditional faith systems. As such, Uganda is a fairly multidenominational society that is gradually becoming cosmopolitan according to a public dialogue organized by the University Forum on Governance (UNIFOG) in partnership with Konrad-Adenauer-Siftung (KAS).
Held under the theme Perspectives on Uganda as a Multidenominational Society on 27th March 2015. the Public Dialogue sought create a platform for Staff, Students and the general public to address growing concerns of radicalization especially in the face of rising terror attacks. In his keynote address, Mr. Mwambutsya Ndebesa, Lecturer-Department of History, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) pointed out that Uganda had taken major steps in forging 
interdenominational harmony through umbrella bodies like the Uganda Joint Christians Council (UJCC) and the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU). He however pointed to: the emergence of sexual and cultural politics; the use of religion as an instrument for political mobilization; the overlap of poverty and religion; the aggressive measures of Pentecostal Churches to convert Muslims to Christianity; the infiltration into Uganda of forms of religious fundamentalism from USA, the Arab world, Pakistan and Iran; and perceptions and feelings of economic and political exclusion by some religious groups as six threats of interdenominational dialogue in Uganda.
Mr. Ndebesa urged the audience to guard against imperialism from both the USA and the Arab world coming into Uganda through religion. “They are creating tensions here which are unnecessary; if we are going to reject imperialism, let us reject religious imperialism. To be religious, you don’t have to come from the USA or the Arab world” he expounded.
He noted that the social fabric in Uganda is founded on interfaith marriages and families, which accords the nation the opportunity to avoid extremism associated with faith. “In Uganda there is no official state religion and no religious instrumental laws such as the law on blasphemy or apostasy laws such as those in the Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. In other countries, if you convert to another religion, you would have committed apostasy and the punishment is death,” shared Mr. Ndebesa.
In the panel discussion that followed, Immam Kasozi, Islamic Scholar and Lecturer at the Islamic University in Uganda, citing revolutions such as the Arab Spring, the Iran-Arab world war and Uganda’s own inter-religious battles noted that politicians have seized the opportunity to make use of inter-religious differences to wage proxy wars. “The whole problem is neither Shia-Sunni, nor Christian-Muslim; because we still co-exist and work together, but rather people who have their special agenda will do that…” Immam Kasozi said in reference to the root cause of inter-religious conflict.
Commenting on the origin of great names such as Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, ICS and ICL, Immam Kasozi pointed to the USA as the source and owner of all these names to be used as “an opportunity to hit on the less suspecting Muslims especially those that did not have enough knowledge of their own religion.” He then went on to give brief historical backgrounds on Al-Qaeda and Al-Shabaab.
The second panelist of the day Assoc. Prof. Deusdedit Nkurunziza, Lecturer, Peace and Conflict Studies, CHUSS, noted that in addition to being multidenominational, Uganda is also multicultural, multiethnic, multi-political and is gradually becoming a cosmopolitan state. He noted that while Uganda was experiencing growing cases of radicalization, religious intolerance and hate speech, this state of affairs was nothing compared to the past decades of insurgencies and wars.
Dr. Nkurunziza urged the audience to be proud of their religious heritage and proposed four approaches to help Ugandans become more human rights aware and conflict-sensitive; i. To be liberal-democratic so as to address power struggle and identity issues ii. To have religious liberty iii. To have religious freedom and iv. The rule of law. He urged the authorities concerned to address the issue of poverty as it seemed to be a great contributor to radicalization. “In our being democratic, liberal or humane, the question of poverty is an issue and let us think strategically on how to change our mindset from the issues of poverty and profitability,” he added. He further noted that Africa was still lucky to have the family institution intact but noted that today, the family faced a disaster as Fathers and Mothers were increasingly not being able to take care of their own children. As a result, they were willing to let them go for shocking amounts as low as UGX 100,000/= “this is the highest level of poverty!” he exclaimed.
“Personally what scares me the most when I walk on the streets of Kampala is not religious intolerance. Religious intolerance is less than any other kinds of intolerance we have,” said Dr. Sarah Ssali the third panelist of the afternoon as she commenced her submission. She noted that any plausible intervention to radicalization in Uganda ought to encompass the different contours of radicalization. She expressed her discontentment with the association of radicalization with religion only, noting that this would inadvertently render all the interventions faulty.
“Previously the radicalization was against communists, and before that racial and yet when other forms like genocides have gone on in this world, we don’t call it radicalization but tribalism, racism and so many other things” observed Dr. Ssali in support of her argument. She further shared that radicalization has a very enduring history along the lines of race, gender, tribe etc and often breaks forth when the boundaries of tolerance crumble. This served to further reinforce her argument that radicalization is a process and not an event, and that no one becomes radical or extremist overnight. She noted that radicalization is a threat to us all and shared the example of Boko Haram in Nigeria where the victims are not only Christians but also Muslims.
She proposed direct interventions such as identifying the causes and moving in on them but however warned that this may in the end appear be confronting only one religion. Dr. Ssali then shared that in such cases indirect interventions which identify any form of hate speech and call upon the entire community to denounce it could be used. She called upon everyone to appreciate the different ethnicities, denominations and cultures that make up Uganda in order to cement our unity in diversity.
In his response to the panel discussion, Mr. Ndebesa urged all participants not to confuse religion with ethics, noting that intolerance was not necessarily a preserve of religion. He explained his point by observing that countries with the highest atheist populations are not necessarily the most intolerant.
The panel discussion moderator Mr. Yusuf Kiranda a Programme for Africa Leadership fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science then took discussion to the audience whose input raised issues such as; politics and its ideals as a cause of chaos, misinterpretation of religious laws, empowering institutions to enforce laws, when religious groups claim responsibility for unlawful acts, poverty as a cause of radicalization and many others. Dr. Paddy Musana, Department of Religious & Peace Studies, CHUSS commenting as a student of New Religious Movements in particular observed that every new form religious manifestation is as a result of cultural changes. “We in our fallen nature tend to emphasize our differences and not our commonalities and as long as we feel threatened, we construct a new identity to protect our interests” he said. Dr. Musana stressed that Uganda as a nation has a reason to celebrate 16th November; the UNESCO International Day for Tolerance, owing to the diversity which is even manifests itself in the composition of our extended families.
In more responses that followed, Dr. Nkurunziza urged the audience to look up and read MUASA Chairperson-Dr. Muhammad Kiggundu Musoke’s PhD thesis entitled “International Islamic Fundamentalism: A Case Study of Uganda”. He said that this thesis would help all parties present further expound on the discourse on multidenominational societies and radicalization. He thereafter urged the audience to embrace Ubuntu-African Humanism; which is Africa’s contribution to globalization.
Mr. Ndebesa noted that education can go a long way to de-radicalize societies, taking the example of Europe where the age of enlightenment played a great role in stopping religious killings, establishing tolerance and critical thinking. He further proposed that every student in Makerere should pursue a course in critical thinking.
Dr. Ssali on the other hand urged participants to desist from looking at the enemy as external and care for each other as Ugandans. She further noted that intolerances always arise when economic resources reduce and that structural adjustment programmes that were meant to rebuild societies and people have only ended up fracturing them.
Immam Kasozi in response to some of the questions on poverty chose to define it as a lack of ideas, association and relationship. He urged participants to appreciate their unity in diversity as Ugandans and not to only identify Ugandans or non-Ugandans based on distinctive attributes. He further urged leaders to stop hate campaigns and avoid selfishness and mistrust.
This public dialogue organized by UNIFOG and KAS whose Executive Secretary-Mr. Bruce Kabaasa and Programme Officer Ms. Maike Messerschmidt respectively gave opening remarks was indeed a step in the right direction in as far as preaching the message on tolerance and demystifying radicalization in Uganda are concerned. The take home message Learn to treat everyone with dignity and respect for our diversity is our strength was indeed resounding and a good note on which to start the next dialogue.
Article by Public Relations Office.
General
Institutionalizing ORCID at Makerere University: Strengthening Researcher Identification, Visibility and Research Output Tracking
The Unit-Based ORCID Sensitization and System Capture of Researcher Identification Workshop was held on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, commencing at 9:00 a.m. at the Telepresence Centre, Senate Building, Makerere University. The workshop was facilitated by the Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU).
The workshop was opened by Prof. Robert Wamala – Director of the Directorate of Research, Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP). In his remarks, Prof. Wamala emphasised the importance of ORCID in strengthening researcher identification, improving the visibility and discoverability of Makerere University‘s research outputs, and ensuring accurate attribution of scholarly contributions.
Prof. Wamala highlighted the need to move beyond individual ORCID registration towards systematic institutional adoption, including the accurate capture and validation of researchers’ ORCID identifiers in relevant University information systems. He underscored the importance of coordinated implementation at unit level, recognising the critical roles of College Librarians, Library staff and the Directorate of Graduate Training in supporting ORCID adoption among academic staff, researchers and graduate students.
Prof. Wamala appreciated RENU for facilitating the engagement and encouraged participants to translate the knowledge gained into practical action within their respective units. The workshop marked an important step in Makerere University‘s efforts to strengthen researcher identification, improve research visibility and enhance the institutional management and tracking of scholarly outputs.
The opening session also featured remarks from the University Librarian Prof. Ruth Nalumaga and Dr. Cyprian Misinde, the Director of Quality Assurance, who underscored the importance of ORCID in strengthening research visibility, scholarly communication and institutional research information management. Their contributions highlighted the need for collaboration across the Library, Quality Assurance, Graduate Training and DRIP to support effective ORCID adoption and integration into University processes.
The workshop provided an opportunity to sensitise participants on ORCID and strengthen their capacity to support its adoption and system capture within their respective units. The participation of College Librarians, Library staff and the Directorate of Graduate Training was particularly strategic in supporting researchers and graduate students to establish and maintain their ORCID profiles.
The workshop was attended by College Librarians and Library Staff; Representatives from the Directorate of Graduate Training; Directorate of Quality Assurance and the Directorate of Research, Innovations and Partnerships. Their participation was intended to strengthen awareness, institutional coordination and practical support for ORCID adoption across the University.
The engagement, marked a collaborative step towards institutionalizing ORCID at Makerere University and strengthening the University’s capacity to identify, track and showcase its research contributions globally.
As Greater Kampala continues to expand, the question of how the city will secure enough water for its growing population is becoming increasingly urgent. New homes, roads, industries and commercial centres are transforming the metropolitan landscape, but this growth also places pressure on wetlands, catchments and the infrastructure that supplies water to communities. For Makerere University, this challenge is not only a matter for public debate. It is also a question that research can help answer before today’s decisions become tomorrow’s problems.
That concern shaped a dissemination workshop held at the University on Wednesday, 28th October 2026. The gathering brought together researchers, policymakers, university leaders, planners, students, development partners and members of the media to consider findings from the Urban Expansion Model for Mitigating Water Scarcity in Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, known as UREMWAS, an occasion that was graced by the Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Hon. Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, who attended as chief guest.
At the heart of the research is a practical concern: how can a fast-growing metropolitan area accommodate more people and economic activity without undermining the natural systems and public infrastructure on which its residents depend? The UREMWAS project seeks to help answer that question by giving planners a way to examine how different patterns of urban development may affect water availability. Rather than treating water scarcity as an isolated problem of supply, the study relates it to the choices made about land, housing, drainage, settlement and infrastructure.
Understanding the Link Between Urban Growth and Water
Presenting the study, the Principal Investigator Dr. Nestor Mugabe explained that Greater Kampala is among Uganda’s fastest-growing urban regions. Its expansion has increased pressure on water sources and supply networks, while also changing the natural landscapes that help sustain those resources. As settlements spread, the consequences can extend beyond the immediate area where construction takes place. Wetlands may be encroached upon, catchments altered and the routes through which water moves across the landscape disrupted. “The value of this model is in helping planners see the consequences of today’s choices before those choices become difficult and costly to reverse.” He stated.
The model brings together information on population movement, built-up areas, drainage patterns, wetland cover and water demand. By considering these factors together, planners can explore possible urban growth scenarios and assess their likely implications before major decisions are made. The intention is to support better-informed choices on where development should take place, which natural areas require protection and where investment in water infrastructure may be most needed.
Dr. Mugabe cautioned that water scarcity rarely emerges from a single decision or event. Instead, it can develop gradually as many small choices accumulate without sufficient attention to their combined effect. The value of the model, he explained, lies in helping decision makers see a wider picture and understand how development in one part of the metropolitan area may affect water security elsewhere.
The findings point to a close relationship between the pattern of urban growth and the pressure placed on water systems. When settlements expand without effective planning, development can reach sensitive areas such as wetlands and catchments. These landscapes perform important functions in storing, filtering and releasing water. When they are degraded, the natural processes that support water availability are weakened. At the same time, extending piped water infrastructure to scattered communities can become more difficult and expensive.
By contrast, growth guided by clear plans, the protection of natural areas and timely infrastructure investment offers a stronger basis for managing demand. The research therefore presents urban planning and water security as closely connected responsibilities. Decisions about housing, roads and commercial development cannot be considered separately from the resources needed to sustain the people who live and work in those places.
Dr. Mugabe also emphasised that water scarcity cannot be solved by infrastructure alone. The challenge involves governance, public behaviour and coordination among institutions that may otherwise plan and operate independently. Engineers, physical planners, local leaders, communities and researchers need to work with shared evidence if their decisions are to reinforce rather than undermine one another.
That message was given a human dimension through the experiences of communities consulted during data collection. Dr. Mugabe acknowledged the residents who shared their perspectives with the research team, including people who travel long distances or pay high prices to obtain water. Their experiences, he noted, helped the researchers understand the everyday consequences of water insecurity in ways that statistics alone cannot fully convey. Behind every figure on demand or supply are households and individuals whose routines, finances and wellbeing are affected by access to water.
Taking the Findings Beyond the University
The discussion that followed the presentation reflected the broad reach of the issue. Participants considered the role of wetlands in protecting water sources, the need to enforce planning regulations and the importance of involving communities early in decisions that affect their surroundings. They also explored whether the model could be adapted for other fast-growing towns and cities in Uganda, where urbanisation may create similar pressures on land and water resources.
Several contributors stressed that research findings should be communicated in accessible language, particularly to local leaders and community groups. A model can help inform technical decisions, but its impact is likely to be greater when the people affected by planning choices can also understand the evidence and use it in their own discussions. Participants further encouraged the research team to keep the model updated as new information becomes available. Because cities change rapidly, a planning tool must be able to reflect changing populations, land use and demand if it is to remain useful.
The discussion was moderated by Prof. William Tayeebwa, who guided the discussion and encouraged participants to engage with the findings from their different areas of experience. The questions and reflections reinforced the importance of treating water security as a shared metropolitan concern rather than the responsibility of a single institution or profession.
Speaking on behalf of the Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund, its Engagement officer, Ms. Grace Cherotich Ruto congratulated the research team and reaffirmed the fund’s commitment to supporting research that responds to Uganda’s practical challenges. He encouraged researchers to consider the people who will use their findings from the earliest stages of a project and to plan how the knowledge generated will be communicated and applied. Research, he observed, is most valuable when it moves beyond academic shelves and contributes to policy, services and people’s lives. “Research has its greatest value when the knowledge generated at the university reaches the people and institutions that can use it to improve lives.” Prof. Julius Kikooma, Director, Directorate of Graduate Training stated.
The remarks also highlighted the role of graduate training in building research capacity. Prof. Julius Kikooma, Director of the Directorate of Graduate Training, welcomed participants and commended the team for bringing its work to a wider audience. He noted that universities demonstrate their value to society when knowledge developed through research and scholarship informs decisions beyond the campus. Graduate research, including the work of master’s and doctoral students, helps generate and develop ideas that can be tested against real conditions and contribute to practical solutions.
A Shared Responsibility for a Growing City
Representing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Moses Musinguzi commended the researchers for addressing an issue of national importance. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to serving the country through knowledge and collaboration, and called on government agencies, local authorities and development partners to draw on the expertise available at the institution. Water, land and urban growth are interconnected, he noted, and the management of rapidly expanding cities must be guided by sound evidence.
For the university, the workshop offered an opportunity to connect research with the institutions and communities that may put its findings to use. The model’s potential depends not only on its technical capacity, but also on whether planners and decision makers can incorporate its insights into the choices they make. Continued engagement between researchers and end users will therefore be important as the work develops.
In her address, Chief Guest Hon. Hajjat Minsa Kabanda thanked Makerere University for convening the workshop and recognised the contribution of its scholars to national development. She described the growth of Kampala and the surrounding metropolitan area as both an opportunity and a responsibility. As the country’s economic heart and home to millions of people, the city needs reliable services, including access to clean and safe water. The challenge is to ensure that expansion does not outpace the systems and natural resources required to sustain it.
“Kampala’s water challenges extend beyond administrative boundaries, so our response must be built on cooperation, shared evidence and responsible planning.” Hon. Hajjat Minsa Kabanda emphasized.
Hon. Kabanda said that the UREMWAS model could help government make better-informed decisions about the direction of urban growth, the protection of natural resources and the location of water infrastructure investment. She also pointed out that the metropolitan area extends beyond the administrative boundaries of Kampala itself. Water and land pressures do not stop at those boundaries, making coordination among the ministry, Kampala Capital City Authority, neighbouring local governments, water utilities and researchers essential.
The Minister assured the university that her ministry would study the findings and consider how they could inform its planning work. She encouraged the research team to maintain a close relationship with policymakers so that the model can remain relevant to decisions as the metropolitan area changes. She also called on citizens to protect wetlands, use water responsibly and observe planning guidelines, stressing that the future of the city will be shaped by the actions of both public institutions and residents.
Turning Research into Public Action
Her remarks underscored the role universities can play as partners in public decision making. By bringing together research expertise, emerging talent and the freedom to examine difficult questions, institutions of higher learning can help government understand complex challenges and consider options grounded in evidence. She congratulated Makerere on its research tradition and encouraged it to continue producing work that responds to the needs of the country.
The workshop closed with a shared recognition that disseminating the findings is a starting point rather than an end in itself. The research team and its partners expressed the need to continue engaging government and other stakeholders, share the results more widely with local leaders and communities, and refine the model as further data becomes available. These next steps will help determine how effectively the research can support planning in Greater Kampala and whether its approach can be useful in other urban areas.
The timing of the work is significant. Decisions made now about land use, housing, drainage and water infrastructure will influence the shape of Greater Kampala for years to come. Once wetlands have been damaged, settlements established in unsuitable locations or infrastructure built without adequate coordination, correcting the consequences can be difficult and costly. A model that allows decision makers to explore possible outcomes in advance offers an opportunity to identify risks earlier and weigh development choices more carefully.
For residents, the stakes are tangible. Reliable water affects household routines, public health, livelihoods and the ability of businesses and institutions to operate. Protecting the resources that sustain supply is therefore not separate from the wider ambition to build a productive and liveable city. The challenge is to ensure that urban growth improves people’s lives without weakening the environmental systems on which those lives depend.
By bringing researchers and decision makers into the same conversation, Makerere’s UREMWAS dissemination workshop demonstrated how university research can contribute to a shared understanding of a public problem. The work does not remove the difficult choices facing the metropolitan area, but it offers a way to examine those choices with a clearer view of their possible consequences. As Greater Kampala continues to grow, the task ahead will be to turn that evidence into coordinated planning, responsible development and sustained protection of water resources.
The gathering marked a step in moving the UREMWAS findings from a research project into wider public and policy discussion. The central message was clear: the future of Greater Kampala’s water security will depend not only on how much water can be supplied, but also on how the city grows, how its natural systems are protected and how well the institutions responsible for its future work together.
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