General
New Equipment at Mak hospital
Makerere University hospital received a donation of medical equipment from the Makerere University Joint AIDS program (MJAP) on 30th July 2015. The Deputy Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe who received the equipment on behalf of the University commended MJAP for contributing to better service delivery at the facility.
The equipment included a microscope and a Pima CD4 machine; a simple effective point of care to measure CD4 count. This machine will make it possible for patients to receive their CD4 results in les than 20 minutes as opposed to the intial days and weeks of waiting for the same.
“Uganda has some of the best trained doctors but absence of equipment is a major constrain. I take this opportunity to thank MJAP for the collaboration with Makerere University. A healthy nation is a wealthy one. We need to address health issues even at the institutional level so that these efforts eventually aggregate into improvement nationally,” he said. Prof. Nawangwe further applauded efforts at putting up a teaching hospital at Katalemwa through Public private Partnerships.
In highlighting the advantages of this CD4 machine, the lab technician Francis Kalule pointed out that it is user friendly and has an inbuilt battery saving system which enables it to work without hydro electric power. It has the ability to provide absolute CD4 count values in points as opposed to percentages, for example 500 cells per cubic meter.
According to Dr. Jennifer Namusobya, Director MJAP, “With the Pima CD4 machine, patients do not have to make a second trip to the hospital to collect their results, a costly and time consuming process.”
The Director, Makerere University Hospital, Dr. Margaret Wandera, observed that the donation of both machines will go a long way in supplementing services at the University hospital. She shared that Makerere University is open to similar partnership for equipment and other logistics.
By Marion Alina
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Makerere University Chancellor Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga as Uganda’s Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament.
The appointment was announced on May 26, 2026, as part of the cabinet reshuffle for the 2026–2031 government term. Dr. Kiyonga now assumes one of the senior leadership positions in government while continuing to serve as Chancellor of Makerere University.
Dr. Kiyonga is both Chancellor and alumnus of Makerere University. He studied at Makerere University School of Medicine from 1973 to 1978, graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB). He later obtained a Master of Health Science in Population Dynamics from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in 2004.
Born on September 19, 1952, in Kasese District, Dr. Kiyonga attended Bwera Primary School, Nyakasura School, and Kings College Budo before joining Makerere University.
He was appointed Chancellor of Makerere University in August 2024 and formally installed in October 2024, succeeding Professor Ezra Suruma.
Political and Public Service Career
Dr. Kiyonga entered national politics during Uganda’s 1980 elections, where he won a parliamentary seat on the Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM) ticket. He later joined the National Resistance Movement during the liberation struggle and subsequently served in several senior government positions after 1986.
He represented Bukonjo County West in Parliament from 1980 to 2016 and was also a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1995 Constitution.
Over the years, Dr. Kiyonga has held several ministerial portfolios, including:
- Minister for Cooperatives and Marketing
- Minister of Finance
- Minister of Internal Affairs
- Minister of Health
- Minister without Portfolio
- Minister of Defence
During his tenure as Minister of Health, he played a key role in Uganda’s response to the Ebola outbreak in Gulu in 2000.
From 2016, he served as Uganda’s Ambassador to China, where he represented Uganda during a significant period of Uganda-China relations.
Dr. Kiyonga’s appointment marks a return to frontline government leadership after several years in diplomatic service and university leadership.
Significance for Makerere
As Chancellor, Dr. Kiyonga serves as the titular head of Makerere University and presides over major ceremonial functions, including graduation ceremonies.
His appointment reflects the longstanding contribution of Makerere University alumni to public service and national leadership in Uganda and across the region.
Speaking during his installation as Chancellor in 2024, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet K. Museveni, noted that Dr. Kiyonga’s experience and networks would support the advancement of the university.
Makerere University congratulates Chancellor Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga upon his appointment and wishes him success in his new role.
The Writer is a Volunteer in the Public Relations Office, Makerere University and the Mak Sharks PRO | Est. 2014
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