General
MURBS Prepares Members for Retirement and Launches Biometric Registration
![[L] Mr. Dennis Mugalya - Investment Manager, PineBridge Investments, Second Left is Mr Joseph Njuguna the Schemes Operations Manager, Octagon Africa at the training.](https://news.mak.ac.ug/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/field_image_Nugalya-and-Njuguna.jpg)
“Financial planning leads to financial freedom. A financial plan is very important for every successful worker. Some of us work very hard, but we don’t find time to plan for the money we get. You have to plan for your money to ensure that you have a rest and peace of mind. You should not spend more than what you earn,” highlighted Mr. Joseph Njuguna, the Manager of Scheme Operations at Octagon Africa, a Pension Consultancy firm.
Mr. Njuguna emphasized the importance of a financial plan in the course of preparing for retirement during the Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme (MURBS) Sensitization Seminar held on Tuesday 26th April 2016 at Makerere University.
“We all need to do something, save as much as you can in the pension scheme. To continue with the same standards of living before and after your retirement, you must plan now. After retirement, have a residential home and let other assets you have been working for work for you,” Mr. Njuguna emphasized.
Focusing on the theme, Members actively involved in securing their retirement, which was derived from the Board’s strategy to boost accountability and client focus, Members listened to insightful presentations focused on securing a proper retirement.
During the Sensitization Seminar, participants were equipped with valuable knowledge and tips on financial planning, saving now for retirement, investment, the relevance of tracking expenditure, ensuring a proper diet as well as living a healthy life to avoid diseases that would affect them after their retirement. The Members were also enlightened on the MURBS Investment Policy Statement, the current Investment climate and its implication for the MURBS fund.
“I encourage members to undertake investments, most especially, in fixed assets like land, infrastructure, and equipment. These assets are not likely to be converted easily into cash. And their future economic benefit is probable to flow into the entity, whose cost can be measured reliably,” said Mr. Dennis Mugalya, who is an Investment Manager with PineBridge Investments E.A Ltd, and, also, the Chairman of the Investment Management Association of Uganda.
Focusing on the investment climate, Mr. Mugalya revealed that where one invests his/her money, will determine the amount of return to be yielded. He advised members to consider equity investment. This involves buying and holding shares of stock on a stock market in anticipation of income from dividends and capital gains, as the value of the stock rises. He also encouraged members to invest in treasury bills and bonds.
“Investment always comes with risks, including the interest rate. In investment, we have a number of risks. The more risk you take, the more return you expect. Risk is not losing your money, but it is because your return is volatile,” said Mr. Mugalya.
Dr. Paul Kasenene, a qualified Medical Doctor, Nutrition Educator, and a Member of the Technical Working Group of Non Communicable Diseases in the Ministry of Health and Managing Director of Wellcare Health & Wellness Clinic Kampala sensitised members on how to live healthy and prevent diseases that would affect them before and after their retirement.
“To enjoy any aspect of your life, you have to be alive and healthy. Despite more access to information and more advances in research and technology, people are actually getting unhealthier than before,” said Dr. Kasenene.
Dr. Kasenene mentioned that a person’s health is determined by the choices they make every day. “What we do daily either helps us to fight or feed the diseases. Some of us may already have health problems, but the good news is that most of those problems can be slowed, reversed or even stopped. No matter what kind of life you have lived, ill-health is reversible. The solution lies not with doctors, but with you making the right choices in your life,” he said.
He discouraged the habit of going for medical checkups only when people feel sick. He informed participants that such habits have complicated treating diseases like cancer which have no immediate signs and symptoms. He urged members to frequently go for medical tests, eat health diets, take plenty of water and do physical exercises. He appealed to participants to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. He advised members to focus on the cause of the problem in order to avoid it, than treating the problem or its symptoms.
During the Seminar, the Chairperson of MURBS, Hajati Fatumah Nakatudde, launched a web-based Member Biometric Registration System that will be used to register Scheme members in real time. This was aimed at further streamlining the benefits administration process and improve client self service. . The system will biometrically recognise and verify registered members and avail them with information through the Scheme servers. The members will be able to access information about their benefits from anywhere electronically.
A team of developers from Zedek Pro demonstrated the working mechanism of the Member Biometric Registration System and how the registration can be done in real time. According to the Principal Pension Officer, Ms. Susan Khaitsa, “the pilot registration is planned to commence in May 2016 and, in order to speed up the registration process, Members will be required to pre-fill two forms, that is, the Registration Form 0516A and the Dependants and Nominees (Beneficiary) Form 0516B. The forms will be circulated to Members online.”(The forms can be accessed from the links below)
The Secretary, Board of Trustees, Dr. John Kitayimbwa, shared key updates on the progress of the Scheme since last year. “One of the key updates I should bring to your notice is that, the agreements we had with the Service Providers were expiring in November last year [2015]. We extended their contracts to 31st January 2016 so that we comprehensively review the performance and our agreements with them,” he said.
Dr. Kitayimbwa introduced the new Scheme Service Providers to the Members. Stanbic Bank was appointed the new Scheme Custodian, whose role is to receive and keep in safe hands the funds, title deeds, securities and income accruing to the Scheme; PineBridge Investments Ltd retained its role of Fund Manager and GenAfrica Asset Managers Ltd was appointed Fund Manager – the two investors assist the Board of Trustees to make a prudent investment policy, invest the fund subject to the investment policy of the Scheme and manage the Scheme funds; Octagon Uganda Ltd, a Pension Consultancy firm, was appointed as the Scheme Administrator to handle mainly the Accounting and Benefits Administration.
MURBS was established by Makerere University Council under an irrevocable trust to provide pensions and other benefits for University employees who are admitted to membership under the provision of the Trust Deed and Scheme Rules. On 23rd April 2010, Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme was registered as a corporate body under the Trustees Incorporation Act, CAP 165, under certificate T. 37561, C.I. NO.670. Following the establishment of the Uganda Retirement Benefits and Regulatory Authority (URBRA) Act of 2011, MURBS was licensed as a Retirement Benefits Scheme under the new Act and holds license number RBS 0005.
MURBS is a Defined Contribution Scheme where both the employees and the employer contribute a percentage of the employees’ monthly salary.
To be entitled to join this Scheme, an individual must be aged at least 18 years but not more than 50 years old and should be appointed under permanent terms of service at Makerere University. All persons who were in University Service by 31st March 2009 were deemed to have joined the Scheme. Persons who were appointed in University service after 31st March 2009 and to-date are enrolled into the Scheme through the due procedures.
Article and Photos by: Mak Public Relations Office
Makerere University staff have been urged to embrace servant leadership, integrity and compassion as they prepare to welcome students for the 2026/2027 Academic Year.
The call was made during the Makerere University Staff Prayer Breakfast held on 31st July 2026 at St. Francis Students Centre Upper Hall under the theme “Faithful Stewards: A Servant Heart with Integrity and Wisdom,” drawn from Colossians 3:23–24 and Mark 10:35–45.
The prayer breakfast brought together members of Council, University Management, academic, and administrative staff to dedicate the new academic year to God while reflecting on their responsibility of serving students with excellence, humility and integrity.
A Call to Seek God’s Wisdom
Host Rev. Dr. Lydia Nsaale Kitayimbwa reminded staff that no amount of professional experience or academic expertise can replace God’s guidance.
She noted that the University’s mission can only be fulfilled when staff continually seek God’s wisdom in serving students and one another.
“There is no amount of experience or expertise that can replace God’s wisdom.”
Rev. Dr. Kitayimbwa observed that students remain the reason universities exist and challenged staff to approach their work as a calling rather than merely employment.
“Without students, there is no university,” she said, encouraging members of staff to remain united, avoid unhealthy competition and trust God as they begin another academic year.
She further urged staff to become faithful stewards who work together in harmony, which she summed up as, “United we stand; divided we fall.”
A Community, Not Just a Centre of Research
In her remarks, Dean of Students Dr. Winnie Kabumbuli welcomed the Council Chairperson, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Members of Management to the breakfast, and reminded staff that a university’s value cannot be measured by research and innovation alone.
She described Makerere as a community held together by the spiritual as well as academic wellbeing of its people, and called on staff to renew their commitment to one another as much as to the institution they serve.
Draw Inspiration From Stewardship
Representing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Prof. Sarah Ssali told staff that this year’s breakfast carried special significance.
“This is the first prayer breakfast we are having ever since we launched our strategic plan,” she said, referring to the University’s new Strategic Plan, launched on 2nd July 2026.
She encouraged staff to hold on to the morning’s reflections as a guide for implementing the plan over the next five years, describing Makerere as an institution many families choose above all others for the vision and training it offers their children. She urged staff to see themselves as stewards of that trust rather than simply employees carrying out a job.
Compassion and Discipline Must Go Together
Delivering her remarks, Makerere University Council Chairperson Dr. Lorna Magara challenged staff to strike a balance between compassion and discipline when dealing with students.
She observed that many students face different personal and academic challenges, making encouragement and timely support essential throughout their university journey.
“A word of encouragement can restore hope and prevent costly mistakes,” she noted.
Dr. Lorna encouraged lecturers and administrators to respond promptly to students’ concerns, explaining that delays, insensitive decisions and abuse of authority can discourage students and negatively affect their academic experience.
She reminded staff that students often remember how they were treated long after they have forgotten what was taught in class.
“Students may eventually forget what we teach them, but they will always remember how we treated them.”
She added that education goes beyond transferring knowledge.
“Education is more than knowledge. We communicate life, character and values.”
Quoting Mark 10, Dr. Lorna called upon staff to embrace servant leadership by exercising authority with humility, integrity and accountability.
She encouraged members of staff to ask themselves whether they would treat every student the same way ashey would treat their own child.
“We may not always have all the answers,” she said, “but we can communicate honestly, take responsibility and treat every student with dignity.”
She concluded by urging different colleges and administrative units to work together instead of operating in isolation, noting that unity strengthens the University community.
Referring to Galatians 6:2, she reminded staff to carry one another’s burdens and remain faithful stewards of the responsibility entrusted to them.
Servant Leadership Begins with Faithfulness
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. James Magara, husband to Dr. Lorna Magara, called on members of staff to embrace servant leadership grounded in humility, faithfulness and service to others.
Drawing from Mark 10:35–45, Dr. Magara reflected on the account in which James and John asked Jesus for positions of honour in His kingdom, prompting discontent among the other disciples. He observed that despite walking closely with Christ, the disciples continued to struggle with the desire for status and recognition. He noted that such competition remained evident even during the Last Supper, where concerns over positions and prominence persisted.
Dr. Magara said that Jesus responded to these human tendencies by redefining leadership through service rather than authority. He described Christ’s act of washing the disciples’ feet as the ultimate demonstration of servant leadership, explaining that genuine leaders are willing to undertake even the humblest responsibilities in service of others.
Referencing Philippians 2, he urged staff to emulate Christ’s humility and selflessness, contrasting it with the pride and self-exaltation illustrated in Isaiah 14. He emphasised that lasting influence and greatness are not measured by titles, positions or recognition, but by one’s willingness to serve faithfully and put the needs of others before personal ambition.
Drawing on his own leadership journey spanning several decades, Dr. Magara challenged leaders across the University to cultivate humility, integrity and a servant heart in the execution of their responsibilities. He cautioned that leadership driven by pride and personal ambition undermines both individual effectiveness and institutional progress, whereas servant leadership strengthens organisations and fosters lasting impact.
The prayer breakfast concluded with a call for unity and collective commitment as Makerere University prepares to begin a new academic year. Organisers noted that the reflections on stewardship, integrity and servant leadership would provide a strong foundation for the University community as it advances the implementation of the Makerere University Strategic Plan 2025–2030.
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