General
State Building and Political Order key to lasting peace in South Sudan
For the world’s youngest nation, the fact that reports of violence regularly dominate international news headlines speaks volumes of the work that remains undone in as far as achieving lasting peace is concerned. Points of disagreement often escalate into violent clashes that lead to loss of precious lives. The Symposium and Public Dialogue at Makerere University jointly organized by the University Forum on Governance (UNiFOG), the Makerere University Convocation (MUC) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) was therefore a breath of fresh air in as far as creating a forum to discuss peace in South Sudan is concerned.
“Instability in South Sudan is a loss to Uganda. We shall continue to provide this space on a monthly basis until peace in South Sudan is achieved,” reassured Mrs. Diana T. Nyago, Vice Chairperson, Makerere University Convocation as she welcomed participants and kicked off the day’s presentations.
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) has been greatly involved championing women’s political involvement in South Sudan in partnership with other organizations and is currently developing a strategy on involving women in political conversation and dialogue. Speaking on behalf of KAS, the Programme Officer Mr. Donnas Ojok called upon his audience to consider such public dialogues as an opportunity to not only let the world know about the war in South Sudan but also about the possibility of peace.
To tackle the day’s topic “Transcending the Shadow of Violence: Alternatives for Fostering Inclusive State Building and Sustainable Peace in South Sudan”, the organizers couldn’t have chosen a better candidate to give the Keynote address than Prof. Mahmood Mamdani. The current Director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR), Prof. Mamdani was a member of the five-person African Union Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan that traversed the country for over seven months investigating human rights violations committed during armed conflict.
In his address, Prof. Mamdani noted that historically, colonial rule in Sudan led to the politicization of ethnicity which in turn led to fragmentation of South Sudan along tribal lines. So ingrained was this politicization that both Churches and Chiefs had been developed along ethnic lines. Tracing the lines of history into the present day causes of armed conflict led Prof. Mamdani to disagree with his fellow African Union Commission panelists and write a minority view entitled A Separate Opinion. In this, he argued that the cause of armed conflict had been more of political; requiring a constituency in which it is hard to isolate the perpetrators from the supporters, than criminal; committed by individuals who are easy to identify, judge and punish.
Professor Mamdani further argued that two groups should be held responsible for the violence that literally exploded in December 2013 and left thousands dead in its wake. Firstly the troika comprised of the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK) and Norway and secondly the Cabinet of the Government of South Sudan.
As a way forward to foster inclusive state building and sustainable peace, Prof. Mamdani recommended that “A political process leading to political order needs to precede any attempt at the call for criminal accountability.” In response to all the post-December 2013 efforts to usher in peace, he further noted that South Sudan does not need another quick fix, but rather another transition. “South Sudan should not be seen as a failed State, but rather as a failed transition,” summed up Prof. Mamdani.
Hon. Thomas Tayebwa is the Member of Parliament for Ruhinda North who has had extensive business dealings in South Sudan. As the day’s first panelist, he appreciated Prof. Mamdani’s keynote address and recognized the presence of Senator David Amor Majur, a Member of the SPLM National Liberation Council. He commended the work done by organizations such as KAS in South Sudan but reiterated that in order to guarantee sustainable peace and political accountability “you need to build the capacity of local South Sudanese to be able to challenge their leaders.”
Biel Boutrous Biel as the second panelist of the day urged the symposium to embrace the practice of talking beyond any preconceived perspectives of South Sudan that they might have garnered from media reports. As Executive Director of the South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy (SSHURSA), Biel urged all warring parties to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), “How? Curb the violence in South Sudan using an intervention force.” He however noted that the intervention force should not be constituted by countries that have interests in South Sudan.
In the true spirit of academic debate, upon taking the podium, Assoc. Prof. Julius Kiiza from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, CHUSS started by commending his former teacher Professor Mamdani for his address and shortly after, sought to identify what he thought was glaringly unaddressed. “What we seem to be having in this analysis/paper is an oversupply of ethnicity and an undersupply of nationalism.” Dr. Kiiza then went on to highlight that the problem with South Sudan lay not in a failed political transition but in a failed state building project. “What we are seeing in South Sudan is a fundamental problem of declaring the westphalia state recognized internationally without building the fundamental s of stateness.” In his opinion, owing to the proliferation of arms in the hands of numerous groups each with their own leadership, South Sudan as a Nation did not meet the basic measure of stateness, “to have dominant control of the tools of coercion.”
The day’s discussion would not have been complete without a gender perspective, and what better candidate to present that than Dr. Sarah Ssali from the School of Women and Gender Studies. Whereas she agreed with previous discussants that the war in South Sudan was not a tribal war, she reminded the audience that tribe/ethnicity has provided the constituencies around which certain interests had been nurtured. “What we should do is look beyond what we always know as politics and institutions,” she said, further noting that “violence is not a thing which just comes up and goes because you have pronounced yourself as independent. But it invites us to look at what are the norms and values and structures that are driving that violence.”
Dr. Sarah Ssali therefore urged Professor Mamdani to provide a gender analysis in his proceeding edition of his paper, arguing that “A society that does not mind the minorities therein is also very unlikely to be a democratic society; build institutions that respect the minority.” She however expressed optimism that “South Sudan provides us with an opportunity to rethink state building. It is providing us with the opportunity to form a Nation State in the 21st Century.” 
The symposium was moderated by Yusuf Kiranda, Fellow at the Centre for Development Alternatives, a well-known academic research centre in India. The Public Dialogue was preceded earlier in the day by an Experts’ Symposium that tabled topics on why state capacity is key to sustainable peace and outlooks for sustainable peace, inclusive development and prosperity for all.
Article by Public Relations Office
General
Benchmarking Best Practices In Quality Assurance: Official Visit To The University Of Cape Town
By Dr. Irene Rebecca Namatende
1.0 BACKGROUND
A team of four members of staff from the College of Health Sciences (CHS), Makerere University undertook an official benchmarking visit to the University of Cape Town (UCT) from 19th to 26th April, 2026. The four are members of the Quality Assurance, Gender Mainstreaming and ICT Committee-CHS. The delegation comprised two academic and two administrative staff led by the Dean, School of Dentistry, Prof. Annet Kutesa. Other members included;
- Dr. Irene Rebecca Namatende – Quality Assurance Officer-CHS
- Dr. Kalidi Rajab – Lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy
- Mr. Bataamye Herbert – CHS Registrar.
The primary purpose of the visit was to benchmark Quality Assurance (QA) systems in teaching, learning, and governance; strengthen institutional collaboration; and explore opportunities for academic exchange and joint initiatives between Makerere University and the University of Cape Town.
1.1 Purpose of the Visit to UCT was
- To gain an understanding of institutional QA frameworks at UCT across teaching, research and governance, and identify adaptable best practices for Makerere University.
- To explore effective strategies used by UCT to design, monitor, and continuously improve academic programmes, ensuring relevance, consistency, and excellence.
- To learn from UCT’s experiences and approaches to national and international accreditation processes, including preparation, documentation, and stakeholder engagement.
- To examine mechanisms for fostering staff engagement, ownership, and accountability in QA and continuous improvement processes.
2.0 Key Areas Covered During the Visit
2.1 Quality Assurance Systems
The visit explored the institutional quality assurance framework at the University of Cape Town, focusing on its structured approach to academic quality management. Emphasis was placed on clearly defined QA units, robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and the integration of quality assurance processes into routine academic delivery and programme oversight. Discussions also highlighted systematic approaches to curriculum design and periodic review, ensuring alignment with accreditation standards and evolving educational needs.
We found that QA frameworks at UCT cut across teaching, research and governance. Here below are some of the key findings;
- All programmes must be approved by the Council of Higher Education, Quality Regulation Framework.
- All programmes must be accessible to the Council of Higher Education (CHE).
- The Academic Programmes at UCT are reviewed after every 5 years.
- Every programme goes through detailed evaluation before approval.
- Support Staff are also interviewed before appointment into university service.
- Each programme must be accounted for by UCT to the Councils
- Comprehensive information for each programme is required by the Councils before approval is given.
- It is important to have integrity of qualifications and qualification of programmes.
- After O. Level the students sit for a National Benchmark Test.
2.2 Governance and Leadership
The visit provided insights into transparent and participatory governance structures that support effective decision-making. There is a strong emphasis on staff engagement, accountability, and leadership at different institutional levels. A culture of continuous improvement is embedded within governance systems, supported by regular review and feedback mechanisms.
2.3 Teaching and Learning
The discussions further highlighted the institution’s diverse student assessment methods and structured feedback systems, alongside the effective integration of digital technologies to enhance teaching, learning, and student engagement.
Here below are the key outcomes;
- Every Course unit exam should be moderated by an External Moderator.
- The external moderator is appointed at the beginning of the year.
- The external moderator makes recommendations.
- These recommendations are in form of policies.
- Ensure overall examination preparedness for all students
- The template for external moderation is revised regularly.
- The moderators also assess if, the exams are fair or not.
Conclusion:
Key Takeaways
- The promotion ladder at UCT is more on the Competences, individual contributions on supervision, publications, community service and experience.
- QA is embedded in every unit and department.
We thank the Principal, College of Health Sciences and CMT for the support that facilitated this benchmarking visit.
Makerere University has reaffirmed its commitment to preventing sexual harassment and gender-based violence (GBV) by strengthening the capacity of members of the Vice Chancellor’s Roster of 100, a pool of trained staff that supports the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD) in investigating sexual harassment cases across the University.
The one-day training, held on 30th June 2026, brought together members of the roster to deepen their understanding of sexual harassment prevention and response, strengthen investigative skills, and share practical experiences from previous investigations. The programme also sought to reinforce implementation of Makerere University‘s Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment (PRASH) while drawing lessons from institutions with extensive experience in handling gender-based violence.
Opening the training, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, urged members of staff to shift their focus from responding to incidents to preventing them altogether.
“Prevention is far better than waiting for cases to happen and then beginning investigations. Our focus should be on creating an environment where incidents of sexual harassment do not occur in the first place,” he said.
Prof. Alinaitwe observed that as educators and members of staff, university employees are expected to serve as role models both within the institution and in the wider community. He noted that the University’s safeguarding, gender and sexual harassment policies were developed to ensure that every member of the University community studies and works in a safe environment.
He explained that sexual harassment extends beyond physical acts and may be verbal, non-verbal or electronic, including inappropriate messages, photographs, videos and social media communication. He encouraged timely reporting of incidents and emphasized that all complaints should be handled professionally, fairly and confidentially.
“Become champions of prevention within your departments and units. Let us guide our students, colleagues and all those who interact with the University. Our responsibility does not end within the University gates. The values we promote here should also shape our conduct in our homes, workplaces and communities,” he urged.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor reminded participants that every incident of sexual harassment undermines trust and damages the University’s reputation.
“One case of sexual harassment is already one case too many. Every incident affects individuals, damages trust, and undermines our institution. We must therefore do everything possible to prevent such behaviour,” he emphasized.
Earlier, the Chief of the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, Dr. Euzobia Baine, welcomed participants and stressed that the University’s priority is to prevent sexual harassment before it occurs.
“The most important message today is prevention and response—and I want to emphasize prevention, prevention, prevention. We should not wait for incidents to occur before we act,” she said.
Dr. Baine noted that while the University continues to strengthen its response mechanisms, members of the roster must possess the knowledge and skills to respond appropriately whenever cases arise.
“We want our students to have a positive experience throughout their time at the University, and we also want all members of staff to work in a safe and respectful environment,” she added.
Presenting the objectives of the Vice Chancellor’s Roster of 100, Dr. Lillian Tukahiirwa from the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate explained that the training was intended to create a common understanding of sexual harassment prevention and response, enable members to reflect on their roles, learn from previous investigation committees, strengthen implementation of PRASH, and benchmark with institutions such as the Uganda Police Force and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Participants also received presentations on understanding gender-based violence, the legal and policy framework governing investigations, and practical approaches to handling complaints.
Speaking on the legal framework, the University’s Director of Legal Affairs, Ms. Sumaiyah Nanyondo Sebuta, reminded members of the roster that investigating sexual harassment cases requires professionalism, impartiality and strict confidentiality.
“Every complaint deserves to be handled carefully because the consequences affect both the alleged victim and the alleged perpetrator,” she said.
She explained that committee members are guided by international conventions, Uganda’s Constitution, national legislation and Makerere University‘s own policies, all of which seek to protect human dignity, eliminate discrimination and ensure fair treatment during investigations.
Ms. Sumaiyah further emphasized that investigators must avoid conflicts of interest, base their decisions solely on evidence, and protect the identities of complainants, respondents and witnesses throughout the investigation process.
The training also featured presentations by Principal Gender Officer Eric Tumwesigye on understanding gender-based violence and by Senior Superintendent of Police Carolyne Kushemererwa of the Uganda Police Force, who shared lessons from investigating sexual harassment and gender-based violence cases. Participants explored reporting mechanisms, survivor-centred approaches, confidentiality, accountability and strategies for preventing sexual harassment within institutions.
The Vice Chancellor’s Roster of 100 forms a critical component of Makerere University‘s institutional response to sexual harassment. By equipping members with investigative skills, knowledge of legal and policy frameworks, and practical experience, the University continues to strengthen its commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for students, staff and the wider university community.
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