General
Mak’s MPIM Nurtures Uganda Vision 2040 Change Agents
The Master in Public Infrastructure Management (MPIM) is a Pan-African Capacity Building Programme (PACBP), supported by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), the International Development Corporation (IDC) and the French Agency for Development (AFD). Launched on 30th March 2012 at Makerere University, the programme seeks to build capacity of the African Public Service by training a calibre of public service managers and supervisors who will provide effective leadership to the management of public affairs and infrastructure programmes.
The programme though housed by the School of Business, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), is interdisciplinary in nature and is taught with support from the School of Engineering, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) and the School of Social Sciences (College of Humanities and Social Sciences-CHUSS). The programme, held in partnership with University of Pretoria (South Africa) and the University of Dakar (Senegal) ensures that students incorporate the best practices in public infrastructure management through study tours to exemplary companies/projects both within and outside Uganda.
Following this year’s tours both internally; within Uganda and externally; to South Africa, the MPIM programme held the 3rd Study Tour Dissemination Seminar on Friday 14th October 2016 at the School of Business, CoBAMS. Welcoming participants to the seminar, The School Dean, Assoc. Prof. Umar Kakumba noted that MPIM was raising a breed of professionals that would not only help establish but also sustain and better manage public infrastructure.
“It is a programme that takes on people from various backgrounds, and in terms of facilitation, we have a critical potential of human resources whereby we engage guest lecturers” remarked Dr. Kakumba. He nevertheless noted that the School has plans to enhance the delivery of the programme by requesting prospective stakeholder institutions to provide guest lectureship, and areas of learning through study tour sites.
Infrastructure for energy, transport, water, oil and gas and ICT were identified as the fundamentals that need to be strengthened in order to harness the abundant opportunities around the country so as to attain Uganda’s Vision 2040. The Uganda Vision 2040 statement is “A Transformed Ugandan Society from a Peasant to a Modern and Prosperous Country within 30 years”
Dr. Kakumba further commended current and former MPIM students for fronting the idea of a Consortium/Think Tank to provide consultancy, skills and capacity to various agencies. “This consortium or group of people may belong to different organizations but joining together under the patronage of the School of Business, will offer first-hand information on issues of water, solid waste management, roads and transport,” he said.
He further noted that these ideas will be shared with stakeholder institutions at a future engagement to enable them weigh in their opinions. The Dean further shared that with support from partner institutions, the School will be in position to progressively create executive short training programmes, tailor-made to address industry needs as they arise.
The 3rd Study Tour Dissemination Seminar tackled three sectors namely; Transport, Water and Energy. The Transport Group shared an overview of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) and GAUTRAIN Integrated Transport System both based in South Africa, while the Water group evaluated Best practices and Lessons Learnt from Rand Water-South Africa and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC)-Uganda. The Energy Group examined the various projects in the energy sectors of South Africa and Uganda.
The groups demonstrated passion for fulfilling the objectives of their respective study tours by presenting detailed overviews, informative comparisons on regulatory frameworks, product ranges and project costs as well as challenges, strategies and lessons learnt from the sectors. The moderator of the presentations and open discussion Dr. Godfrey Akileng commended the groups for a job well done and shared notable issues from the presentations that are critical to the discussion on a way forward.
• At least 1 20litre jerry can of water per day to be provided freely to each poor household
• Value Added Tax (VAT) should not be levied on water
• Government should compulsorily acquire land for infrastructure development
• Management of sanitation should be incorporated into the water sector
• A multi-sectoral approach should be adopted for infrastructural development and management to drive the middle-income status agenda of the country
• Efficient, Ugandan-run governance and management structures should be adopted for public infrastructure management systems
• Uganda should develop its own local Public-Private Partnership (PPP) capacity mindful of project costs, bid times, and issues to do with technology transfer
• Support the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) in developing bankable projects especially those in infrastructure
“These are critical issues of policy nature which we should write down in form of a framework paper and disseminate at another forum similar to this,” noted Dr. Akileng.
The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is an agency that has witnessed a lot of institutional change in the recent past. The Chief Guest at the seminar and Head of Research and Development at UNRA-Dr. Henry Rubarenzya, thanked the CoBAMS leadership for organizing and hosting the event.
“Change is part of reality and we have to continually innovate in all dimensions of our work for improvement. At UNRA, we take innovation seriously and have structured it formally to ensure that the organisation does not stop challenging the status quo,” remarked Dr. Rubarenzya.
He further noted that public funds management presents a very challenging task for the weak hearted but is a simple task for managers of high integrity. He commended the MPIM programme for the human capital development initiatives within Makerere, other institutions and within the country. “I therefore applaud the milestones so far obtained in building management skills for existing and upcoming leaders in the infrastructure sector” said Dr. Rubarenzya.
At the conclusion of the seminar, the Day’s emcee and Coordinator, Graduate Programs & Research- School of Business, CoBAMS-Dr. Peter Turyakira noted that innovation is the only way to go as everything was constantly changing. “We must be seen to be change agents and therefore demonstrate effective managerial skills in public infrastructure management” he said.
Please see Downloads for the detailed presentations by the Groups
Article by Public Relations Office
General
Prof. Nawangwe urges young people to take up leadership in innovation for the transformation of Africa
By the Program Communication Team
On Sunday, February 2, 2025, Makerere University hosted the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Council Representatives meeting, which brings together young people from around 45 partner universities of the Mastercard Foundation.
During the event, Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe urged young people to prepare for leadership roles in innovation, especially starting with their communities, if they wish to see the positive transformation they desire in Africa.
“I urge you to connect and network with your peers and discuss how you can form inter-university teams to innovate solutions that will address the development challenges in our communities for the transformation of the African continent.” Prof. Nawangwe remarked.
Prof. Nawangwe applauded the Mastercard Foundation for its partnership with Makerere University and Uganda in general, which has uplifting effects on many young people.
“Makerere University and Uganda have made remarkable strides in providing Higher Education to Young People, thanks to the generous support of the Mastercard Foundation, which has contributed significantly to educating the next generation of African leaders. Through valuable initiatives and partnerships, such as the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Makerere University is poised to continue educating young individuals who will significantly impact Uganda’s and Africa’s economic growth.” Prof. Nawangwe noted.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nawangwe, further urged young people to seize the opportunities the Mastercard Foundation and other like-minded development partners presented to improve their lives and communities.
“The Mastercard Foundation has given you the platform and opportunity to be leaders and beacons of change. Embrace this responsibility with courage. Let the core values of the Scholars Program—humility, listening, kindness and respect, co-creation, and impact—guide your actions,” Prof. Nawangwe emphasized.
While speaking at the same event, the Program Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, Prof. Justine Namaalwa, enumerated high-level achievements the Program had accomplished for the last decade at Makerere University. She pointed out that in terms of scholarship enrolment, the Program had recruited 1,032 Scholars, of which 76% were Females, 7% were Internationals, 4% were Refugees, and about 1% were Youth with Disabilities.
Prof. Namaalwa further pointed out other post-graduation achievements, including a 94% completion rate of the total number of Scholars enrolled in the Scholars Program. She pointed out that between 2018 and 2025, the Program had graduated 964 Scholars, of which 37% were employed, mainly in the private sector.
Prof. Namaalwa revealed that beyond the Scholars Program, the Mastercard Foundation had put other initiatives supporting the university in numerous ways. She pointed out other initiatives such as the e-learning initiative, a COVID-19 Response measure to ensure continuity of Teaching and Learning at Makerere University and the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Collaborative: Makerere University, in collaboration with the University of Ghana, the University of Cape Town, and the University of Cambridge, is implementing a new initiative that addresses one of the world’s most significant challenges in recent times—climate change.
Prof. Namaalwa revealed that the Research Collaborative would provide opportunities for MSc and PhD scholarships to African students and encourage young people to enrol as graduate students starting in the academic year 2025/2026.
The event was punctuated with fireside chats, during which young people had an opportunity to discuss a number of topical issues related to entrepreneurship and Transformative leadership. Thereafter, the visiting students were taken on a guided tour around Makerere University.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Council comprises student leaders from partner Universities. Each Partner University has one Council Representative. They represent the needs of Scholars and work with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program teams at each institution, the Mastercard Foundation, and Alumni.
On Monday 3rd February 2025, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe handed over three (3) university buses to the respective leadership in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), the College of Health Sciences (CHS), and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB).
The new buses mark a significant improvement in mobility and learning for Makerere University students and staff, furthering the institution’s commitment to practical education and community service.
Speaking at the handover ceremony held at the University’s Freedom Square, Prof. Nawangwe highlighted the significance of the new buses in enhancing teaching and learning. “These buses will play a crucial role in improving students’ practical learning experiences by ensuring reliable transportation for fieldwork and community outreach,” he said.
Prof. Nawangwe expressed gratitude to the Parliament and the Government of Uganda for providing the resources for the new buses, emphasizing their importance in replacing the old fleet, which frequently breaks down. The new 2023 model buses, with a 67-seater capacity, were secured at a cost of UGX 626million each and are expected to save the university significant maintenance costs and improve the learning experience for students.
Principals from the respective colleges expressed their appreciation for the new buses. Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine, Principal of CoVAB, emphasized the importance of the buses for practical training at locations such as Lake Mburo National Park. Associate Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga, Principal of CAES, and Associate Prof. Bruce Kirenga, Principal of CHS, highlighted the buses’ role in facilitating community engagement and outreach.
He explained that the decision to purchase Isuzu buses instead of those manufactured by Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) a Makerere University partner, was based on prior engagement with the former, as well as the need to utilize the allocated funds promptly within the Financial Year, which couldn’t be accomplished at KMC due to their high demand.
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