General
Mak Inaugurates 2017/18 Guild Electoral Commission
In preparation for the forthcoming Guild Elections 2017/18 and bid to hold free and fair elections at Makerere University, a new Students' Guild Electoral Commission was inaugurated. This was during the swearing in ceremony held on March 6, 2017 in the Conference Room, Senate Building.
Witnessed by the Makerere University Dean of Students, administrators, religious leaders and students’ representatives; five commissioners were sworn-in. These included; Mr. Isaac Otuku-Chairperson, Ms. Barbra Nakaggwa-Vice Chairperson, Mr. Joseph Kafuuma-Secretary, Mr. Daniel Amanya-Finance and Mr. Abasi Kizito-Public Relations.
While presiding over the ceremony, the Dean of Students-Mr. Cyriaco Kabagambe congratulated the candidates and assured them of support. He urged them to be faithful, transparent and anticipate challenges and solve them promptly during their term of service.
“Once the swearing in is done, we are expecting you to officially take office. As the Electoral Commission, the main target is to produce fair elections accepted by all stakeholders and students. After elections, all parties should be happy and contented. Your administrators are always ready to work with you and they will support you when you need them, so work with them and your fellow students” the Dean said.
Mr. Kabagambe thus informed the commissioners that much as they had been put in office, they were to remain university students. He advised them to always treat everybody equally without any bias. He told them that they had come to attain leadership skills but not employment and money. They were also reminded to work within the budget which is about UGX 68Million and to always account for the funds provided to them.
The Guild Speaker Rt. Hon. Kasujja Imran advised the candidates to always consult and also make good use of the Guild Constitution during their tenure.
“Always consult your seniors for advice and remain people of integrity while performing your duties. The Guild Constitution is very visionary, let it be your point of reference because everything was captured in it.”
Speaking at the event, Rev. Can. Amos Turyahabwe-Chaplain St. Francis Chapel, Makerere University congratulated the commissioners and reminded them that they had come forward to serve. He advised them to always do their work with energy, knowledge and integrity in a timely manner. He also urged them not to neglect their studies.
“This aspect of service is a call from God. You have come to serve this community and this is a great responsibility. As you carry out your leadership duties, you should behave as students and not abandon your studies. Always have good faith, seek for counsel and learn to do God’s will with integrity,” said Rev. Can. Turyahabwe.
Similarly, Fr. Joseph Ddungu-Chaplain St. Augustine Chapel and Imam Sam Ahmed Ssentongo-Makerere University mosque advised the commissioners to be good leaders who always seek to be knowledgeable, diligent, respectful and dynamic. They urged the commissioners to work as a team and use their term of office to attain leadership skills and not work for their own selfish interests.
The Ceremony was attended by Guild Electoral Commission officials, Makerere University Administrators, Religious leaders and students’ representatives.
Article by Public Relations Office
Business & Management
PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support
The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University today, October 10th, 2025, held its 9th Steering Committee Meeting to review progress made in the first quarter of the financial year and plan for the months ahead.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.
In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.
She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.
Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.
She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.
The centre team presented the proposed structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.
The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.
A significant development unfolded at Makerere University during a strategic, hour-long meeting in the vice chancellor’s boardroom on 7th October 2025, marking a deepening bond with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The primary goal was to move beyond existing collaborations and formalize a new Double Doctorate (PhD) program. Prof. Sarah Saali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, set the tone by emphasizing that institutional partnerships are crucial to Makerere University, which she proudly called the leading research and most collaborative university in the world.
The discussion promptly formed the core structure of the program: a four-year PhD (or three if the master’s was research-based), with supervision duties split 50-50% between the two institutions. A key feature is the mobility requirement, stipulating that PhD candidates would spend a total of six months in the Netherlands, potentially divided into two three-month periods. Crucially, the University of Groningen confirmed there would be no teaching requirement during this stay, allowing students full access to focus on their research. A major financial hurdle was overcome with the adoption of a fee-waiver policy; Makerere would waive tuition for incoming Groningen candidates, and Groningen would reciprocate for Makerere‘s students, significantly boosting the program’s financial viability.
However, the critical issue of the stipend remained. Dr. Anita Veltmaat explained that to meet the required living standard of approximately €1,875 per month in Groningen, the incoming candidate must secure a partial external scholarship of around €250 per month. The positive news is that if the candidate secures this minimum scholarship, the University of Groningen is prepared to top up the amount to the full living standard for the six months the student spends in the Netherlands. It was noted that this initial financial hurdle might be simplified for Makerere students, as many are already staff members receiving a salary, which could help cover the required €250.
The path forward was clear: it was to complete the agreement template guided by the setup committee from both institutions. The plan culminated in scheduling an online follow-up meeting for Tuesday, November 11th, to review the first revision of the agreement, capping a highly constructive discussion that solidified the two universities’ shared future in graduate education.
Makerere University was represented by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics Affairs; Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, Head of the Department of Gender Studies; Dr. Patricia Ndugga, School of Statistics; Dr. Stella Achen and Dr. Joseph Watuleke, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning; Agatha Ainemukama, School of Engineering; Racheal Nuwagaba, School of Psychology; Awel Uwihanganye, Martine Rugamba, and Hawa Ndagire from the Advancement Office; and Muhammad Kiggundu from the Institute of Gender and Development Studies.
The University of Groningen was represented by Dr. Dinie Bouwman, Senior Policy Advisor, Internationalization and Quality Assurance; Dr. Anita Veltmaat, Faculty of Social Behavior and Social Sciences, Department of International Studies, involved in mentorship programs for women; and Dr. Alette Arendshorst, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, working on graduation/collaboration for students/staff.
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