General
Mak VC Holds Thanksgiving: Praises God for Vice Chancellorship
On Saturday, 6th January 2018, all roads led to Busiwondo Village, Busia Municipality as Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and his wife Susan hosted clergy, cultural leadership and guests to a thanksgiving service held to commemorate his election as Vice Chancellor (VC) of Makerere University.
The colourful ceremony was presided over by the Chancellor, Prof. Ezra Suruma; the day’s Guest of Honour, and attended by the Chairperson-Eng. Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem and members of the University Council, State Ministers, Members of Parliament, Political leaders, Members of Management, University staff and a host of other dignitaries and invited guests.
From the onset, the day’s theme was clear, it was a day to give thanks and glorify God for all the good that He had done for Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and the Hasafu family. Giving the opening remarks, Pastor Titus Kamya-a nephew to Prof. Nawangwe, thanked God for steering his Uncle through the competitive race to the Vice Chancellorship and eventual election as Busia’s first Vice Chancellor.
“It is a serious matter to give thanks to God. When you give thanks, you are glorifying God; you are pointing to God and not yourself as the source of your achievements. Thank you Professor Nawangwe for coming back to give thanks to God publicly and may God bless you indeed,” said Rt. Rev. Dr. Michael Kyomya the day’s preacher as he began his sermon.
Quoting the parable of the lepers from Luke 17:11-19, the Retired Bishop of Busoga Diocese observed that just like the nine lepers who did not return to thank Jesus for their healing, not many people want to point to God for their achievements. He therefore urged all present to emulate Prof. Nawangwe by always giving thanks to God for all that He does for them.
As part of the thanksgiving service, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and his family donated altar furniture to St. John’s Church Busia as its construction nears completion. Receiving the donation, the Retired Bishop thanked Prof. Nawangwe and his family for the good gesture to love and serve God. “I bless you in the name of The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,” consecrated Rt. Rev. Dr. Kyomya.
“We return all the glory, all the honour and all the exaltation to God for everyone who has participated in making us what we are, by using you all in your respective capacities,” remarked Mrs. Nawangwe as the family began their acceptance remarks. She thanked the University Senate and Council for choosing the best candidate for the Vice Chancellorship, observing that “God is using you to favour my husband.”
Mrs. Nawangwe further testified that in the run-up to the VC race, she assembled an army of prayer warriors who fervently prayed for her husband to win the election. “All that we could do as a family was to pray and we thank the Almighty God that the time we spent before Him was not in vain,” she enthused.
In his remarks that followed, Prof. Nawangwe thanked his wife for rescuing him from the tide of Communism and Socialism that had threatened to sweep him away from God. “I thank my wife for taking me from so far. She has transformed me and I am now saved and able to say ‘Praise the Lord!’” beamed the Vice Chancellor.
“I thank God who I now believe used the minds of these great men and women to find me worthy of being elected as the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University,” shared Prof. Nawangwe as he paid tribute to the Chancellor, Chairperson and Members of Council, Members of Senate, Leaders of Staff Associations and Student leadership.
“I thank President Museveni who said at my Installation Ceremony that ‘the last shall be the first’ which is indeed a fulfillment of my father’s dream that one of us his children would one day also follow in his footsteps and become a Headmaster,” continued Prof. Nawangwe.
He thanked the people of Samia-Bugwe, the St. Augustine and St. Francis Makerere communities, the Makerere Imam and Muslim community as well as his family for all the prayers that culminated in his successful election. “We shall use all the wisdom from the East to transform our University and leave it better than we found it” pledged Prof. Nawangwe as he concluded his remarks.
“Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe has invited us to come here and through this function, thank Jesus for what He has done in his life. All things come from God and the achievements and successes that we are celebrating here today all come from God,” remarked Eng. Dr. Wana-Etyem as he addressed the guests.
The Chairperson Council continued to thank God for uplifting Prof. Nawangwe; a Mugwe – the smaller grouping of the Samia-Bugwe community, to the highest office of University leadership, reiterating President Museveni’s biblical quotation that indeed, ‘the last shall be the first’.
Eng. Dr. Wana-Etyem reassured guests present that Prof. Nawangwe’s election was not by mistake but rather based on the fact that he was the best candidate for the position. He reminded Prof. Nawangwe that the entire country was now watching his performance and urged him to take Makerere University to the next level. He noted that Makerere University was not an easy institution to lead by virtue of its diverse constitution but expressed confidence that Prof. Nawangwe’s inclusive leadership style held the key to enable him succeed.
The Chairperson was thereafter joined by 10 members of Council and together, they presented an Appreciation Award to Prof. Nawangwe, in recognition of his distinguished service to Makerere University. Council members present included; Mr. Bruce Balaba Kabaasa, Hon. Thomas Tayeebwa, Dr. Ernest Okello Ogwang-Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Mr. Charles Barugahare-University Secretary, Dr. Euzobia Baine Mugisha, Dr. Sarah Ssali, Dr. Umar Kakumba, Dr. Winston Tumps Ireeta, Dr. Tanga Odoi and Mr. Musoke Joseph.
Earlier, Mr. Okello Waata-Clan Leader of the Sirwa Clan had presented Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe with the Inaugural Award of Excellence, in recognition of his excellent academic and professional achievements. The presentation was witnessed by His Highness the “Omwenengo”, Philip Wanyama Nahama, the cultural head of the Samia-Bugwe community.
“To be grateful is an important source of joy,” quoted Prof. Ezra Suruma, further explaining “To be grateful, you have to receive the gift of sight to see value in what God has given you.”
Delivering his remarks as the Guest of Honour, Prof. Suruma had earlier expressed his gratitude to Prof. Nawangwe and his family for their invitation to the thanksgiving ceremony. “I am especially glad that Prof. Nawangwe has recognised the value of what God has given him. He has opened a chapter for the rest of us to be thankful to God.” said the Chancellor.
Prof. Suruma extended warm greetings from Rt. Hon. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda to Prof. Nawangwe and his family, and announced that the Prime Minister would donate a cow towards the fundraising drive aimed at completing St. John’s Church Busia.
He thanked the Makerere Community present at the function for honouring the Vice Chancellor’s invitation to his thanksgiving ceremony. “Your presence here is a demonstration your support for Prof. Nawangwe and this spirit of unity is going to open a greater and more important chapter in the future of Makerere University,” said Prof. Suruma.
Following a sumptuous lunch, Prof. Ezra Suruma was joined by Eng. Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem and Prof. Barnabas and Mrs. Susan Nawangwe to cut the thanksgiving cake, an artistic impression of the Main Administration Building.
Article by MAK Public Relations Office
General
Are We Giving Enough Attention to the People Around Us Who Quietly Influence Lives Every Day?
By Marion Apio
On March 21, 2026, I felt a strong urge to reconnect with a close colleague and passionate leader, Owekitinisa Sylas Ruhweza Atwooki. We had not spoken since I moved to the United States to pursue my dream of becoming a journalist. The following day, I learned that he had been quietly undergoing treatment in and out of the hospital. True to his character, he had chosen to keep his condition private. I was shocked and saddened, wishing I had known earlier so I could offer support.
At first, reports from family and friends were encouraging. He had been diagnosed with malaria and low blood platelet counts and was receiving treatment. Respecting his wish for confidentiality, members of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community at Makerere University rallied discreetly around him.
However, on April 29, his condition worsened. He was transferred between medical facilities and underwent extensive tests, including a biopsy, as doctors searched for answers. Sadly, on May 29, Sylas passed away.
His death sparked an extraordinary outpouring of love and solidarity. Friends, colleagues, and former scholars mobilised to support his family, settle medical expenses, organise virtual vigils, and plan a dignified farewell. Hundreds gathered at St. Augustine Chapel to pay their respects. Within three days, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community raised approximately UGX 11 million, a testament to Sylas’ impact on countless lives.
In the days that followed, I found myself wrestling with difficult questions. In a world where we spend so much time following people online, are we paying enough attention to those quietly transforming lives around us? Why do we invest so much emotional energy in distant personalities while overlooking the people God has placed right in front of us?
Sylas lived with humility and served with grace. His death left more than 1,500 Mastercard Foundation scholars and alumni grieving, alongside many others around the world who knew him. Yet his passing also exposed a contradiction in modern life.
We live in an age of unprecedented connectivity. Uganda has millions of internet users and WhatsApp subscribers, while globally, people spend hours each day on social media. We have more tools than ever to stay connected, yet many of us are becoming increasingly disconnected from the people who matter most.
Sylas resisted this trend. Through mentorship, service, and community-building, he remained deeply present in others’ lives. While many people retreat into individual pursuits, he consistently chose connection.
This challenge is especially relevant for Mastercard Foundation scholars and alumni. Every year, young Africans leave home to pursue education and professional opportunities abroad. Distance, time zones, visa restrictions, and rising travel costs make it difficult to maintain relationships and remain actively involved in the communities that helped shape us.
For Sylas, the answer was simple: show up. Celebrate others. Offer support. Stay connected.
He never allowed geographical or personal barriers to become excuses for disengagement. Even while facing his own struggles, he invested in others. He embodied the values the Mastercard Foundation seeks to cultivate—ethical leadership, service, and community empowerment.
Sylas did not wait for a perfect platform to create change. He simply served where he was. He helped build bridges between education, culture, and professional development while remaining grounded in his values. He dreamed of creating a stronger alumni ecosystem and brought both passion and compassion to every initiative he touched.
Since his passing, social media has been filled with memories of his infectious smile and unwavering commitment to others. Those tributes reveal an important truth: people gave generously because Sylas had first given himself generously to them. People from different backgrounds, generations, and communities showed up because he had spent his life showing up for them. His legacy now challenges all of us.
The greatest tribute we can offer is not simply to mourn his loss but to continue his work. That means supporting the causes he cared about, helping the children whose education he championed, strengthening alumni networks, and pursuing the dreams we discussed with him.
The tragedy of modern life is not that we follow people online. It is that too often our attention to distant lives comes at the expense of meaningful relationships nearby. Yet strong relationships are as essential to our well-being as physical health.
As Ugandans, we take pride in our faith, culture, and sense of community. We contribute to fundraisers, attend ceremonies, and support family members in times of need. But increasingly, genuine connection is being replaced by passive digital interaction. Families and communities cannot thrive on likes, retweets, and emojis alone.
They require presence—phone calls, visits, conversations, and the willingness to notice when someone is struggling.
Before spending another hour immersed in the lives of strangers online, look around. Call the friend you have not spoken to in years. Check on a family member. Reach out to a colleague who seems withdrawn. Communities are not built by algorithms or celebrities. They are built by ordinary people who choose, day after day, to care for those within their reach.
Uganda needs more people like Sylas. At just 32 years old, he achieved what many spend a lifetime striving for. He served as Minister of Information in the Toro Kingdom and as President of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Alumni Association in Uganda. More importantly, he dedicated himself to serving others.
While his death is deeply painful, his life remains a powerful example of how we should live. My prayers and condolences go to his family, friends, and the entire Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community.
Rest in perfect peace, Owek. Sylas Ruhweza Atwooki.
The author is a Mastercard Foundation Alumna from Makerere University and the University of California, Berkeley. She is a journalist based in Southern California and the CEO of the Debunk Media Initiative.
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