General
CHUSS Symposium Restores Hope in the Face of Disruptions by the 4IR
Defined by the symposium brief as the destabilising impact of, especially information mediated reality on account of advances in social media and the Internet, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has caused quite a stir in the Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines especially in the face of outward promotion of Science and Technology by projects such as the Uganda Millennium Science Initiative. It was against this background that the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) organised a symposium based on the theme “The Humanities And Social Sciences In The Age Of Disruptions: Policy Challenges, Praxis Benefits And Intellectual Engagements” on 6th March 2018.
Giving an overview of the of the symposium held in the Main Hall, Dr. Edgar Nabutanyi paid tribute to the event sponsors; Gerda-Henkel Stiftung Foundation, for not only offering 30 full PhD Scholarships to students, but also agreeing to re-allocate the balance of funds to sponsoring public debates on issues affecting Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines. Dr. Nabutanyi is the Coordinator of the Gerda-Henkel Stiftung Foundation CHUSS PhD Training Programme.
“This symposium is meant to cause us to ask questions that unpack this age brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. What are the challenges affecting the Humanities and Social Sciences? How can we harness the tools of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to centre Humanities and Social Sciences in the search of answers to the most important questions facing Africa in the 21st Century? Hopefully we shall have more questions than answers at the end of today’s symposium for that is indeed our nature; to question,” remarked Dr. Edgar Nabutanyi.
“Disruptions are not all negative but are instead events that make things happen,” remarked Assoc. Prof. Josephine Ahikire, Deputy Principal CHUSS and Chair of the Symposium Organising Committee. “Humanities and Social Sciences are the pulse of the University and we are planning how best to refashion these disciplines in the new era” she added.
Assoc. Prof. Ahikire went on to say that the Humanities and Social Sciences provide ideational leadership to the university as they are the eyes, ears and hands of society. She called upon PhD Students at the symposium to emulate their leaders in CHUSS.
“We want to leverage our cohort of PhD graduates to strengthen the supervision capacity in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. I therefore thank all members of the organising committee especially Dr. Edgar Nabutanyi for their hard work that has made this event possible” concluded Assoc. Prof. Ahikire.
In the remarks that followed, the Principal CHUSS-Prof. Edward Kirumira thanked the Guest of Honour, Hon. Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo, who was represented by the Acting Commissioner for Higher Education, Mr. Mukwatampola Muzamir, for coming to witness the revival of debates at Makerere University as led by CHUSS. He welcomed the keynote speaker and Dean, School of Humanities at the University of Nairobi, Prof. Peter Wasamba and thanked him for taking time off to deliver the address.
“Prof. Peter Wasamba is part of the leadership for the Next Generation of Africa Academics; a program I was privileged to head for seven years, which has trained 16 PhDs at Makerere including Dr. Edgar Natubanyi. He is now giving back by organising such symposia and I thank all colleagues in Administration and at CHUSS for pushing the agenda beyond just training of Masters and PhD students to engaging in intellectual discourse” added Prof. Kirumira.
He paid tribute to the Gerda-Henkel Stiftung Foundation for sponsoring 30 fully paid PhDs in Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the Andrew Mellon Foundation for an additional 7 PhD scholarships. Prof. Kirumira added that the college is reviving the creation of a community of scholars at Makerere so that individuals who return from their studies do not feel isolated; a factor that will help improve the University’s staff retention statistics.
Prof. Kirumira concluded that the symposium was one way of Makerere; a government institution, providing accountability to the public and the taxpayer. “Stay with us on this journey of taking Makerere to the public and please participate and challenge the presentations: be constructively critical, not destructively critical” he advised.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-DVCAA, Assoc. Prof. Ernest Okello Ogwang is no stranger to the intense scrutiny directed at the Humanities and Social Sciences in the wake of disruptive digital technology and social media. An accomplished publisher with a PhD in Literature-Folklore from the Indiana University, Bloomington, he started off his remarks by acknowledging the presence of his fellow alumna and Uganda’s first Minister of Women and Development, Hon. Mrs. Joyce Mpanga who graced the symposium.
“The issue of praxis, beyond the ideas in our field is critical. Beyond the classroom and scholarly discussions, it has become imperative that African Humanities and Social Sciences scholars must become active advocates following in the footsteps of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Ali Mazrui and Thabo Mbeki, among others,” remarked Assoc. Prof. Okello Ogwang, who also represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
Assoc. Prof. Okello Ogwang expressed happiness that the symposium would be immediately followed by a graduate workshop, which would help to inspire and guide the emerging scholars in the field on an appropriate path. “In times when we as scholars of people, society and relationships are being tasked to deliver tangible contributions in the midst of a global technological explosion, we must rise to the challenge and provide irrefutable evidence that indeed the humanities and social sciences are the foundation and basis of all human civilisations” he added.
The DVCAA thanked CHUSS for this timely intervention aimed at fostering the humanities and social sciences and their role in development processes and also appreciated the Gerda-Henkel Stiftung Foundation for sponsoring the symposium.
“I bring greetings from the Ministry of Education and Sports and apologies from the Minister of State for Higher Education Hon. Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo who was unable to make it today owing to state duties of equally great importance” remarked Mr. Mukwatampola as he prepared to read the Guest of Honour’s remarks.
The Minister’s speech acknowledged that Humanities and Social Sciences are important disciplines in the development of society and symposia act as beacons of hope and conveyor belts to academic excellence for all stakeholders who participate in them. On behalf of the Government, he extended his appreciation to the Gerda-Henkel Stiftung Foundation for the financial and material support extended to CHUSS and implored the University Management to ensure that this programme and many others deliver to the expectations of humanity and society.
“I appeal to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Makerere University to remain vibrant and relevant to both National and International development agenda. In so doing we shall be able to to attain a lower middle income status by 2020 as spelt out in the National Development Plan II, sooner rather than later” concluded the Minister’s remarks.
Right from the onset, Prof. Peter Wasamba left his audience spellbound as he effortlessly defined the elements that characterise the Fourth Industrial Revolution with the air of a seasoned IT Specialist. Listening to him rapidly advance through the applications of disruptive technologies like the Internet of Things-IoT, Virtual Reality-VR, Robotics, Cloud Computing, Big Data etc. could easily leave one wondering if they were actually listening to an academic whose specialty is African Oral Literature.
“By adopting digital Humanities and Social Sciences, we have been ushered into the Fourth Industrial Revolution; we are into the digital age, not outside it. We can now carry out data analysis using computer programmes by ourselves” remarked Prof. Prof. Wasamba, demonstrating how fine the line of separation between Humanities and Social Sciences and the Fourth Industrial Revolution had become.
Prof. Wasamba noted that the advent of Humanities and Social Sciences was a response to the disruptive effects of the First Industrial Revolution which used steam engines to mechanise production. He however noted that the problem facing the Humanities and Social Sciences presently is official neglect by the authorities which resulted into shrinking of funds allocated and the terming of the disciplines as “useless” by policy makers.
He however stated that back home, it is more common to find graduates of engineering jobless as compared to their Humanities and Social Sciences colleagues. “In Nairobi, employability of Humanities and Social Sciences students is high because they are flexible and therefore able to adapt to the changing job market” Prof. Wasamba pointed out.
Not all disruption pointed out by the keynote address was negative though. Prof. Wasamba was happy to note that the 4IR had through mobile phones brought increased access to market information especially for small scale farmers, an intervention that saved them from being cheated by the greedy middlemen. He also pointed out the advent of feminisation of the workforce as another plus “ladies bring a lot of new ideas to industrial production compared to their male counterparts in this patriarchal society.”
“The Fourth Industrial Revolution will change the way we have been governing ourselves” said Prof. Wasamba as he launched into governance. As an example, he shared that students today by the power of their mobile phones have access to a lot of information and as such, their rights cannot be trampled upon.
Additionally, the citizenry was much more informed about their constitutional rights and with the speed of evolution, policies were increasingly being rendered obsolete, owing to the long periods of time it took to formulate and effect them.
Prof. Wasamba however shared that the 4IR brought a number of advantages to the Humanities and Social Sciences. “It is only our disciplines that can secure values and ensure that our societies survive and thrive” he remarked, before adding “Values of safety, need for justice and equality to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor are more critical in the Fourth Industrial Revolution than ever before. Scientists will always protect themselves. It is up to us in the Humanities and Social Sciences to protect the values.”
Additionally, Prof. Wasamba noted that this was the time for students of Humanities and Social Sciences to thank God for what their training equips them for. “The Fourth Industrial Revolution calls for men and women who can solve problems. To be effective in the digital era, people must be able to think critically, listen attentively and speak coherently” he advised. This he opined would give arts graduates a competitive edge over their science counterparts in the job market.
Prior to the 4IR, economists cited only four factors of production namely; land, labour, capital and entrepreneurship. Prof. Wasamba however, shared that talent had now joined this list as the fifth factor “That is why Silicon Valley is looking for graduates from the Liberal Arts because that is where talent is groomed and promoted” he said.
Prof. Wasamba concluded his address by insisting that the only way Humanities and Social Sciences would benefit from the 4IR was through the development of policies that support inclusive goals and avoid segregating minorities and groups such as women and the youth. “Let us not have a revolution designed to benefit only a few in power or those with money. Our Governments must protect us by coming up with regulations that protect our innovations. We also need fast policy development procedures that protect our people from disruptive innovations such as crypto currencies,” he concluded.
The reactions that followed were all full of praise for Prof. Peter Wasamba’s presentation. The Head, Department of Literature-Dr. Okot Benge appreciated the presentation for its breadth and depth. He reiterated that in the face of rapidly evolving disruptive technologies, Humanities and Social Sciences remained the glue of an organised human society. “Scholarship these days isn’t about the priority of discipline but the enrichment of interdisciplinary discourse” he said.
Hon. Mrs. Joyce Mpanga was also all praises for the keynote address, describing it as “simply brilliant!” She further expressed her desire to see a faster policy formulation process; citing the Biotechnology bill which was introduced to the 6th Parliament (1996-2001) but is still being subject to debate in the 10th Parliament (2016-2021). She however reassured the audience that Humanities and Social Sciences were not dead, as long as creative ideas were still springing forth from people.
“In Uganda today, we lack a Think Tank that should criticise and direct Government” said Dr. Tanga Odoi as he weighed in on the day’s theme. “We lack critical thinkers to advise Government and Humanities and Social Sciences are where these critical thinkers are” he added.
“The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is going to bring back these debates on a quarterly basis and we are committed” said Prof. Kirumira resolutely as he brought the responses to a close. “Let us know what topical issues we need to discuss so that we move from justifying our existence to engaging our existence” he added.
In a panel discussion chaired by Dr. Sarah N. Ssali, Associate Professor and Acting Dean of the School of Women and Gender Studies, the audience listened to a discourse of researched knowledge, words of wisdom and philosophies aimed at repositioning the teaching of humanities and social sciences to the digital era and the trends of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Panelists included: Mr. Oscar Semweya Musoke, Principal of Taibah International Schools who advocated for a teaching approach that focuses on producing a flexible and adaptive student; Dr. Charlotte Karungi Mafumbo from the Department of History and Archaeological Studies emphasized the need to change the curricula so that the course content engages the minds of the learners; and Dr. Edward Kaweesi from the Department of Political Science and Public Administration who envisaged that the Fourth Revolution would cause disruptions and tensions within the disciplines that constitute humanities and social sciences. Cognizant of the Fourth Revolution, Dr. Kaweesi called upon academicians in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences to embrace a multidisciplinary approach to teaching and learning as well as research in order to survive and remain relevant to the society they exist to serve.
Article by Public Relations Office
Hundreds of mourners gathered at St. Augustine Chapel, Makerere University on May 30, 2026 to pray for the soul of Mr. Sylas Ruhweza, the first President of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Alumni Community at Makerere University.
The requiem mass was filled with emotional tributes celebrating Ruhweza’s life of service, leadership and dedication to community causes. Ruhweza passed away on Friday, May 29, 2026, at Mildmay Uganda Hospital.
Speaker after speaker described him as a humble and visionary leader who was passionate about uplifting others and deeply committed to excellence.
“We thank God for the life of Sylas, for the years he granted him among us, and for the impact he made on countless lives. He carried himself with humility and grace, and wherever he went, he built friendships, inspired confidence, and left people better than he found them,” Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister, Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, said during the Mass.
Mr. Rwomiire urged mourners to honour Ruhweza’s legacy by embracing the values he stood for, including integrity, compassion, hard work, service to community, and his unwavering love for Tooro Kingdom.
The main celebrant, Rev. Fr. Charles Lwanga Makoboza, echoed the message in his homily, reminding Christians to remain rooted in Jesus Christ throughout their lives.
“Sylas has gone to be with God, in a place where there is no pain, missed calls, struggle, corruption, betrayal, jealousy and tears. He is in a place with absolute peace. So, in life, never be the cause of someone’s tears, and if you do, seek reconciliation,” Fr. Lwanga, said.
Fr. Lwanga also reminded mourners that what Ruhweza needs most are prayers, not wreaths.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Ms. Grace Kabasita, Ruhweza’s maternal aunt, described him as a loving and dedicated young man whose life touched many people.
“Sylas was a counsellor, teacher, and a brilliant, loveable young man who fitted into every society. His life was marked by service, friendship, dedication, and commitment to the wellbeing of others and his culture,” she said.
Addressing mourners, Prof Justine Namaalwa, the Coordinator of the Mastercard Foundation Initiatives at Makerere University, noted that though Sylas’s life was cut short, he leaves behind a lasting legacy of service, leadership and impact on the communities he served.
“Sylas, you have gone too soon. But it is well with our souls. May your legacy of Transformative Leadership live on,” Prof. Namaalwa, said.
She thanked the Mastercard Foundation for supporting his education through BRAC Uganda, supporting his university education through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, and nurturing his leadership journey through the Youth Advisory Board.
Ruhweeza at glance
Born on 19th July 1994 to the late Mr. Paul Tinkasimire Paul Adyeeri and Ms. Ategeka Margret Abwooli of Bunyangabu District.
The ninth born of eleven children attended Kaboyo Primary School for his Primary Education, and later joined Fort Portal Secondary School where he sat for his O-Level. He then proceeded to A-Level at Hannah International School.
He joined Makerere University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Geoscience and Production in 2022, supported by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme at Makerere University.
At the time of his passing, he was pursuing a Master’s degree at Victoria University.
Leadership, Service and Professional Contributions
Mr. Ruhweza served as Chairperson of the Mastercard Foundation Alumni Network at BRAC from 2020 to 2022, demonstrating transformative leadership and commitment to social change.
He later became the President of the Makerere AlumNet Foundation, an umbrella organization that brings together the Scholars Makerere Alumni chapter.
He worked as an eLearning Support Officer at the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS) under the e-learning initiative at Makerere University.
He was a member of the Steering Committee of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, representing the Scholars Makerere Alumni chapter.
At the time of his passing, he was serving as the Minister of Information in the Tooro Kingdom, Strategy and Engagement Lead for the Mastercard Foundation Alumni Network-Uganda Chapter, and Programme Associate at the Africa Climate Collaborative, one of the Mastercard Foundation initiatives at Makerere University.
Legacy
Ruhweza is remembered for his dedication to education, leadership, mentorship, and community service. He passionately championed youth empowerment, collaboration, and social responsibility.
His life reflected the transformative power of education, servant leadership, and a commitment to uplifting others.
May Sylas’s soul rest in eternal peace.
General
Makerere University Pushes for Stronger Support for Research Ethics Committees amid Growing Research Demands
By Moses Lutaaya
Makerere University has intensified efforts to strengthen research governance and ethical oversight, with university leaders calling for greater institutional support for Research Ethics Committees (RECs), whose role has become increasingly central to the institution’s research-led agenda.
The call was made during a high-level meeting between University Management and Chairpersons of Research Ethics Committees held at the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom at the Makerere University Main Building on May 25, 2026.
Opening the meeting, the Director of Research Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP), Prof. Robert Wamala, highlighted a number of operational and administrative challenges affecting the effectiveness of RECs at Makerere University.
Prof. Wamala observed that RECs continue to operate with gaps in institutional framework outlining their position within the university governance structure, a gap he said has affected institutional support and long-term sustainability.
According to Prof. Wamala, inadequate facilitation continues to affect the operations of several committees, especially in areas of staffing, administrative coordination, and remuneration for REC administrators.
He also pointed to challenges arising from new regulatory requirements governing the appointment of REC members, particularly the need for appointment letters to be authorized or signed by the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Wamala further raised concern over the high cost of mandatory accreditation and training processes required by the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), especially the Good Research Regulatory Practice (GRRP) training undertaken every three years. “Payment for training is too high for individual RECs to cover,” he noted, adding that many committees are struggling to independently raise the money to undertake the training for all their members.
He also emphasized the need for stronger institutional monitoring systems to support timely submission of accreditation renewal applications, oversight of approved research activities, and coordination of REC operations across the university.
In her remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Prof. Sarah Ssali, commended the growing contribution of RECs in advancing Makerere University’s research agenda and acknowledged the concerns raised by Prof. Wamala and committee members.
“There were not very many RECs,” Prof. Ssali said. “So now that we are 10, it is really impressive because it speaks to our cause for a research-led university.” She admitted that despite their importance, many RECs still operate outside the formal university establishment, making staffing and operational support difficult.
“The only challenge that I see is that they are not fully institutionalized. So it is upon units to start them or not to start them,” she explained. Prof. Ssali added that because RECs are not fully integrated into the public service structure of the university, recruiting and remunerating staff through conventional university systems remains complicated. “Hiring for them staff will be a little bit cumbersome because the university will say they are not part of our structure,” she said.
She nevertheless emphasized that university management recognizes the strategic importance of RECs in strengthening ethical research oversight and supporting Makerere’s position as a research-led institution. “RECs are doing a great job of furthering our strategic agenda of being a research-led university,” she noted.
Prof. Ssali explained that the growing reliance on institutional RECs by the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology demonstrates the trust placed in Makerere University’s ethical review systems.
Addressing concerns about the cost and frequency of mandatory training, Prof. Ssali acknowledged the financial burden on RECs but explained that many of the requirements are set by national regulators. “Many of the things you have raised are with National Council, they are not with us,” she said. “We can only pledge to lobby.”
To address logistical challenges associated with training senior academics, she proposed more flexible scheduling arrangements. “For a professor to give you a whole day is going to be a challenge,” she said. “Maybe you can do half days throughout the week.”
Prof. Ssali also encouraged colleges and schools to allocate part of their enhanced research budgets toward supporting REC activities, including staffing, training, and operational facilitation.
She suggested that colleges and schools hosting RECs should directly take responsibility for sustaining them. “For me, that’s the way out — to ensure that the colleges and schools that have RECs take them as their responsibility,” she noted.
The DVC-AA also addressed concerns related to intellectual property rights, Material Transfer Agreements (MTA), and the need for researchers to formally communicate scientific discoveries and innovations to the university to ensure institutional protection and benefit-sharing. “All you are saying is true, but it depends on you as researchers informing the institution that we have made this discovery,” she said.
Prof. Ssali reiterated Makerere University’s commitment to strengthening research governance systems and pledged continued engagement with both university management and national regulatory bodies to address the concerns raised by REC members. “Where they are, they enable research, publication and growth,” she said of the RECs. “Most importantly, they enable us to be ethical with the way we do our things.”
The meeting was attended by chairpersons of the various Research Ethics Committees across Makerere University and affiliated institutions. These included Dr. Ponsiano Ochama from the School of Medicine Research Ethics Committee (SOM-REC), Dr. Moses Ocan from the School of Biomedical Sciences Research Ethics Committee (SBS-REC), Dr. Paul Kutyabami from the School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee, Dr. David Kyaddondo from the Uganda Cancer Institute Research Ethics Committee, Dr. Stella Neema from the School of Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (MAKSS-REC), Dr. Joseph Kagayi from the School of Public Health Research Ethics Committee, Dr. Joseph Kateete from the Infectious Diseases Institute Research Ethics Committee, Dr. Fred Okuku from the Uganda Heart Institute Research Ethics Committee, Dr. Kassim Sadik from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Research Ethics Committee, and Dr. Eddy Walakira from the College of Business and Management Sciences Research Ethics Committee.
The discussions reflected Makerere University’s broader ambition to consolidate its position as a leading research-intensive institution while ensuring that ethical standards, accountability, and innovation protection remain central to its academic mission.
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