General
Mak Honours Prof. Capt. Dr. Virginio Lachora Ongom
On Thursday, 28th June 2018, Makerere University paid well-deserved tribute to one of the most hardworking researchers and publishers in his day and first African Dean of the School of Public Health (MakSPH), Prof. Capt. Dr. Virginio Lachora Ongom. Appropriately described as the “Meteorite from Pakwach” by the day’s emcee, Mr. George Piwang Jalobo, Prof. Ongom’s light brilliantly flashed across the sky of Pakwach District to the rest of Uganda, then to Kenya onto India and then vanished after only forty seven years, leaving behind a trail of achievements and publications.
The writing on the wall became clearer as speaker after speaker paid tribute at the Inaugural Memorial Lecture. Prof. Ongom was a hardworking academic and army officer who was passionate about using his time and resources to cause a change in his community. As a father, he was a strict disciplinarian and time keeper whose home often turned into an impromptu ‘reception centre’ for patients he often ferried over hundreds of kilometres from his Panyagoro village to Mulago Hospital.
“Prof. Ongom intervened and treated those who had been ‘bewitched’ and they recovered. That is how those ‘witches’ survived being lynched by their community, thanks to his research” said the College of Health Sciences (CHS)’ Deputy Principal-Dr. Isaac Okullo in his welcome remarks.
Representing the CHS Principal-Prof. Charles Ibingira, Dr. Okullo paid tribute to Prof. Ongom’s perseverance and determination in the face of resource constraints, to arrest the spread of bilharzia and treat affected persons. “This is what we always want as the result of our research.”
Dr. Okullo congratulated MakSPH upon continuing to raise awareness about bilharzia and other Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and thanked partners such as MaxMind Corporation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) as well as stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health (MoH)’s Vector Control Division (VCD) and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) for supporting bilharzia research. “The event is a first step to galvanise support to eliminate bilharzia and other NTDs and so we still need your continued support to take this cause forward” he added.
Describing the late Prof. Capt. Dr. VL Ongom as a true patriot, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe in his remarks said, “The major purpose of this function therefore is to honour the patriotism, commitment and hard work of all researchers including Prof. Ongom, whose selfless effort and dedication brought these findings to light.”
Prof. Nawangwe further stressed that as the leading research university in Africa, Makerere would provide leadership in the endeavour to raise funds for training and research, in order to contribute to elimination of Bilharzia in Uganda. He shared Makerere’s pride at being research leaders in areas such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Malaria, as well as other diseases that hamper socio-economic development in Africa.
“We thank the Government for the support it continues to give this institution and pledge that every single coin will be put to the good cause of eliminating bilharzia and other Neglected Tropical Diseases” he concluded.
Introducing the Inaugural Memorial Lecture, the MakSPH Dean, Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze shared that the event was a continuation of an initiative embarked on by the School in December 2017; to honour all its erstwhile Heads. Four of these namely; Prof. Josephine Nambooze, Prof. John Kakitahi, Prof. Fred Wabwire-Mangen and Prof. David Serwadda were present to celebrate Prof. VL Ongom’s rich legacy, appropriately described by Dr. Wanyenze as “a trail of evidence through his scientific publications for posterity.”
The Dean further shared the School’s proposal to establish the Prof VL Ongom Endowed Chair and Endowment Fund, to support capacity building, research and innovations towards eliminating bilharzia and NTDs, including nodding disease. “This Endowed Chair presents a great opportunity to enhance the capacity of the University, Ministry of Health and UPDF Medical Services, to ably contribute solutions to this big challenge.
“Our target is to raise at least US$2million by June 2019, when we hold the next Prof. Ongom Memorial Lecture and at least US$15million by June 2024, a landmark year, when we celebrate 50 years since the Institute of Public Health was established, and the 6th annual Prof VL Ongom Memorial Lecture. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not just about money, but the real impact that we can and should make on the affected communities” remarked Dr. Wanyenze.
The choice of the person to deliver the Inaugural Prof. V.L. Ongom Memorial lecture couldn’t have been more appropriate. Prof. Birgitte Vennervald is no stranger to Uganda’s fight against bilharzia. Having first come to Uganda in 1989 under the auspices of the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), Prof. Vennervald has gone on to traverse more Districts and villages in Uganda than the average national, thanks to the inspiration awakened by Prof. Ongom’s research and publications on the same.
“Prior to Prof. Ongom’s publications, most of the research on schistosomiasis was conducted outside sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Egypt, South America and Asia” shared Prof. Vennervald. “In this presentation we quote two of his papers on The Epidemiology and consequences of Schistosoma Mansoni” she continued.
Taking note of the aforementioned papers published in 1972, Prof. Vennervald stressed that these had to be revisited and further examined because Prof. Ongom had the benefit of understanding the local dialect and culture in his native Panyagoro community. “He had to rely on his hands to do all the necessary tests and his research demonstrated that in a community where bilharzia exists, it may end up being the most important public health need. We therefore should follow in Prof. Ongom’s footsteps for he indeed demonstrated that research must be evidence-based” she enthused.
Prof. Vennervald went on to congratulate MakSPH, the Ministry of Health (MoH) as well as other partners upon their continued research and vector control programmes that have led to the elimination of the previously endemic river blindness in from 18 out of the original 39 Districts of Uganda. “I nevertheless call upon the School of Public Health to make bilharzia and NTDs an attractive topic to students and researchers so as to keep the subject vibrant. Additionally, general drug distributors should be trained on how to handle or refer cases of bilharzia and other NTDs.”
She nevertheless called for a multi-sectoral approach in the fight against bilharzia and NTDs by involving agencies such as; MoH, Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) as well as the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, in order to safeguard tourists from being infected by diseases especially waterborne ones such as bilharzia.
Prof. Vennervald however took note of poor medicine uptake due to fear of side effects, the lack of child-friendly treatment and poor sanitation especially among migratory fishing communities as problems that still threatened the fight against bilharzia. “Some areas such as the islands of Lake Victora and districts in the Albertine region such as Hoima, Buliisa and Pakwach have experienced bilharzia upsurge.
“Despite all this, we learn from Prof. Ongom that we should remain focused on bilharzia by insisting that this is our problem, our community’s problem and Uganda’s problem in order to bring it to an end. You have the knowledge, research base and dedicated people in Makerere and Ministry of Health. You should be able to find a lasting solution to this problem and meet Government’s Vision 2040 goal” she concluded.
“We have done a lot of research and made a lot of interventions but we must admit that the bilharzia problem is much bigger than we thought” remarked Dr. Narsis Kabatereine, the discussant of the Inaugural Memorial Lecture. As one who joined the MoH’s Vector Control Division (VCD) in 1980, Dr. Kabatereine paid tribute to Prof. Ongom, who despite living for a short time wrote very prolific papers that demystified previous notions that only Caucasians were susceptible to schistosomiasis.
“I therefore thank Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze and Dr. Christopher Orach for encouraging research on schistosomiasis. This goes to show that research in implementable activities is still much-needed in today’s public health interventions” added Dr. Kabatereine.
The day’s tributes would have been incomplete without voices from those who knew Prof. V.L Ongom way before he became the trailblazing researcher and publisher. Speaking as a trio; Former Prime Minister-Rt. Hon. Kintu Musoke, Second Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of East African Affairs-Hon. Kirunda Kivejinja and Former Minister and Ambassador-Prof. Semakula Kiwanuka oscillated the audience between spellbinding silence and bouts of laughter.
“In 1958 I attended an interview to secure a scholarship to India, where the other interviewee was a young man called V.L Ongom” reminisced Rt. Hon. Kintu Musoke. “While I went on to secure a scholarship from the Government of India, V.L. Ongom received the Madhvani scholarship. Later when we met in India, it was ‘love at first sight’! The Ongom we knew was a serious student, a serious religious man and a serious political operator” he added.
“Hearing my senior colleague describe VL Ongom as a political animal was the biggest surprise to me” began Prof. Semakula Kiwanuka in reference to Rt. Hon. Kintu Musoke’s remarks. “Ongom and I met at Namilyango College in 1953 and what I remember is that he was extremely serious, hardworking and very clever.
“I was the President of the Uganda Students Association at the University of Nairobi but I never knew Ongom to be political! I don’t know what happened to those who went to India” remarked Prof. Semakula Kiwanuka, sending the audience roaring with laughter. “Today is therefore a wonderful day and we thank Makerere for honouring the distinguished scholar that Ongom was. Your presence here especially that of His Excellency the Vice President is testimony to that and I thank you for honouring my classmate, my schoolmate and my universitymate” he concluded.
“Your honouring Ongom and indeed honouring us today has fulfilled in our lives that when you do something good for your country, you will one day be recognised” eulogized Hon. Kirunda Kivenjinja. “As leaders, we hold positions of power and can get things done, but we didn’t want to remind the President to honour Ongom” he continued.
“As freedom fighters, there are three things we don’t do; we don’t seek our own glory, we don’t mourn our dead and we don’t lobby. We therefore thank the organisers of this Memorial lecture for befittingly honouring Prof. Ongom and his family today” summarised Hon. Kivejinja.
In his remarks, the Vice President H.E. Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi who represented the President H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni saluted the University for honouring distinguished leaders, noting that in so doing, “Makerere University, as a whole, and the College of Health Sciences and School of Public Health, in particular; have embarked on becoming transformation agents!
“This is a wonderful example of Academia getting out of its traditional “ivory tower” mentality into the real world to solve real problems that affect real people! This is re-orientation from ideological dis-orientation which has been a real obstacle to Uganda’s transformation since colonial times!” he added.
The Vice President observed that Prof. VL Ongom had the energy of an Army Captain Doctor even in Academia and seamlessly blended into the Army and Government in service of his community and Nation. “He was also a very religious man, who put his Catholic Christian faith in practice. For he was Chairman of St Augustine’s Chapel Community, and was a true patriot who drove the Chaplain, Rev. Fr. David Kiyingi, to the Uganda-Kenya border and to safety in the 1970s! This occurred when Idi Amin’s soldiers wanted Rev. Fr. Kiyingi dead or alive” he further praised.
H.E. Kiwanuka Ssekandi further noted the importance of a skilled and healthy population in enabling Uganda to realize her Vision 2040 and pledged the Government’s as well as UPDF Medical Services’ readiness to join MoH at the frontline of the struggle to eliminate Bilharzia and other NTDs by 2040.
“These historic projects have been eloquently articulated by the Dean, Dr. Rhoda Wanyenze. I will arrange to meet with the leadership of the University and School of Public Health in the nearest future to discuss these proposals in detail” concluded the President’s speech.
“If there was anyone who learnt anything from his strict timekeeping it was me” shared Ms. Elizabeth Ongom as she paid tribute. “You knew him as Professor but we knew him as Daddy. All we wanted was a father but we understood his commitment, he had to treat people” she added.
“As a family, we are extremely grateful and dearly thank Makerere University for honouring our late father Prof. Virginio Lachora Ongom. As you have heard from Prof. Vennervald’s lecture, Prof. Ongom’s research had impact and some of the bilharzia survivors he treated are today happily married. We also pay tribute to the gift of friends that our late father left behind who have been an integral part of our lives” shared the eldest son Mr. Godfrey Ongom.
There was a hushed silence from the audience as Mama Cecilia Ongom took her turn to pay tribute to her dearly departed husband. Speaking gently and yet authoritatively, Mama Ongom thanked Makerere University and all the organisers for the wonderful tribute to Prof. Ongom. She also thanked the Vice President for representing His Excellency the President at the Inaugural lecture, as well as all in the audience who had spared time to attend the event. “We were both in the same medical profession and we knew the call. We had to care” she summed up.
Prof. Capt. Dr. VL Ongom made a great contribution to science through his research in parasitology, especially in bilharzia and sexually transmitted infections. He published profusely; with over twenty five peer-reviewed publications as the first author, and overall, had over 35 publications including four theses. He was a Board member of the Uganda Commercial Bank; now Stanbic Bank, and oversaw the establishment of the bank’s branch in Pakwach district. In recognition and honour of his outstanding contributions, the Pakwach District Council on Saturday, 30th June 2018 renamed its Health Centre IV the Prof. VL Ongom Memorial Hospital.
Article by Public Relations Office
President Yoweri K. Museveni while officiating as Chief Guest at the Julius Nyerere Annual Symposium 2026: Nyerere-Museveni Dialogue at Makerere University called upon the audience not to merely hold Nyerere’s Legacy as a historical footprint but as a masterplan for the future that remains unfinished. Organised by the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC), the symposium was a two day event that started with “ekyooto” on 13th October at the JNLC gardens and climaxed on 14th October in Freedom Square. The second day hinged on the theme: Borrowing from the Past, Building the Future.
In the President’s message delivered by Rt. Hon. Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of Makerere University, the president spotlighted, “Mwalimu Nyerere as the greatest African that ever lived in terms of contribution to the African people’s efforts for freedom, human rights, and dignity.”
This greatness, he notes, spilled not just to political ideals but also to economics and security. The President agreed with him and warned that “freedom without economic transformation and economic prosperity, without a robust strategic security, remains incomplete.”
Reaching out to the younger generation of scholars and leaders, the President issued a strong warning to move beyond simply remembering Nyerere to action. He said, “you must carry forward the torch of pan-Africanism, reject sectarianism and tribalism, build our regional markets, and champion the total political integration of our motherland.”
He appreciated Mwalimu for his; unwavering support for the struggle of the East African Federation, courageous backing of the armed anti-colonial struggles in the southern half of Africa, principled and decisive support for the anti-Idi Amin struggle, pro-people and pro-unity policies that kept Tanzania peaceful for decades, and ensuring that Tanzania remained a strategic rear base for the entire African resistance.
As a believer in Nyerere’s ideals, the President urged the audience to honor Mwalimu “not merely through commemorative speeches, but through completing the historical task of uniting, defending, and prospering our motherland,” for the motive is to ensure that the independence wars won by our predecessors were not in vain.
To this note, he reiterated the case for Uganda, saying “we shall never forget his profound contribution” to Africa.
Professor Nyamsenda’s Keynote Unparked Pan-Africanism
During the Nyerere-Museveni Dialogue symposium at Makerere University, Professor Sabatho Nyamsenda, a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam delivered the Keynote Address titled “The Unfinished African Project: From Liberation Legacies to a New Generation of Transformation” during the symposium”.
He started on a lighter noticing “Nyerere is being Ugandanised.” This he said looking at the annual Public Lectures dedicated to his name and felt like challenging his home institutions to follow suit.
At the calm of the room, he presented a critique of the current state of Pan-Africanism, arguing that it has been grabbed by the ruling elites, a challenge Professor Nyamsenda identifies to have started in the period of 1960 -1980.
He explained that it was around this time period that Pan-Africanism was snatched away from the masses and it became a state project. Currently, he said the ideology exists in two forms: Boardroom and Street Pan-Africanism.
Professor, characterised Boardroom Pan-Africanism as a State Project. He said “boardroom Pan-Africanism sits comfortably with imperialism and elite-centered accumulation.” While Street Pan-Africanism to which Professor advocates, he emphasised that historically, this approach “united the African liberation movement and liberated the African continent from the most barbaric colonial powers.”
As he concluded, Professor Nyamsenda joined Mwalimu and the President of Uganda in urging youth to consider joining and leading the struggle for a better Africa.
Role of JNLC in Realising Nyerere’s Ideas
Professor Saturninus Kasozi Mulindwa, the JNLC Board Chair highlighted the primary objective of the center as “imparting knowledge and sharing experiences from the old generations to the new generations.” Therefore, JNLC contributes to the actualisation of Nyerere’s ideas by focusing on the development of the next generation of African leaders.
To supplement this, Dr. Nansozi K. Mwanga the Executive Director at JNLC said that the center is committed to “nurturing ethical, conscious, and transformative leaders inspired by Mwalimu’s ideas of service, human dignity, self-reliance, and Pan-African solidarity.”
She explained their focus is on several key areas with training as core. They have “trained over 1,500 young people and young leaders from across Uganda.”, and developed leadership programs “grounded in ethical decision-making, civic responsibility, public service, and action.”
In her remarks, it was observed that training alone is not enough; they are also doing mentorship, to provide opportunities for networking and learning from experienced leaders. There are already testimonies when you visit the Centre wall of fame. To which Dr. Nansozi revealed “leadership development matters when learning becomes service and meaningful action.”
The Centre remains proud of those they have touched and are eager to support as many cohorts.
Julius Nyerere Family Pour their Heart out
Mama Maria Nyerere, addressed the Symposium virtually and commended the Centre for keeping Mwalimu’s values alive.
As a memory of her husband, she reminded the audience that his greatest legacy was anchored on the values by which he lived: service, humility, integrity, unity and love for Africa and its people. She also urged the young people to take up leadership responsibilities and lead with humility, integrity and always remember the people they serve.
Mama Nyerere also advised the youth to learn from those who came before them like her husband with courage to build a better Africa for their generation and those who will come after them.
Joining Mama Nyerere, on behalf of the Nyerere family was Ms. Julia Nyerere, a granddaughter, who attended physically and thanked H.E. Kaguta Museveni for supporting the establishment of the Julius Nyerere Centre at Makerere University and also commended the Keynote Speaker Professor Nyamsenda for Critiquing Nyerere’s ideas.
Julia further shared an understanding of her grand-father’s interest in preserving humanity as a moral.
As a family they are happy that his (Nyerere) values and legacies continue to inspire Africa and beyond.
Appreciation for All who Made the Symposium Possible
Addressing the symposium, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, represented by Professor Henry Alinaitwe the Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Finance and Administration expressed the University’s appreciation and commitment.
He thanked “the government of Uganda for the support they are giving to the Julius Nyerere Leadership Center,” and requested Dr. Kiyonga to “convey the message to the fountain of honour for this initiative that Makerere University is happy for, and is going on well.”
To the leadership of the Center, he specifically thanked the Director Dr. Nansozi for her focused leadership. He stated, “I commend my friend, Dr. Nansozi, for the work that you are doing.”
Professor Alinaitwe also emphasized “we” value these symposiums, saying, “as a university, we acknowledge that such activities create great visibility.”
Dr. Kiyonga was also thanked for delivering the President’s message, together with veterans like Professor Kabwegyere, among other distinguished guests and partners that attended.
Professor Tarsis Bazana Kabwegyere as well appreciated all and emphasised the collective duty of the youth in building the next generation.
He advised “your responsibility is to identify and build Africa forward, building on the legacies and foundations of our forefathers,”.
The Professor also argued that “being young on its own is not a virtue. It is what you are when you are young.” He challenges the audience to avoid being ignorant and claim that you are young.
Background of the Nyerere Symposium
The Julius Nyerere Annual Symposium is an intergenerational gathering hosted at Makerere University. For more than six years now, it has been connecting past leadership legacies of Nyerere and other revolutionaries with current regional and continental priorities under the (JNLC) centre.
The Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC) serves as a training ground and research hub designed to mentor the next generation of African leaders. Co-hosted by Makerere University and the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), the Centre bridges the gap between older statesmen and youth by focusing on Pan-African ideals, ethical governance, and social transformation.
General
Makerere University and Xiangtan University Advance Strategic Partnership in Chemical Engineering
Makerere University and Xiangtan University are set to update their close to 20-year academic partnership, with a new focus on launching a joint Master’s degree program in Chemical Engineering and expanding student and staff exchange initiatives.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a recent visit by a delegation from Xiangtan University to Makerere University headed by Professor Dingyu Ou, in the company of Mr. Tang Fei and Professor Gilbert Gumshabe, the Chinese and Ugandan Directors of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University respectively.
While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify academic offerings and contribute to national development through training in Chemical Engineering. Through this new initiative, the University will better prepare graduates for the petrochemical industry and support the country’s industrial growth.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated that the proposed collaboration aims to address Uganda’s growing need for industrial expertise, particularly as the country develops its petroleum sector. The two universities here are working toward a 1+2 training model, which will enable Makerere students to gain practical experience and access advanced laboratory facilities at Xiangtan University.
Professor Nawangwe further reiterated that “our relationship with the people of China, not just for Makerere but also for a big part of Uganda, has been opened wider by the establishment of the Confucius Institute, considering that many other collaborations like one being discussed now have come through this collaboration.”
The head of the Xiangtan delegation, Professor Dingyu Ou, expressed appreciation for the meeting, and acknowledged the history between the institutions. “As mentioned, we have a very long relationship and a very stable friendship between our two universities.”
Professor Ou extended appreciation for the support provided to the Confucius Institute at Makerere, the care shown to his colleagues, and looked forward to the successful start of the Chemical Engineering collaboration.
Assuring the delegation of Makerere’s readiness for the collaboration, Ms. Hawa Ndagire Kajumba the Lead, Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Makerere University Advancement Office, aligned with the Vice Chancellor’s emphasis of University goal to have both theory and practice imparted to the students.
She said “the curriculum of the university and Uganda as a whole is moving towards competence-based education training to ensure students are equipped to demonstrate those skills in the actual field, particularly regarding petroleum exploration.”
Ms. Ndagire Kajumba also emphasised a shift in strategy for the partnership office, saying, “we are moving away from just signing MOUs that collect dust, and moving towards those that are more collaborative to benefit our faculty and students, just like this one.”
Professor Gilbert Kumushabe aligned his remarks with those of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Ndagire Kajumba, and described the method used at Xiangtan University as “actually competence-based teaching.”
Based on his recent visit, Prof. Gumoshabe shared that students in China are divided into groups with dedicated teachers to perform practical, hands-on work beyond the theoretical lecturers. He expressed gladness that the same was being adopted for the Ugandan context.
Both institutions are now working to finalise the specific agreements for the joint degree and exchange programs. Beyond academic training, the collaboration will advance cultural and professional exchange.
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