General
CAES Acquires another Agricultural Tractor Worth US$26,500
Makerere University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) has acquired another MASCOR John Deere agricultural tractor worth US$26,500 (approximately shs.98, 050,000).
The tractor was purchased using college resources mainly from the project overheads.
The four wheel drive John Deere Agricultural Machinery, model 5075E with 75HP can be attached on a variety of farm implements including ploughs, harrows, planters, bailers and forage harvesters among others.
The machinery was supplied by John Deere MAS CORPORATION Company Ltd (MASCOR ) and delivered at the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK) on Tuesday, 2nd October, 2018.
The suppliers were represented by Ms. Hellen Atuhaire and Mr. Lwanga Mande.
The handover ceremony was witnessed by University Bursar’s representative Mr. Teefe Paul, the Principal CAES, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha, Acting Director MUARIK Dr. Alice Turinawe, the Acting Farm Manger Mr. Chrysostom Tweyambe, MUARIK security personnel and other university staff.
Receiving the equipment, the Principal CAES Prof. Bernard Bashaasha welcomed the suppliers to MUARIK saying, this was the second tractor delivered (following the MaRCCI one) and expressed hope for further engagement with MASCOR.
“I thank MASCOR for the delivery. I appreciate that you have been good to us and I thank you for the efficient responses to our emails.
We have this farm that needs a lot of machinery. We need to strengthen our relationship in terms of other inputs and repairs”, Bashaasha said.
The Principal hailed the University management for allowing the college to buy the machine using her resources.
“Thank you for the goodwill. We could not have signed the contract without the goodwill of the university.
MUARIK is our Jewel. We do a lot of training, research, production and outreach activities.
The place trains for the whole country and therefore needs technology so that people can appreciate when they see new developments like this tractor”, Bashaasha noted.
The Principal implored the machine operators and entire staff at MUARIK to maintain and handle the equipment responsibly.
“They are very expensive machines, so go an extra mile to be careful. We won’t be with you in the field but we rely on you. I insist, please, do regular servicing”, he said.
Ms. Hellen Atuhaire from MASCOR appreciated Makerere University for choosing John Deere MASCOR as a business associate. She described the John Deere tractor as a brand new machine that can work in all situations.
The company provided the service kit for free and will offer the first two tractor services. It will also offer free training to the tractor operators before using the machine and a warranty of 2years or 2000hours whichever comes first.
The Acting Director MUARIK Dr. Alice Turinawe described the new delivery as a blessing.
“I am excited to have a new tractor. We have a lot of activities and it is a good starting point to come in office with a tractor which is a sign of blessings. It is my hope that the university will secure more, including implements”. Dr. Turinawe said.
Dr. Turinawe welcomed the Bursar’s Representative Mr. Teefe Paul, the Principal CAES and MASCOR and thanked them for being good partners and delivering two tractors to MUARIK so far.
She reiterated the Principal’s request for MUARIK staff to be responsible, adding that the Institute was counting on them to look after the machinery well.
Report compiled by;
Jane Anyango,
Principal Communication Officer, CAES
Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11th and 12th April 2025 with a vision to leave no student behind by nurturing a community of confident, articulate, and visionary leaders who will drive positive change in society. The tournament was held in three preliminary rounds, followed by semi-finals and a grand finale.
The first round covered democracy and youth participation in politics, while the second round covered inequality and wealth distribution, and the third, the ban on export of raw materials. The semi-final round debated apprenticeship for blue-collar jobs, while the grand finale debated national budget allocations for healthcare and education. In the spirit of inclusivity, all colleges, including the Jinja Campus participated in the tournament.
Commenting on the choice of topics, the organisers noted Makerere University as a bastion of academic excellence has a profound responsibility to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of our nation. These leaders, they added, ought to be equipped with 21st century skills of self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving so as to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving world.
On the whole, Makerere Inter-college Debates were conceived as a strategic initiative to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and innovation. The Debating Union aims to empower the future leaders by providing a platform for students to engage in respectful discourse, articulate their thoughts, as well as develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the Debates serve as a platform for not only honing the intellectual prowess of students but also cultivating leadership skills, teamwork, and communication abilities that are essential for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. It is envisaged that this initiative will have a lasting impact on the lives of students, by exposing them to debates on topical issues that can shape the mindsets of transformative leaders our nation needs.
After a thrilling two days of debate, Daphine Kemigisha and Jibril Ssekandi from the School of Law (SoL) emerged as winners of the Makerere University Inter-college Debate Tournament 2025, while Olara Emmanuel George from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) was the Public Speech Champion, and Namujuzi Martha Mociita from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) was the Poetry Champion.
The 2025 Tournament was organized by Mayanja Owen and Nkalubo Oprah – 91st Guild Representative Councils (GRCs) of the Debate Union, Akatwijuka Arthur – Chairperson Debate Union, and Debate Union Representatives from colleges. The Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) partnered with the Debate Union to deliver the 2025 edition.
Addressing students at the award ceremony, UNNGOF’s Mr. Derrick Baluuku encouraged the youth to step out of their comfort zones and think of solutions to inspire change in their communities.
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