General
CoBAMS to Host Pakasa Forum and 3rd Annual Entrepreneurship Expo
Over 1,500 Makerere University students in the Department of Marketing and Management under the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) are prepared to showcase innovative ideas during the 3rd Annual Entrepreneurship Expo 2018.
During the press conference held on Monday, 8th October 2018, the The Principal CoBAMS Dr. Eria Hisali and sponsors called upon Government ministries, the business community, private sector, prospective partners, staff, alumni, students, media and the general public to come to Makerere University to on Friday, 12th October 2018 and take part in the Expo starting at 9:00am in the Freedom Square.
Dr. Peter Turyakira, Head of the Department of Marketing and Management said that the 3rd Annual Entrepreneurship Expo focusing on the theme, “Unlocking the student’s potential,” will offer students an opportunity to display what they learn in class. He added that the Expo would also be a platform for them to begin planning for life after university.
“In these Expos, students demonstrate to their colleagues and the general community that they can turn the theory learnt at the university into practice. The Entrepreneurship Expo is the first place where students learn about the tools they will use to turn an idea into a startup; grow a new venture or join an early stage venture,” said Dr. Turyakira.
He added that the Expo will be preceded by a Pakasa Forum in the CoBAMS Auditorium on Thursday, 11th October 2018 from 9:00am to 12:00pm and called upon students, staff and the entire public to attend both the Forum and the Expo.
Dr. Turyakira revealed that in order to minimize graduate unemployment in Uganda, the Department of Marketing and Management is setting up an Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre aligned to Makerere University’s Vision: To be the leading institution for academic excellence and innovations in Africa.
“The Centre is envisioned to create a platform to expose both undergraduate and graduate students to the workplace environment, innovativeness, risk bearing, product development, business startup and management,” remarked Dr. Turyakira.
In his remarks, Dr. Eria Hisali said that activities such as the Expo enable the University to support Government in addressing issues regarding youth unemployment as it equips students with the practical skills needed to start up their own businesses.
According to Dr. Hisali, community engagement is one of core functions of the university and the Expo is one way of giving back to the community since it sensitizes people about starting up their own enterprises and being self-employed.
He thanked the sponsors of the Expo for playing a role in the nurturing of young student entrepreneurs and called for continuous support from them.
The New Vision is the main sponsor of this year’s Expo. Other sponsors include: Post Bank Uganda, Uganda Revenue Authority, Pride Microfinance Limited, Uganda Industrial Research Institute, United Bank of Africa, Eistein Rising Uganda and Business Development Service Providers Network.
Mr. Joseph Byaruhanga, the Marketing Officer, New Vision was glad that the 9th Pakasa Forum organized by New Vision will be held at Makerere University where different panelists will sensitize students and community members on entrepreneurship skills.
Addressing journalists, Mr. Byaruhanga noted that the theme for the Expo is in line with Pakasa Forum’s objectives of exposing students’ abilities where young entrepreneurs display and promote their innovative ideas and businesses.
Dr. Cathy Mbidde who is the team leader explained that the Expo is mandatory for all students of entrepreneurship. She said that the best students will be awarded according to their performance and the best team will receive the Vice Chancellor’s Award, the second team will receive the Principal’s Award and the third team will receive the Dean’s Award.
Dr. Mbidde added that the College shall follow up the winners and is willing to allocate them space at the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre and nurture them to further develop their ideas.
Article by: Rachael Kanyi and Esther Joyce Nakibombo, Communication Volunteers-PR Office
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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