General
MURBS Declares 17% Return to Members Ahead of 8th AGM
The Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme (MURBS) has declared a rate of 17% return to Makerere University Staff members which was above their target by three points. This was revealed during a press conference held on Tuesday, 16th October 2018 in the Quality Assurance Tele-presence Centre, Senate Building, Makerere University.
Between 1996 and June 2005, Makerere University operated a Deposit Administration Plan (DAP) with National Insurance Corporation (NIC) with the sole purpose of providing financial security to its staff after retirement. During that time it was discovered that benefits under DAP were not able to provide a decent life to members of staff upon retirement. MURBS was formally constituted and began operations in July 2010. Since inception, MURBS has been audited by leading Audit firms eight times, and is going to have its 8th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, 24th October 2018.
According to Mr. Wilber Grace Naigambi, the Chairperson MURBS Board of Trustees, during the financial year 2017/2018, the scheme paid out benefits amounting to UGX 3.79 billion to 99 existing members compared to UGX 3.22billion in the previous year.
“I am glad to report that during the financial year 2017/2018, we paid out benefits on average within six days. I note with much pleasure the significant progress made by MURBS in the various aspects of its governance and management,” said Mr. Naigambi.
He revealed that rating by the Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority (URBRA) after a thorough evaluation indicated that the MURBS Board of Trustees is performing well. “URBRA rated MURBS as the 4th biggest scheme (in terms of assets) in Uganda after NSSF, Bank of Uganda and the Parliamentary Pension Scheme.”
The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe said that Makerere University Management recognizes the importance of MURBS in the running of the University as it provides employees with an opportunity to assess their financial position in their working life.
“I am happy to learn that some of our staff currently have retirement benefits in excess of Uganda Shillings 200million. This has made the work of the University management easier,” said Prof. Nawangwe.
Prof. Nawangwe pledged that the University Management will continue working with MURBS to further consolidate all these achievements and reassure staff that Makerere University takes good care of its own upon retirement.
Eng. Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem, the Chairperson Makerere University Council said that Makerere University is building for a vibrant future retirement benefits sector through MURBS. He added that the 17% return MURBS has awarded to its members is going to translate into enhanced savings of Makerere University staff upon their retirement.
“Retiring staff now have a far higher financial security than it was previously. I wish to thank the University Management for nurturing this scheme and ensuring that monthly contributions are remitted promptly,” remarked Eng. Dr. Wana-Etyem.
The Secretary Board of Trustees, Dr. John Mulindwa Kitayimbwa, noted that all permanent staff are eligible members of the scheme, and MURBS has 15 policy documents that guide the flow of work, thus ensuring good governance. He revealed that the scheme is embarking on training Makerere University staff on how to appropriately use their retirement benefits.
MURBS is run as a fully transparent retirement benefits scheme that is fully compliant with all regulatory requirements. It intends to uphold this by laying a firm institutional foundation for its governance and management systems. In so doing, MURBS has raised the bar on transparency in Uganda’s retirement benefits sector.
Article by: Angom Pauline, 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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