Makerere University on Thursday, 8th November 2018 hosted this year’s Hult Prize On-campus edition Grand Finale with the First Lady Honorable Janet Kataaha Museveni who was represented by Hon. Frank Tumwebaze the Minister of ICT as the Guest of Honor. “Apart from giving her apologies, the first Lady has given you 20 million” Hon. Tumwebaze said.
Over 100 prototypes were presented to the jury of social entrepreneurs and influential personalities around the country. Among the 71 teams that registered, Precotech a waste management system won the Hult Prize On-campus innovations challenge 2018 that took place on Thursday, 8th October, 2018 at Makerere University Main Building. Precotech will advance to the regional finals representing Makerere University and Uganda in March 2019 from where they will interact and compete with like-minded brains for a slot at the Grand Finale in New York City. “You have become the flag bearers of Makerere University in the Next stage of the competition ”declared Silver Walugembe, the campus director.
“Precotech’s innovation aims at breaking barriers to employment through training the unskilled, but also, using a concept that is easy to comprehend, that is, Trash for Cash. The team is comprised of the CEO and Head of the Legal Department, Mukisa Joshua William, a 3rd year law student, Babirye Victoria Sharon, the head of the Software Engineering Department, Ntulume Joseph Brian, the head of the System Engineering Department and Mutambuze Paul, the head of the Waste management, Innovations and Value-Added Chain Department, all final year student at the College of Information Technology at Makerere University. “Don’t come up with these ideas for just your dissertation and making sure you get your degrees. Look at how you can continue with it. The government will support you by not taxing local content” Hon. Frank assured the innovators.
The Hult Prize innovation challenge is a start-up accelerator for impact entrepreneurship which brings together the brightest college and university students from around the globe to solve the worlds most pressing issues through pitching ideas and launching companies. The Hult Prize 2019 challenge is ‘’ Youth Unemployment” and the winning team will win a seed capital of one million USD at the grand finale in New York.
The jury consisted of Mr. Arinaitwe Rugyendo, the proprietor of the Red Pepper, Hakiza Ronald, founder and CEO of Ugabus, Katende Steven, a social entrepreneur and nominee of the Queens Young Leaders Award Nominee, Nyanjura Doreen, the Makerere University LC5 Councilor, Simon Ssenyonga, Eyeru Jacob of the Debating Society of Uganda, Mr. Patrick Enywaru, Founder and CEO Fade Media, Mr. Otim Jimmy Moses, Ms. Sarah Kobusingye, Mr. Hamid Tenywa, Mr. Kagoda Rogers, Ms. Rehma Kirunda and Mr. Mathias Ssemanda.
The competition had two highly competitive rounds, with the first round having two split sessions in the Senior Common Room and the University Main Hall. The jury selected six top teams that advanced to the second round of the competition. In the second round, the competing teams presented before a jury of fourteen that converged after the first round of the competition.
The event was presented by Hon Watum Patrick the 84th Guild ICT Minister, was convened and mobilized by the Campus director Mr. Walugembe Silver, with Ms. Ankunda Esther, Mr. Abdul Twaib Magambo, Ms. Kakai Dorothy, Mr. Kasule Jonathan Kalule and Ms. Ahimbisibwe Prize Mari as the organizing committee and Mr. Oyeki Gerald as moderator.
Special thanks to Honorable Janet Kataha Museveni, Honorable Frank Tumwebaze, Makerere University Management, Mulago METS programme, ResilientAfrica Network, Innovation Village, the Hult Prize team, all the participants and all the people who made this day a success. For more details and graphics about the event follow Hult Prize Makerere on Twitter using @hultatmak.
The degree of attentiveness was at its peak in the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility (CTF) Auditorium as Ms. Janet Nabukeera addressed support staff during a Safeguarding and Inclusion training. Her words were firm, direct and reflective. Ms. Nabukeera, the Deputy Human Resource Officer in charge of Performance and Payroll, emphasized that a negative attitude in the workplace creates a toxic environment where colleagues feel hesitant to collaborate or share ideas.
āAvoid unnecessary confrontations with colleagues because jealousy and anger destroy more than they build. When you hold grudges at work, you slowly burden your own heart and mind. Stress can take a toll on your health and productivity. Safeguard yourself by choosing peace, love yourself first and extend that same grace and respect to others.ā Ms Nabukeera, cautioned.
Ms. Janet Nabukera (on stage) listens during an interactive session with support staff.
The training attracted over 300 Support Staff Members, including Security Personnel, Cleaners, Hall Attendants, Administrative Assistants, Librarians, and Laboratory Support Teams from across the University.
In his remarks, Dr. Rodney Rugyema, the Acting Principal Warden, urged staff to have a positive attitude towards their jobs and encouraged them to ensure that students, fellow staff and visitorās feel safe, respected and protected.
āYou are the eyes and ears of the University, while you may not deliver lectures, you are often the first to notice when something is wrong. So you have to promote an environment free from bullying, discrimination, neglect and intimidation. You have to ensure secure hostels, well-lit walkways, functioning locks and safe laboratory environments,ā Dr Rugyema, said.
Makerere University has a duty of care to do no harm and promote the wellbeing of all students, staff, and other University community stakeholders. It seeks to enhance the learning environment to make it more secure, inclusive, and ethically sound for all stakeholders.
The Makerere UniversitySafeguarding Policy lays out the Universityās framework for embedding viable safeguarding measures into its ethos and all institutional activities and processes to: Identify, detect, and swiftly act on safeguarding risks; prevent the occurrence of harm; provide mechanisms for reporting all allegations or incidents that have occurred; respond appropriately to all reported incidences; and, continuously monitor, evaluate and learn from practices and experiences of managing safeguarding concerns.
Ā āSafeguarding is not only for lecturers or University Management, it is everyoneās responsibility, If you have someone mistreating you, or you come across any risk, do not suffer in silence report through the MakSafeSpace,ā Dr Rugyema, said.
Dr. Rodney Rugyema.
The MakSafeSpace is the e-reporting platform complimenting the other University traditional reporting channels. It is an inclusive platform that provides for confidential modes of reporting safeguarding risks and incidences.
As the session concluded, there was a renewed understanding among participants that safeguarding is a collective duty. From the security guard at the gate to the cleaner in the Hall of Residence, it was clear that every staff member contributes to creating a safe and respectful learning environment.
To involve and create opportunities for students and staff members with disabilities, Light for the World Uganda trained the support staff to become inclusion champions.
Mr. Musa Mwambu, the Disability Inclusion Advisor at Light for the World Uganda, called upon staff to remove barriers limiting the full participation of students and colleagues with disabilities, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
āJust like any other person, people with disabilities have the right to education, health, and protection. Society has the duty to remove barriers that block participation. When barriers are removed, disability no longer limits opportunity,ā Mr. Mwambu noted.
Drawing from his own lived experience as a person with a disability, he shared how access to the right support systems enables him to communicate effectively and perform daily tasks.
āIt is about putting the right conditions in place to participate fully in society. We need multi-stakeholder collaboration to remove barriers and achieve an inclusive society,ā he said.
Justine Namuddu addresses colleagues.
Justine Namuddu, the Support Staff representative on the Makerere University Council, thanked the organizers for the insightful workshop. She reminded fellow staff that Makerere University is a home for everyone and urged them to take care of it.
āFellow members, as you carry out your duties, ensure that you observe both emotional and intellectual safety. Before sharing information, first verify whether it is true. Safety is being at peace with yourself and with others,ā Namuddu emphasized.
She also encouraged younger staff members to take advantage of educational opportunities provided by the University, noting that those who wish to continue with their studies may apply for tuition waivers.
The training concluded with reminders on professionalism and accountability. Staff were encouraged to consistently use the Biometric Attendance Management System to capture attendance accurately. With biometric clock-in devices installed at reception areas across the Main and Satellite campuses, the Directorate of Human Resources can monitor attendance in real time, while staff can keep track of hours worked.
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The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere UniversityĀ has releasedĀ Aptitude Test ExaminationĀ results for theĀ Mature Age Entry Scheme ExaminationsĀ held onĀ Saturday 13thĀ December 2025.
The Candidates who scored 50% and above in the aptitude test passed the aptitude examination and will have their programme -specific examination paper marked. Those who scored less than 50% failed.
Access the links below for the lists categorised under Science-based and Humanities based programmes respectively:
Candidates who are not satisfied with the results may appeal within two weeks from the release of these results through the application system: https://see.mak.ac.ug