General
Ugandan Journalists trained on Aflatoxins Communication and Reporting
- A National Media Aflatoxin Group formed
- Makerere University’s Professor Archileo Kaaya is the Patron
About 30 journalists from different Media Houses in Uganda have undergone a two-day training on Aflatoxins Communication and Reporting, culminating in the establishment of a National Aflatoxin Journalist Network. The network will serve as an advocacy group to enhance public awareness and drive more actions to mitigate aflatoxin contamination of food and feeds.
The training was sponsored by the Platform for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA), a program of the Africa Union Commission (AUC). This media training is the second of its type that the commission is supporting member states to implement. The first training took place in Senegal, in September 2018.
The training was officially opened by the Director for Extension in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) Mrs. Beatrice Byarugaba on Monday, 29th October, 2018 at Fairway Hotel in Kampala.
The function was also attended by the AUC-PACA Program Officer, Ms. Wezi Chunga-Sambo, Chair, Aflatoxin Technical Working Group, Prof. Archileo Kaaya, members of the PACA Secretariat and the Uganda Mycotoxin Mitigation Steering Committee among others.
The journalists received Certificates of participation signed by the AUC Officer in Charge and Head, Rural Economy and Agriculture Dr. Janet Edeme, after induction through a series of topics on aflatoxins and responsible reporting.
Topics included: Aflatoxins – their impacts on public health, trade and agriculture at national and continental levels; Aflatoxins – stakeholders and their roles; Aflatoxin Research findings with emphasis on groundnuts; Media /Research interface on aflotoxin information packaging; Interventions by AUC-PACA, and a summary of the C-SAAP Report on Uganda among others.
Key presenters included Makerere University’s Prof. Archileo Kaaya, Dr. David Kalule Okello from the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), PACA Secretariat members; Ms. Grace Akao, Ms. Wezi Chunga-Sambo and Mr. Ibrahim Gariba.
In her opening remarks, Director for Extension MAAIF Mrs. Beatrice Byarugaba noted that the country had been awoken by research findings that aflatoxins are indeed a big threat. She expressed appreciation to Makerere University and NARO Researchers for the job well done.
Mrs. Byarugaba further appreciated the PACA Secretariat for involving the media saying, the aflatoxins have reached a threatening level, affecting all staple foods, public health and trade.
“Aflatoxins are consumed by everyone at all stages of the food value chain and have impacted on trade and exports which is very sad.
“Aflatoxins are caused by poor handling practices starting on-farm to the value chain, traders, stores, retail industries, manufacturers and when we eat eggs and milk.
“Schoolchildren and all institutions are at risk as many take groundnut paste (odi) and serve a variety of foods in all forms”, the Director said.
Mrs. Byarugaba described the research findings on aflatoxins as a blessing towards finding lasting solutions to the threat posed.
“The best option is prevention and this is why we need the media to help educate people, since you are the eye and mouthpiece of society. We need you as communication experts to be part of us to relay the findings in our development programs.
“People are consuming aflatoxins without knowing. Aflatoxins are affecting trade; we had a big consignment to Kenya and when it was sampled it had aflatoxins.
“One time we had a consignment to Korea which was also rejected and a lot of money was lost in this consignment, affecting the economy.
“We have a problem of stunting. Cancer has become an epidemic at Mulago Hospital and is linked to aflatoxins. We need people to know about it and the media to be our change agents.” The Director stated.
Mrs. Byarugaba also emphasized the need for the media to report correctly so as to help the masses protect themselves from aflatoxins. She expressed the Government’s confidence in the media and commitment to partner with it to raise public awareness and promote good management practices of aflatoxins.
Ms. Wezi Chunga-Sambo in her remarks said the AUC is committed to raising Africa’s food safety and quality standards at par with the rest of the world, in order to make Africa’s agriculture a competitive and vibrant sector that promotes trade and agribusiness.
She reported that PACA has a 10 year strategic plan which has identified public awareness, advocacy and communication as one of the strategic thematic areas. In addition to the strategy, she said PACA has developed a continental communication strategy currently being adopted by various member states in coming up with their own national communication plans.
“Right from the onset when PACA was created, stakeholders realised that awareness of aflatoxins and their impacts on health of consumers, trade and agriculture is generally low. However it also dawned on stakeholders that creating awareness of aflatoxins to the general public is complex due to the technical nature of the information involved”. She said
Noting that aflatoxins are a silent killer which cannot be seen by the naked eye and with their health effects mostly manifesting over a period of time, Ms. Chunga-Sambo implored journalists to communicate findings responsibly without causing alarm and panic among the population.
“This requires scientists and communication experts to work in synergy to develop clear, evidence-based, action-driven messages and information targeted at specific audiences and delivered using media, formats and languages most appropriate and accessible to those groups”, she advised.
Ms. Chunga-Sambo described media professionals as very important stakeholders who play a pivotal role in how modern societies view and believe, accept or reject information hence the need to capacitate them in communicating about the aflatoxin threat. This, she concluded, would help the media provide clear evidence-based information on aflatoxins to the target groups.
Report compiled by;
Jane Anyango;
Principal Communication Officer CAES
General
Makerere University Pushes for Stronger Support for Research Ethics Committees amid Growing Research Demands
By Moses Lutaaya
Makerere University has intensified efforts to strengthen research governance and ethical oversight, with university leaders calling for greater institutional support for Research Ethics Committees (RECs), whose role has become increasingly central to the institution’s research-led agenda.
The call was made during a high-level meeting between University Management and Chairpersons of Research Ethics Committees held at the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom at the Makerere University Main Building on May 25, 2026.
Opening the meeting, the Director of Research Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP), Prof. Robert Wamala, highlighted a number of operational and administrative challenges affecting the effectiveness of RECs at Makerere University.
Prof. Wamala observed that RECs continue to operate with gaps in institutional framework outlining their position within the university governance structure, a gap he said has affected institutional support and long-term sustainability.
According to Prof. Wamala, inadequate facilitation continues to affect the operations of several committees, especially in areas of staffing, administrative coordination, and remuneration for REC administrators.
He also pointed to challenges arising from new regulatory requirements governing the appointment of REC members, particularly the need for appointment letters to be authorized or signed by the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Wamala further raised concern over the high cost of mandatory accreditation and training processes required by the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), especially the Good Research Regulatory Practice (GRRP) training undertaken every three years. “Payment for training is too high for individual RECs to cover,” he noted, adding that many committees are struggling to independently raise the money to undertake the training for all their members.
He also emphasized the need for stronger institutional monitoring systems to support timely submission of accreditation renewal applications, oversight of approved research activities, and coordination of REC operations across the university.
In her remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Prof. Sarah Ssali, commended the growing contribution of RECs in advancing Makerere University’s research agenda and acknowledged the concerns raised by Prof. Wamala and committee members.
“There were not very many RECs,” Prof. Ssali said. “So now that we are 10, it is really impressive because it speaks to our cause for a research-led university.” She admitted that despite their importance, many RECs still operate outside the formal university establishment, making staffing and operational support difficult.
“The only challenge that I see is that they are not fully institutionalized. So it is upon units to start them or not to start them,” she explained. Prof. Ssali added that because RECs are not fully integrated into the public service structure of the university, recruiting and remunerating staff through conventional university systems remains complicated. “Hiring for them staff will be a little bit cumbersome because the university will say they are not part of our structure,” she said.
She nevertheless emphasized that university management recognizes the strategic importance of RECs in strengthening ethical research oversight and supporting Makerere’s position as a research-led institution. “RECs are doing a great job of furthering our strategic agenda of being a research-led university,” she noted.
Prof. Ssali explained that the growing reliance on institutional RECs by the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology demonstrates the trust placed in Makerere University’s ethical review systems.
Addressing concerns about the cost and frequency of mandatory training, Prof. Ssali acknowledged the financial burden on RECs but explained that many of the requirements are set by national regulators. “Many of the things you have raised are with National Council, they are not with us,” she said. “We can only pledge to lobby.”
To address logistical challenges associated with training senior academics, she proposed more flexible scheduling arrangements. “For a professor to give you a whole day is going to be a challenge,” she said. “Maybe you can do half days throughout the week.”
Prof. Ssali also encouraged colleges and schools to allocate part of their enhanced research budgets toward supporting REC activities, including staffing, training, and operational facilitation.
She suggested that colleges and schools hosting RECs should directly take responsibility for sustaining them. “For me, that’s the way out — to ensure that the colleges and schools that have RECs take them as their responsibility,” she noted.
The DVC-AA also addressed concerns related to intellectual property rights, Material Transfer Agreements (MTA), and the need for researchers to formally communicate scientific discoveries and innovations to the university to ensure institutional protection and benefit-sharing. “All you are saying is true, but it depends on you as researchers informing the institution that we have made this discovery,” she said.
Prof. Ssali reiterated Makerere University’s commitment to strengthening research governance systems and pledged continued engagement with both university management and national regulatory bodies to address the concerns raised by REC members. “Where they are, they enable research, publication and growth,” she said of the RECs. “Most importantly, they enable us to be ethical with the way we do our things.”
The meeting was attended by chairpersons of the various Research Ethics Committees across Makerere University and affiliated institutions. These included Dr. Ponsiano Ochama from the School of Medicine Research Ethics Committee (SOM-REC), Dr. Moses Ocan from the School of Biomedical Sciences Research Ethics Committee (SBS-REC), Dr. Paul Kutyabami from the School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee, Dr. David Kyaddondo from the Uganda Cancer Institute Research Ethics Committee, Dr. Stella Neema from the School of Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee (MAKSS-REC), Dr. Joseph Kagayi from the School of Public Health Research Ethics Committee, Dr. Joseph Kateete from the Infectious Diseases Institute Research Ethics Committee, Dr. Fred Okuku from the Uganda Heart Institute Research Ethics Committee, Dr. Kassim Sadik from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Research Ethics Committee, and Dr. Eddy Walakira from the College of Business and Management Sciences Research Ethics Committee.
The discussions reflected Makerere University’s broader ambition to consolidate its position as a leading research-intensive institution while ensuring that ethical standards, accountability, and innovation protection remain central to its academic mission.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Makerere University Chancellor Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga as Uganda’s Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament.
The appointment was announced on May 26, 2026, as part of the cabinet reshuffle for the 2026–2031 government term. Dr. Kiyonga now assumes one of the senior leadership positions in government while continuing to serve as Chancellor of Makerere University.
Dr. Kiyonga is both Chancellor and alumnus of Makerere University. He studied at Makerere University School of Medicine from 1973 to 1978, graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB). He later obtained a Master of Health Science in Population Dynamics from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in 2004.
Born on September 19, 1952, in Kasese District, Dr. Kiyonga attended Bwera Primary School, Nyakasura School, and Kings College Budo before joining Makerere University.
He was appointed Chancellor of Makerere University in August 2024 and formally installed in October 2024, succeeding Professor Ezra Suruma.
Political and Public Service Career
Dr. Kiyonga entered national politics during Uganda’s 1980 elections, where he won a parliamentary seat on the Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM) ticket. He later joined the National Resistance Movement during the liberation struggle and subsequently served in several senior government positions after 1986.
He represented Bukonjo County West in Parliament from 1980 to 2016 and was also a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1995 Constitution.
Over the years, Dr. Kiyonga has held several ministerial portfolios, including:
- Minister for Cooperatives and Marketing
- Minister of Finance
- Minister of Internal Affairs
- Minister of Health
- Minister without Portfolio
- Minister of Defence
During his tenure as Minister of Health, he played a key role in Uganda’s response to the Ebola outbreak in Gulu in 2000.
From 2016, he served as Uganda’s Ambassador to China, where he represented Uganda during a significant period of Uganda-China relations.
Dr. Kiyonga’s appointment marks a return to frontline government leadership after several years in diplomatic service and university leadership.
Significance for Makerere
As Chancellor, Dr. Kiyonga serves as the titular head of Makerere University and presides over major ceremonial functions, including graduation ceremonies.
His appointment reflects the longstanding contribution of Makerere University alumni to public service and national leadership in Uganda and across the region.
Speaking during his installation as Chancellor in 2024, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet K. Museveni, noted that Dr. Kiyonga’s experience and networks would support the advancement of the university.
Makerere University congratulates Chancellor Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga upon his appointment and wishes him success in his new role.
The Writer is a Volunteer in the Public Relations Office, Makerere University and the Mak Sharks PRO | Est. 2014
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