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Mak unveils VC’s Roster of 100; amends the Sexual Harassment policy; and launches Safer Universities project

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On Thursday 29th August 2019, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe represented by the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Prof. William Bazeyo unveiled members of the Vice Chancellor’s Standing Roster of 100; launched the amended Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment; and the Safer Universities Project.

The aforementioned strategies re-affirm Makerere University’s commitment to fight against sexual harassment.

Prof. William Bazeyo representing the Vice-Chancellor (Second Left) flanked by Dr. Euzobia Baine Mugisha - Ag. Director Gender Mainstreaming (Left), Dr. Maxime Houinato - UN Women Country Representative, Ms Susan Olegede - UN Women and Prof. Sylvia Tamale- Makerere University School of Law at the launch of the amended Policy and Regulations Against Sexual Harassment on 29th August 2019.

Organized by the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate in partnership with European Union Spotlight Initiative, Government of Sweden and UN Women, the highly colorful ceremony graced by Dr. Maxime Houinato, UN Women Country Representative to Uganda, Ms. Susan Oregede, the Programme Specialist EVAWG, members of Makerere University management, members of the Vice Chancellor’s Standing Roster of 100 and media.

The Vice Chancellor’s Standing Roster of 100 to investigate sexual harassment

In line with section 18 part (a) of Makerere University Policy and Regulations against sexual harassment 2006 (as amended), the Vice Chancellor on 1st August 2019, appointed 100 members of the Vice Chancellor’s Standing Roster to investigate sexual harassment.

Prof. William Bazeyo together with  Dr. Maxime Houinato - UN Women Country Representative, posing for a photo with members of Vice Chncellor's Standing Roster of 100.

According to Makerere University Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment, the Vice Chancellor’s Roster of 100 includes well selected persons of integrity from which ad hoc committees will be drawn to investigate specific reported complaints of sexual harassment. The Roster represents all categories of groups in the University community that is; academic, administrative and support staff, students (undergraduate and postgraduate) as well as all hierarchical ranks within those categories.

The Safer Universities Project

The Safer Universities Project is a joint effort of Makerere University and Gulu University to eliminate all forms of sexual harassment and violence against women and girls by promoting favorable social norms, attitude and behavior and strengthening sexual harassment reporting mechanisms. The project is also geared towards improving Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) at community and individual level and ensure that perpetrators are held countable.

Prof. Willima Bazeyo also launched the Safer University Project. Coordinated by Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate.

Coordinated by Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, the Safer Universities Project is expected to increase the use of available, accessible and quality essential referral services by women and girls who experience violence.

The revised Makerere University Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment

On 2nd March 2018, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe appointed a five-member committee headed by Prof. Sylvia Tamale to investigate the causes of the increasing cases of sexual harassment, review the Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment and make recommendations.

Consisting of Dr. Betty Ezati, Dr. Consolata Kabonesa, Dr. Christopher Mbazira and Dr. Aaron Mushengyezi and Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, the Committee cited gaps and inadequacies that necessitated the policy to be reviewed and amended.

L-R; mR. Eric Tumwesigye, Ms. Ritah Namisango, Ms. Proscovia Nabatte and Ms. Frances Nyachwo discussing the incites of the revised Makerere University Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment.

According to the amended Policy, sexual harassment is prohibited for both on-campus and off-campus university setting against, between or among; students, academic, administrative and support staff, contractors, partners, visitors and researchers. 

 The Policy clearly states the penalties to a person found guilty of sexual harassment. The penalties include; written warnings, counselling, restraining order, apology to the aggrieved party, fines up to two years’ salary, suspension, demotion, dismissal and criminal investigation and prosecution. These penalties will be subjected to a person depending on the gravity of the offence. The revised policy also disbanded the previous Unit based anti sexual harassment committees and established the Vice Chancellor’s Standing Roster of 100 members. It also gives the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and the Directorate of Legal Affairs the responsibility to monitor compliance of decisions made in respect of all lodged complaints.

Members of the Vice Chancellor's Standing Roster of 100 to fight against sexual harassment AT Makerere University acceptiing their roles.

Addressing participants and media on Thursday 29th August 2019, Prof. Bazeyo recognized the importance of the Safer Universities Project as a drive to excavate issues that affect women and girls at universities. “We need to uproot all the cells that cause violence, abuse and sexual harassment in our universities,” he said.

According to Prof. Bazeyo, the amended policy will guide Makerere University on how to handle sexual harassment matters.  He cautioned staff and students against using the issue of dress code as an excuse by the perpetrators of sexual harassment behavior when he said, “You cannot convince me that you were tempted by someone’s dress code if you are not a perpetrator. Someone’s actions especially when it comes to sexual desires are within the heart not the environment.”

Prof. Bazeyo addressing participants and media on Thursday 29th August 2019.

Prof. Bazeyo congratulated members of the Vice Chancellor’s Standing Roster of 100 upon their appointment and urged them to do their work diligently. Drawing from the several reports on sexual harassment that have been reported, Prof. Bazeyo cautioned the members to work tirelessly to ensure that sexual harassment vice is eliminated from Makerere University.

The UN Women Country Representative to Uganda Dr. MaximeHouinato applauded Makerere University leadership for taking a bold step to fight against sexual harassment and all other forms of abuse and violence against women. According Dr. Maxime, the question of violence against women and why focus on women can be well answered and articulated while looking at the wider missing gap between women and men in the country’s economic development.

“Women still face wider income gaps, poor representation in politics and there are few opportunities that target women. More than 25% of women report having been victims of violence,” he said.

 UN Women Country Representative to Uganda Dr. MaximeHouinato speaking to participants on 29th August 2019 at Royal Suites Bugoloobi.

Dr. Maxime said that for a country to develop human capital, it should look at the integrity of women. He spotted impunity as the main cause of violence against women when he said, “impunity is what entertains violence. When people have too much ego and think they are untouchable the end result is violence and all forms of abuse”

On behalf of students, the Makerere University Guild President H.E Julius Kateregga pledged to fully support institutions that are working tirelessly to ensure that Makerere University is a free space for female students, with zero tolerance to sexual harassment.

Training of the Vice Chancellor’s Standing Roster of 100 to investigate sexual harassment

The 100 members of the Vice Chancellor’s Standing Rosters were trained and equipped with knowledge and skills to investigate sexual harassment cases. The two days training (28th-29th August) was organized by Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate in partnership with European Union’s Spotlight Initiative, Government of Sweden and UN Women, Uganda.

Associate Professor Consolanta Kabonesa interacting with participants on Gender and Equity Budgeting.

During the training, participants shared knowledge and experience on violence against women and girls and discussed the root causes, drivers and consequences.  In an interactive session with Prof. Sylvia Tamale, participants were sensitized on how sexual harassment crops up in institutions of higher learning, and public places; the key drivers, preventions and response strategies; and the international, regional and national legal and policy frameworks for prevention and responses to violence against women and girls.

“Sexual harassment is manifested in form of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature,” she said.

Internalizing the Makerere University Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment, Dr Euzobia Baine Mugisha encouraged all members to report any sexual harassment matter to the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate. According to her, any person in authority who receives a complaint of sexual harassment and fails to take any pro-active steps to progress the matter in a timely manner commits an offense and shall be subjected to disciplinary proceedings.

The Direcctor of Legal Affairs Mr. Henry Mwebe making a presentation on Hearing procedures for sexual harassment cases-investigation, storage and submission of exhbits, eithical and legal practices and skills required.

Reiterating the importance of reporting, the Director of Legal Affairs Mr. Henry Mwebe said, “Not reporting is an offense especially if the person withholding information occupies a leadership position.” He urged students and staff to always lodge complaints on matters of violence and sexual harassment in a timely manner and in a well-documented format.

Participants were also introduced to Gender Equity Budgeting by Associate Professor Consolanta Kabonesa and Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and its linkage to violence against women and girls presented by Dr. Josephat Byamugisha.

Article by Nabatte Proscovia, Mak Public Relations Office

 

Proscovia Nabatte

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ZAMREN Board Visits Mak, Discusses AI

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Prof. Sarah Ssali and Prof. Mundia Muya (C) with Members of Management, the ZAMREN delegation and other officials after the courtesy call on 14th October 2025. Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) Board led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, 14th October 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The Board of the Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya on 14th October 2025 paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, Makerere University. The Board which is on a two-day exposure visit to the Research and Education Network of Uganda (RENU) was received by the Acting (Ag.) Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Sarah Ssali in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom.

The Chairperson was accompanied by Mr. Ronald Hatoongo and Mr. Stein Mkandawire, the Board Secretary and CEO of ZAMREN respectively, as well as RENU’s CEO-Mr. Nicholas Mbonimpa and RENUMESH Technologies CEO-Mr. Brian Masiga. In attendance were Mr. Samuel Mugabi-Director DICTS, Prof. Robert Wamala-Director Research, Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP), and Prof. Tonny Oyana-Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).

Also present were; Prof. Paul Birevu Muyinda-Director Institute of Open, Distance and eLearning (IODeL), Dr. Godfrey Mayende-Deputy Director IODeL, Dr. Michael Walimbwa- College of Education and External Studies (CEES), Dr. Cathy Mbidde- Ag. Manager. Makerere University Innovation Pod, Ms. Eunice Rukundo-Deputy Chief-Public Relations and staff from the Office of the Vice Chancellor.

In her welcome remarks, Prof. Ssali thanked the ZAMREN Board for including the courtesy call on their Kampala itinerary and extended warm greetings from the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. She noted that Makerere as a founding member of RENU has enjoyed a mutually beneficial collaboration, that has benefited both staff and students in the form of supporting growing connectivity needs, as well as training, mentorship, and development of technical skills for both continuing students and graduates.

Prof. Sarah Ssali (R) presents an assortment of Mak Souvenirs to Prof. Mundia Muya (L). Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) Board led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, 14th October 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Sarah Ssali (R) presents an assortment of Mak Souvenirs to Prof. Mundia Muya (L).

Turning to the gist of the courtesy call, the Acting Vice Chancellor noted that the Makerere University through the Centre for Artificial Intelligence (MAK-AI) seeks to harness the transformative power of AI to address society’s most pressing challenges. “Projects undertaken by our Centre tackle real-world challenges in health, agriculture, languages, and beyond.”

Prof. Ssali nevertheless underscored the importance of upholding ethics in all AI undertakings “Mindful of global trends elsewhere, the work of the Makerere AI Centre is guided by the principles of Responsible AI, ensuring that systems are transparent, accountable, fair, and designed to benefit society.”

She therefore called upon the delegation to thoughtfully engage with the ideas presented during their visit with the aim of collectively exploring both institution can better equip staff and students to meaningfully make the most of this fast-evolving trend.

On behalf of the Board, Prof. Muya who is substantively the Vice Chancellor of the University of Zambia thanked Prof. Ssali and Members of Management present for according his delegation a warm reception to Makerere University, “one of Africa’s most distinguished centres of higher learning.

Makerere University is not only a symbol of academic excellence but also a beacon of leadership in higher education on the African continent”, remarked Prof. Muya.

The Chairperson equally expressed the delegation’s keenness to understand how AI is being adopted, and how the academia is embracing the technology as an enabler of teaching and research. “At ZAMREN, we view digital transformation and AI integration as critical enablers of academic excellence, efficiency, and competitiveness across higher education institutions,” he remarked, adding that “We therefore look to Makerere University’s experience to draw practical lessons that can inform and inspire our efforts back home.”

Prof. Mundia Muya headed the ZAMREN delegation. Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) Board led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, 14th October 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Mundia Muya headed the ZAMREN delegation.

Turning to the lessons from Makerere in line with digital transformation and ICT, the Director DICTS shared that owing to the partnership with RENU, internet bandwidth, a vital enabler of AI transformation currently stands at 5 Gbps of monthly consumption, with plans to scale-up to 8 Gbps. He added that RENU has also facilitated Makerere’s access to Open Libraries, and Eduroam – a secure, encrypted Wi-Fi network across to staff and students freely access the internet across partner institutions in Uganda using their University emails.

Furthermore on the enablers of AI integration, Mr. Mugabi noted that in line with digitalization of institutional business process, the University Council took a bold step to develop all information systems in-house, a move that has reduced costs spent on offshore solutions, and hemorrhage of skills. He pointed to the introduction of open source solutions, and AI policy and global collaborations with corporations such as Google as additional enablers.

Addressing AI readiness, Prof. Tonny Oyana pointed out the need for the University of Zambia to start early, citing Makerere efforts which began as far back as 2007, when Dr. John Quinn joined the institution after his PhD. He added that Dr. Quinn together with other former staff from Makerere formed Sunbird AI, a thriving initiative creating practical systems for the benefit of community.

Prof. Oyana also pointed to AI initiatives that have attracted up to USD 5million from Google Awards, staff with specialized skills in the creation and development of sensor technologies, top notch students that win continental and global awards from companies such as Huawei, and active engagements with partners to produce solutions to enhance diagnosis of malaria, tuberculosis and cancer as some of areas that demonstrate Makerere’s AI readiness.

The meeting in session. Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) Board led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, 14th October 2025, Main Building, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
The meeting in session.

Addressing academic and research innovation, Prof. Robert Wamala pointed out that Makerere, in recognition that the institution cannot achieve its vision alone is intentional about seeking and nurturing mutually beneficial partnerships. Furthermore, he shared that Vice Chancellor’s Annual Research Excellence Awards reward and recognize the efforts of staff who have excelled in publication, teaching and winning grants.

The Director DRIP equally underscored the need for dissemination of research produced by staff and students, pointing out the annual research and innovation week as a flagship event for not only showcasing research but also forging meaningful partnerships with stakeholders. In line with technology transfer, Prof. Wamala said that the University through the Intellectual Property Management Office ensures that innovations developed by staff and students packaged for adoption by other individuals or organisations.

Addressing the use of technologies in academic work, Prof. Birevu noted that IODeL conducts capacity building in instructional design, online facilitation, use of AI in teaching and digital assessments. “We have also advised the University on ODeL and Distance Education strategies, for instance, we have developed a ten-year masterplan for distance education with support from the Korean Government to outline how Makerere University is going to integrate distance education within its offering” he added.

At the close of the deliberations the ZAMREN expressed sincere appreciation to the Ag. Vice Chancellor and Members of Management for the free sharing that pointed out a number of priorities.

Mark Wamai

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Call for Applications: Government Sponsorship 2026/27

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Makerere University -Main Building

The Academic Registrar, Makerere University informs all Head Teachers of Advanced Level (UACE) Schools with UNEB Centre Numbers that applications for admission to Public Universities and other Tertiary Institutions for 2026/2027 Academic Year for government sponsorship will be done electronically/online using the Academic Management Information
System (ACMIS) from 15th October, 2025 to 31st December, 2025. The Public Universities include:
(a) Makerere University
(b) Makerere University Business School
(c) Mbarara University of Science and Technology
(d)Kyambogo University
(e) Gulu University
(f) Busitema University
(g) Muni University
(h) Kabale University
(i) Lira University
(j) Soroti University
(k) Mountains ofthe Moon University

NB: The list of Other Tertiary Institutions is provided on the online application portal.

Other Important documents:

Mak Editor

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Business & Management

PIM Centre Holds 9th Steering Committee Meeting, Set to Benefit from World Bank Support

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Mak PIM COE Steering Committee

The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence at Makerere University today, October 10th, 2025, held its 9th Steering Committee Meeting to review progress made in the first quarter of the financial year and plan for the months ahead.

The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.

In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.

She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.

Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.

The PIM Steering Committee in a meeting held at Emin Pasha Hotel

She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.

The centre team presented the proposed  structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.

The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.

Betty Kyakuwa
Betty Kyakuwa

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