All Resident Students

1. Congratulatory Message

On behalf of Makerere University Management, I congratulate and thank you for the successful completion of Semester Two: 2024/2025.

2.End of the Second Semester

The second Semester holiday break will begin on 17^th May, 2025 up to Saturday 9^th August, 2025.

3. Resident Students

All resident students are expected to vacate the Halls of Residence by mid-day on Saturday, 17^th May, 2025.

4. University Property

Please hand over all University property in your possession (such as: room keys, Sports & Games equipment, College property etc) before you leave the Hall of Residence.

5. Security of personal property

Please make sure that you carry with you all your property.

Dean of Students
Makerere University

Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11^th and 12^th 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 21^st 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 – 91^st 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.

All Students
Makerere University

This is to inform you that the Recess Term for this Academic Year 2024/2025 will commence from 17^th May to 26^th July, 2025 and the following accommodation arrangements have been made for you.

1. Male students from Livingstone Hall shall be accommodated at Mitchell Hall, while students from Nkrumah and Nsibirwa Halls of Residence shall be accommodated at University Hall.
2. Female students shall be accommodated at Lumumba Hall.
3. Students from the College of Health Sciences who were allocated accommodation space for the Academic Year 2025/2026 at Galloway House are expected to take it up at the
   start of recess while those from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences with recess at Kabanyolo Agricultural site shall be accommodated at Kabanyolo Hostel.
4. Private students who would like to reside in Halls of Residence are required to pay a fee
   of UGX176,500/=(one hundred seventy six thousand, five hundred shillings only) using a PRN to the bank for the ten-week duration upon confirming availability of space for accommodation.

By copy of this letter, all Wardens are requested to make the necessary arrangements to ensure a smooth transition.

Rodney Rugyema (PhD)
AG. DEAN OF STUDENTS