General
MakSPH Breaks Ground for New On-Campus Home
On Friday 28th February, 2020 Members of Management and Staff of the Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) were joined by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Uganda, H.E. Henk Jan Bakker to break ground for the new MakSPH home on the Main Campus. Located right at the entrance of the University’s Eastern Gate opposite the Estate and Works Department, the site was a hive of activity despite the early morning downpour that left ground well soaked.
Students from the Department of Performing Arts and Film (PAF), College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) set the tone for the groundbreaking ceremony with their lively performance of the Ugandan, Dutch, East African Community and Mak anthems. Their performance of "Het Wilhelmus" (The William); the National Anthem of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in particular had the Ambassador awestruck as they expertly navigated the difficult stanzas in Dutch.
Welcoming the gathering, the Dean MakSPH, Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze shared that groundbreaking for the new eight-storey building worth US$9.8million came 66 years after the Department of Preventive Medicine was founded, which later gave birth to the first Institute of Public Health in Africa in 1974.
“This groundbreaking also comes 48 years since our home in Mulago was launched, which coincidentally, was also built by ROKO” remarked the Dean.
ROKO won the contract to build the new 14,969square metre facility. The building will house tutorial rooms, demonstration and innovation laboratories, auditoria as well as space for research fellows, doctoral students and post-doctoral trainees.
Quoting the Former Governor General of Canada, Adrienne Clarkson, Prof. Wanyenze said “Each of us is carving a stone, erecting a column, or cutting a piece of stained glass in the construction of something much bigger than ourselves.”
In this regard, she pointed out that building the new home wasn’t the biggest thing MakSPH was going to undertake but rather it was training personnel with the capability to drive the change the School would like to see. “Schistosomiasis still stands at more than 30% prevalence in Uganda, the fight against the coronavirus outbreak is ongoing and so we cannot underestimate the role of the School of Public Health in protecting Uganda and Africa.”
The Dean shared that whereas MakSPH had raised only 20% of the total project budget, the School could not afford to postpone breaking ground any longer as the public health needs were great. These were occasioned by challenges such as rapid population growth and urbanization, epidemics and pandemics of emerging and re-emerging pathogens, refugee crises due to natural disasters and armed conflicts among others. She thanked Amb. Bakker and the Netherlands Government as well as other partners for contributing to the 20% collected so far.
The Principal College of Health Sciences (CHS), Prof. Charles Ibingira congratulated MakSPH upon embarking on the new project as it adds to the college’s list of recently undertaken infrastructure developments. He took note of; establishment of the CHS Research Support Centre, Renovation of various Laboratories and the Albert Cook Medical Library, Establishment and extension of the Dental Hospital and School on the Main Campus as well as completion of the IDI-McKinnell Knowledge Centre as some of these projects.
Prof. Ibingira paid special tribute to the University Council for allocating land for the construction of the new MakSPH home and the University Management, the Ambassador and all partners for honouring the invitation to attend the ceremony. Present at the ceremony were the Vice Chancellor-Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-Dr. Umar Kakumba and the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration)-Prof. William Bazeyo.
Also present were the Acting University Secretary-Mr. Yusuf Kiranda, Academic Registrar-Mr. Alfred Namoah Masikye, Director Estates and Works-Eng. Christina Kakeeto and the Manager Procurement and Disposal-Mr. Paul Agaba among others.
In his remarks, Prof. William Bazeyo a former Dean MakSPH (2009-2017) shared that the journey to build the new home started in 2014 with a fundraising drive embraced by all staff then. “I believe that there is no 80% deficit on this project because we have friends who will not abandon us, especially now that we have found the starting capital.”
Prof. Bazeyo thanked Prof. Rhoda Wanyenze for carrying forward the MakSPH dream and not diverting the building funds to other projects. He pledged his support to the successful completion of the project and urged all present to always “be a contribution”.
Prior to inviting the Ambassador to deliver his remarks, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe noted that it was literally unheard of for employees in Uganda to contribute their personal resources to public infrastructure projects. He therefore commended MakSPH staff for leading by example, describing their act as “a great display of patriotism.”
“As a university, we must remain committed to ensuring that our country achieves the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through contributing to the training of high quality graduates. The College of Health Sciences is our flagship of research excellence, accounting for 50% of our research output as an institution” said the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Nawangwe noted that construction of the New MakSPH home was going to be one of the flagship projects as Makerere University kicks off her Centennial Celebrations and urged the contractor ROKO to deliver good quality work.
The Guest of Honour H.E. Henk Jan Bakker started by expressing his gratitude to PAF students for pulling off the feat of singing the Dutch National Anthem. “Dutch is a very difficult language for non-natives to properly pronounce let alone sing and I thank the students of Performing Arts for a job well done.”
He noted that Uganda is better placed than many other countries in Africa to respond to outbreaks of diseases like Ebola because its citizens are educated, thanks largely to efforts of MakSPH. The Ambassador equally commended the team spirit exhibited by MakSPH staff in owning the project by making personal contributions.
Ambassador Bakker shared that the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands had contributed approximately US$300,000 towards establishment of a state-of-the-art auditorium in the new home, equipped with ultramodern ICT equipment. He added that his government had contributed to the improvement and refurbishment of the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Centre under MakSPH in Kasangati as part of a five-year project. The Ambassador pledged his Government’s readiness to continue supporting the four priorities of; Food and Nutrition Security, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, the Justice Law and Order Sector as well as Refugees and Host communities in Northern Uganda.
Prior to the official groundbreaking ceremony, the former Dean MakSPH (2003-2009), Prof. David Serwadda moved the vote of thanks to various stakeholders such as the Government of Uganda; for giving VAT exemption for all building materials for the project through the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the University Management for maintaining an open-door policy towards the School. He also thanked the of the Kingdom of the Netherlands through Erasmus University Rotterdam, Johns Hopkins University as well as institutions like the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Uganda Aids Commission (UAC) and many other agencies for contributing to the project and MakSPH’s growth over the years.
Equally recognized by the day’s emcee, Ms. Harriet Adong, were representatives from; Ernst & Young, NC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Absa Bank, BDO Audit Firm, In-Line Print Services and the Media. Also recognized were representatives from MakSPH Projects; ResilientAfrica Network (RAN), Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa (CTCA) and Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Support (METS).
Article by Public Relations Office.
The Director of Makerere University Jinja Campus, Associate Professor Ronald Kakungulu-Mayambala, has urged students to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding policy aimed at creating a safer and more inclusive learning environment.
Speaking during the safeguarding policy sensitization meeting held today Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at the Civil Service College, Jinja, Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, emphasized the importance of awareness and adherence to the policy, which seeks to protect students, staff, and other stakeholders from all forms of abuse, harassment, exploitation, and discrimination.
“As Management we want every student to enjoy their stay at the University without being tormented and that can only happen, if students know their rights by reading about different policies on our website. You are meant to be living in a safe environment. We do not want anybody’s dream to be shattered or somebody to drop out from University,” Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, said.
In his speech, Prof. Kakungulu-Mayambala, also called upon students who have complaints but do not know the reporting lines, to approach staff safeguarding champions to make sure that they live in a safe environment.
Addressing guests, Emmanuel Muchake, the Guild Administrator at Jinja Campus, pointed out that the launch of the safeguarding policy is timely because as a University, without creating a conducive environment for teaching and learning, they will not have students graduate.
On Friday, April 4,2025, the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Right Honourable Lukia Isanga Nakadama, officially launched the Safeguarding Policy and commended Makerere University for crafting a policy that lays out the University’s framework for embedding viable safeguarding measures into its ethos and all institutional activities and processes to: Identify, detect, and act swiftly on safeguarding risks.
The Safeguarding Policy was developed in response to the growing need for institutions of higher learning to implement proactive measures that address concerns related to student welfare, mental health, gender-based violence, and power imbalances in academic settings.
Some of potential safeguarding risks in Institutions of higher learning include emotional distress, Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH); material loss, financial exploitation, discrimination and neglect, unfair and illegitimate response to civic engagements, cyber security/threats, psychological and emotional harm, substance abuse and physical assault. Discrimination and neglect which are often high risks for students with disabilities and international students.
The safeguarding policy sensitization meeting in Jinja Campus brought together students and staff in a meaningful dialogue on safeguarding issues affecting learning.
The event was graced by Dr. Rodney Rugyema, from the Dean of Students Office, who emphasized the University’s commitment to the well-being of all its members. In his remarks, he highlighted the importance of safeguarding policies in preventing abuse, harassment, exploitation, and other forms of misconduct within the Jinja Campus community.
“Safeguarding is not a one-time action, but a continuous culture of care and accountability. We all have a role to play in ensuring a safe and respectful space for learning and growth,” Dr Rugyema, said.
The sensitization session covered key topics including; recognizing signs of abuse, understanding reporting procedures on the MakSafeSpace and fostering mutual respect among peers.
Participants were encouraged to actively engage and reflect on their roles in upholding safety standards both on and off campus.
Students who attended the sensitization welcomed the initiative, with many expressing optimism that the policy would improve campus safety and encourage victims to come forward without fear of retaliation.
“We have seen issues go unreported in the past because students didn’t know where to turn. This policy provides clarity and assurance that the university is taking these matters seriously,” noted, a third-year student.
The University plans to conduct a series of sensitization workshops and distribute printed copies of the policy to ensure that every member of the campus community is well-informed. This initiative is part of Makerere University‘s broader strategy to reinforce its values of integrity, respect, and protection for all.
The Safeguarding Sensitization Meeting concluded with a collective pledge to uphold safety, dignity, and mutual respect within the University community.
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