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 Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe on 20th April 2026 inaugurated the Second Makerere University Health User Committee (Mak-HUC). The Committee was established by the Vice Chancellor in 2022 as part of his strategic mandate to strengthen and oversee the University Hospital services delivery.
Chaired by Dr. Allen Kabagenyi from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Mak-HUC has as its members; Prof. Josaphat K. Byamugisha-Director Makerere University Health Services (MakHS) and Dr. Daniel Ronald Ruhweza-Department of Law and Jurisprudence, School of Law.
Other members include; Dr. Arthur Kwizera-Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, College of Health Sciences (CHS) and Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) Representative, Dr. Lillian Tukahirwa-Makerere University Administrative Staff Association (MASA) Representative, Mr. Godfrey Othieno- National Union of Educational Institutions (NUEI) Representative, and as Secretariat, Ms. Kevin M. Nabiryo-Directorate of Human Resources.
The 2nd Mak-HUC has been appointed for a period of four years effective 1st January 2026 with a mandate to: Guide, monitor and oversee delivery of health services by MakHS; Represent the interests and concerns of staff and students that use MakHS; Advise on alignment with sustainable health financing and insurance models; Strengthen systems for fraud prevention, digital transformation and access to specialized treatment, among other responsibilities.
The 1st Mak-HUC was chaired by Dr. Allen Kabagenyi and had as members; Prof. Josaphat Byamugisha, Dr. Fred Mayambala, Dr. Zahara Nampewo, Mr. Othieno Godfrey, Mr. Apunyo Paul Okiria and Ms. Ikiriza Racheal. Milestones during the first era included; Outpatient Department visits growth from 4,802 (2022) to 7,388 (Nov 2025) for staff and 14,641 (2022) to 19,069 (Nov 2025) for students.
Others milestones included; Commissioning of a fully equipped Operating Theatre, Establishment of a modern Imaging Hub, Development of a fully functional Audiology Unit, Expansion of the Temporal Bone Laboratory, Launch of the Olink Proteomics Platform and Enhancement of the Dental Unit with 32 dental chairs and experienced personnel.
Related article: https://news.mak.ac.ug/2025/12/three-years-of-impact-makerere-university-health-user-committee-presents-status-report/
By Gerald Ochwo
On Monday, 20th April 2026, the Academic Registrar, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi and his Senior Management Team (SMT) convened to witness the official handover of office within the Senate Division. The ceremony, attended by representatives from the Directorate of Internal Audit, marked an important moment of transition and continuity in the University’s academic administration. The outgoing Deputy Academic Registrar in charge of the Senate Division, Mrs. Patience Mushengyezi, formally handed over office to Ms. Gladys Khamili, who assumes the role in an acting capacity.
In his remarks, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi underscored the significance of the transition, situating it within a broader institutional context. He observed that the Department of the Academic Registrar has, over the years, experienced a steady wave of retirements, particularly among senior staff. He noted that this trend is expected to continue, with a considerable number of experienced personnel due to retire within the next two years.
While acknowledging the institutional gaps created by these departures, he reassured staff that the University is actively addressing the situation to ensure the continued efficiency of the Department.
“You will agree with me that the Department has, over the years, witnessed the retirement of many senior colleagues. Their departure leaves behind a significant institutional gap. However, the University is fully aware and will address it through targeted recruitment,” he stated.
In her detailed handover report, which she delivered verbatim, Mrs. Patience Mushengyezi reflected on her tenure with gratitude and a deep sense of fulfillment. She paid tribute to the Vice-Chancellor, in his capacity as Chairperson of the University Senate, for his steadfast guidance and support throughout her service. She also expressed sincere appreciation to the Academic Registrar, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, for his pragmatic and results-oriented leadership.
“I remain deeply grateful for the support from the Vice-Chancellor and all members of Senate for the trust they accorded me. I equally thank the Academic Registrar, Prof. Buyinza, for his results-oriented approach to administration. His support enabled us to achieve remarkable progress under the DARP (Digitalization of Academic Records and Processes) Project, including the successful digitalization of Senate minutes, some dating as far back as the 1990s, which are now easily retrievable,” she noted.
Her remarks painted a picture of dedication, progress, and institutional strengthening, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to benefit the University.
In her acceptance remarks, Ms. Gladys Khamili expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Academic Registrar for the confidence placed in her. She acknowledged the weight of responsibility that comes with the role and pledged her commitment to upholding the standards and gains established by her predecessor.
She paid glowing tribute to Mrs. Mushengyezi’s exceptional service, noting that her impact within the Senate Division is both profound and enduring.
“I am truly honored by the trust bestowed upon me. I am committed to building on the strong foundation laid by Mrs. Mushengyezi, whose remarkable contribution and dedication will continue to inspire us all,” she said.
The ceremony not only marked the end of a distinguished era in the Department of the Academic Registrar, but also the beginning of a new phase, underscored by continuity, renewal, and a shared commitment to excellence in academic administration at Makerere University.
Gerald Ochwo is the Liaison and Communication Officer, Office of the Academic Registrar
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