General
Prof. Bazeyo Hands over DVCFA Office to Dr. Nabukenya
The outgoing Acting (Ag.) Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration)-DVCFA on 30th November 2020 officially handed over office to the incoming Ag. DVCFA Dr. Josephine Nabukenya at a ceremony presided over by the Chairperson of Mak Council Mrs. Lorna Magara. The event held in the Central Teaching Facility 1 (CTF1) was guided by the Ag. University Secretary-Mr. Yusuf Kiranda and witnessed by the Chairperson Finance, Planning, Administration and Investment Committee (FPAIC) of Council-Mr. Bruce Kabaasa, the Vice Chancellor-Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-Dr. Umar Kakumba, Members of University Management and Prof. Bazeyo’s family.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor paid tribute to Prof. Bazeyo for the tremendous achievements registered which made his own job very easy.
“One of Prof. Bazeyo’s tremendous achievements has been to move the University out of huge debt, with the most outstanding one; the In-House benefits scheme, almost completely settled,” remarked Prof. Nawangwe.
He also commended Prof. Bazeyo for his negotiation skills, which enabled the University to secure the Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) from the Government of Uganda. Mak-RIF is the first of its kind Government funding dedicated purely to supporting research and innovations at Makerere University, and is open to competitive bidding by any member of staff.
Prof. Nawangwe thanked the outgoing DVCFA for his exemplary service and accepting to continue chairing the inaugural Grants Management Committee (GMC) of Mak-RIF. This selflessness, he noted would help Makerere to become a truly research-led university.
The Vice Chancellor equally expressed gratitude that Prof. Bazeyo was handing over to Dr. Nabukenya who is known for her steadfastness, prolific research and grant winning abilities. “Dr. Nabukenya has been very responsive when called upon to serve on various University Committees and we pledge to continue according you all the necessary support until a substantive DVCFA is appointed.”
In his handover speech, Prof. William Bazeyo thanked God for the negotiation and other skills that have enabled him to be a contribution to Makerere University right from his date of appointment on 23rd August 1993 until he attained the mandatory retirement age on 22nd June 2017. Now serving on a post-retirement contract valid until May 2021, Prof. Bazeyo shared that these skills had enabled him to transform the School of Public Health (MakSPH) from being virtually unknown to the second-best School of Public Health on the African continent.
Speaking about what motivated him to take up the role of DVCFA, Prof. Bazeyo outlined; the Media coverage of Makerere’s indebtedness, need to achieve research-led status, need to improve staff remuneration, unpaid retirement benefits and the absence of an institutional grants policy as some of the challenges that spurred him on.
“On the research front, I am glad to say that today, we have 595 project groups concurrently engaged with full funding by Government under Mak-RIF. And whereas Government had initially committed to avail this funding for only five years, they are now willing to funding every financial year having seen Makerere’s demonstrated capacity,” Prof. Bazeyo said.
Addressing Dr. Nabukenya, the outgoing Ag. DVCFA said, “I have never seen an office as challenging as this but the fact that I have tried means that you too can do the same through initiatives like strategic planning, participatory budgeting and a host of others as outlined in my handover report. I pledge that I will be available to introduce you and support you where you need me.”
In conclusion, Prof. Bazeyo thanked the Chairperson and Members of Council for entrusting him with the role of DVCFA and Prof. Nawangwe for always listening to his proposals and offering much-needed guidance. He thanked Dr. Kakumba for always speaking honestly and Dr. Eria Hisali for continually stepping-in to act on his behalf whenever he was out of office. Prof. Bazeyo equally thanked rest of the members of Management for their support throughout his term of office and staff in the Office of the DVCFA for enabling him to serve efficiently.
In her acceptance speech, Dr. Josephine Nabukenya thanked the University Council for giving her the opportunity to act as DVCFA, a role she pledged to use wisely. “I thank the Chairperson Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara, Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and all members of Management for being part of this handover ceremony. I am humbled to be assigned the role of next Acting DVCFA, a great responsibility and at the same time, a great honour.”
She paid tribute to her predecessor Prof. Bazeyo for the achievements registered during his term of leadership and for not losing sight of his goals especially in research, despite the challenges faced. She attributed this to Prof. Bazeyo’s passion for Makerere University, which has been a good driving force during his three years in office.
Dr. Nabukenya nevertheless made appealed to her outgoing colleague to continue working with the institution to cement the successes that had been registered during his term. She pledged to work hand in hand with her colleagues in Top Management to ensure that several projects currently being undertaken such as automation of services are accomplished.
In her remarks, the Chairperson Council thanked Prof. William Bazeyo for his selfless service to Makerere University, especially for his role in spearheading negotiations with Government to secure the remainder of funds owed to the Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme (MURBS). Mrs. Magara noted that the University Council is still looking forward to working with Prof. Bazeyo in various capacities.
Turning to Dr. Nabukenya, the Chairperson noted that the University Council celebrates her as a woman who has ascended to a top position of University Management. She nevertheless noted that Dr. Nabukenya’s prolific record made her a good candidate for the position. “Drawing on the gender card was never a necessity in considering your candidature because your past attainments in research and especially automation made you a perfect fit for the role.”
Quoting Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold”, Mrs. Magara urged Dr. Nabukenya focus on leaving a legacy in Makerere University because her legacy would outlive her. She added that Council’s expectations of the DVCFA role are high but nevertheless expressed confidence that Dr. Nabukenya would deliver as much as Prof. Bazeyo had and hopefully, exceed expectations.
The Chairperson noted that whereas the University aspires to be research-led, the institution should not conduct research just for the sake. “Our drive must be to conduct research that responds to the National Development Agenda” remarked Mrs. Magara before posing a question, “What do we need to do to ensure that Makerere becomes the Think Tank for the National Development Agenda?”
She concluded her remarks by pledging the University Council’s and her personal support to the new Ag. DVCFA and urged Dr. Nabukenya to stay focused on her duties.
Members of Management also present included the University Librarian-Dr. Helen Byamugisha, University Bursar-Mr. Evarist Bainomugisha, Director Estates and Works Directorate-Eng. Christina Kakeeto, Director Internal Audit-Mr. Walter Yorac Nono, Ag. Director Legal Affairs-Mr. Hudson Musoke, Representing the Ag. Director Human Resources-Mr. Deus Mujuni Tayari and other officials.
Article by Public Relations Office
General
Minister Janet Museveni Lays Foundation Stone for School of Graduate Studies Building, Commissions the School of Law Building and the renovated Lumumba Hall
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, has laid the foundation stone for Makerere University’s School of Graduate Studies building, whose construction is now underway.
The Minister laid the foundation stone for the USD8 million project during a brief function held on Wednesday 18th December 2024 at the site opposite Makerere University’s Lumumba Hall. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the State Minister for Primary Education, Hon. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, University Council Chairperson Mrs. Lorna Magara, and Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe.
Others in attendance included Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, Professor Henry Alinaitwe; Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, Professor Buyinza Mukadasi; University Secretary Mr. Yusuf Kiranda; Dean of Students Winfred Kabumbuli; Guild President Vincent Lubega Nsamba; and the Vice Guild President, Joy Eve Serunjogi among others.
The building is a donation (in-kind) from the late Hasmukh Patel, an industrialist and former Chairman of Tororo Cement who passed away on August 29, 2024, after a short illness. The journey to this befitting donation to Makerere University started in December 2022, when Hasmukh Patel accompanied by some members of his family and friends visited the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe to declare his donation. From December 2022, a number of meetings were convened involving the Minister of Education and Sports, the University leadership, Mr. Hasmukh Patel, his family and Tororo Cement regarding this donation. Living true to his commitment during those meetings, his family and Tororo Cement are implementing his wishes to construct the building, which will house the School of Graduate Studies at Makerere University.
Before laying the foundation stone for the School of Graduate Studies building, Hon. Janet Museveni first unveiled a plaque to officially open the new building for the School of Law. She then headed to Lumumba Hall, where she unveiled another plaque marking the completion of its renovation.
The First Lady, who had initially laid the foundation stone for the School of Law building on May 17, 2022, returned to the main campus to officially open the completed structure. Funded by the Government of Uganda to the tune of UGX 7.3 billion, the new three-storeyed building features lecture rooms, tutorial and seminar rooms, a library, a moot court, offices, a cafeteria, a lactation room, and other teaching and learning facilities. Construction was undertaken by M/S CK Associates, with Symbion serving as a consultant.
The renovation works for Lumumba Hall commenced in June 2023, with the site handed over to the contractor, National Enterprise Corporation (NEC). Funded by the Government of Uganda to the tune of UGX 9 billion, the project involved extensive renovations to restore Lumumba Hall to its original splendor. Lumumba Hall now accommodates about 725 students.
Lumumba Hall was the first hall of residence to undergo renovation, followed by Mary Stuart Hall, which has also been handed over to NEC for refurbishment. These renovations, which began last year, are a result of the Government of Uganda’s efforts to improve the nine (9) halls of residence at the main campus.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Janet Museveni thanked the University Council and management for their dedication to rebuilding the institution. She expressed confidence that the physical restoration efforts would also rebuild the character of young people.
“There is a restoration of dignity that comes to an institution or a community when we choose to rebuild and it is not only physical, there is a spiritual restoration that comes as well. For Nehemiah, it was not just the rebuilding of a physical wall it was the rebuilding of broken lives and a broken covenant. It was the rolling away of the reproach they had suffered as a nation,” she said.
Adding; “I therefore salute the Council and the management of Makerere for your dedication to the rebuilding of this University. I am confident that as you rebuild physically, you are rebuilding the character of our young people. My prayer is that the physical restoration is translating into the spiritual restoration of this great institution.”
The first lady, Hon. Janet Museveni recalled her earlier visit to Makerere University, where she observed the dilapidated state of the halls of residence, which prompted her to initiate the renovation works.
“I remember taking a tour of the halls of residence in this University and Kyambogo University in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. My heart bled when I saw the state of the halls of residence. Like Nehemiah, I took my burden to the Lord and now see what the Lord has done! Commissioning of the refurbished Lumumba Hall today is a testament to the faithfulness of our God. It is even more gratifying to know that other projects are ongoing and these include: the renovation of Mary Stuart Hall, the construction of the Perimeter Wall, and improvements at the University Hospital, including setting up an operating theatre and ICU.” She said.
Hon. Janet Museveni also expressed gratitude to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, for his leadership, which facilitated the realization of the Tororo Cement project. “This Project would not have been possible without the guidance and leadership of the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Nawangwe, who drew my attention to this offer by Tororo Cement, and requested me to endorse this Project, which will be named after Mr. Hamukh Patel,” she said.
Adding: “I am informed that the construction of this building is estimated to cost 8 Million US dollars and will consist of: lecture and seminar rooms, smart classrooms, laboratories, an innovation space, a conference hall, offices and other facilities. We remain forever grateful for this donation, which will increase access and contribute to improving the quality of postgraduate education.”
Speaking at the event, Vice Chancellor Prof. Nawangwe commended Hon. Janet Museveni for prioritizing the development of Makerere University, which has seen remarkable progress under her leadership. “Hon. Minister, from the time you took over the Office of Minister of Education and Sports and the Higher Education Sector, Makerere University in particular has transformed tremendously. Most notable is the infrastructure revolution at Makerere. On several occasions, you have come to Makerere to lay the foundations for new buildings and to open completed buildings, including our iconic Main Administration Building,” he said.
“When you inspected the halls of residence in 2021, I could see the frustration in your eyes, looking at the dilapidated state the halls were in, especially Lumumba, part of which had been condemned for 2 years,” Prof. Nawangwe said.
“Hon. Minister, I am sure that today, after seeing the glamorous new building for the School of Law and the glittering renovated Lumumba Hall, you are in a completely different mood compared to that visit in 2021. We are as delighted as you must be and your efforts are the reason for our happiness today. Our law students and professors can now comfortably study, work and conduct research in the best building for any school of law that I have seen,” Prof Nawangwe added.
Reflecting on the Graduate School Building, Prof. Nawangwe recalled when he received a proposal from Mr. Hasmukh Patel in 2022 who had initially intended to donate the Main Administration Building, which had been destroyed by fire, but opted to donate School of Graduate Studies Building after finding that the main building reconstruction had already started.
“Hon. Minister, in the morning of 13th December 2022, a miracle happened in my office in the Frank Kalimuzo Building. General David Muhoozi and Major General Apollo Gowa walked into my office with the Late Hasmukh Patel. Gen. Muhoozi introduced Mr. Hasmukh Patel as the Chairman of Tororo Cement, who after learning about the destruction by a fire of our Main Administration Building, expressed the wish to reconstruct that iconic building. On reaching Makerere, Mr. Hasmukh Patel found a contractor already on site, and he told us, that he would all the same donate a building to Makerere University as a gift on our 100th anniversary,” Prof Nawangwe said.
“He said it in such a simple way, that I thought I was dreaming. That evening, at the invitation of Mr. Patel, I visited the building that Mr. Patel had built for a school at Bukoto and I told him that a similar building for Makerere would be just what we needed for our School of Graduate Studies and Research that we needed. The University Council unanimously voted to thank Mr. Patel for his magnanimous offer and, you, Maama Janet graciously endorsed the project. I later visited Mr. Patel in Mombasa and was amazed at the humanitarian work he was doing among the communities. He was such a rare human being,” Professor revealed.
“Today we are here to witness the laying of the foundation stone for this, the largest academic building at Makerere University, and the first such donation I know by an African philanthropist to a university in Africa. The building will have lecture and seminar rooms, a conference hall, innovation spaces, PhD student rooms, computer and other laboratories, a restaurant, staff offices and other facilities. I thank Tororo Cement and the family of the Late Hasmukh Patel for honoring his wish and I wish to assure Mr. Patel, who must be in heaven smiling at us, that we will honor his legacy in this building and that we will put the building to its best use in the service of humanity, which is what Mr. Patel lived for,” Prof Nawangwe added.
On her part, the state Minister for Primary Education, Honorable Joyce Moriku Kaducu acknowledged Hon. Janet Museveni for prioritizing the Education sector in her leadership, which has led to the tremendously development of the sector.
“On behalf of the education sector, we want to thank you as the mother of the nation, indeed you are a big gift and a blessing to the nation and education at large, all this achievement would not have been possible if it was not under your visionary leadership and the guidance you have offered,” Minister Kaducu said.
Hon. Kaducu also hailed Makerere University for playing a very critical role in sensitizing, disseminating knowledge, and raising awareness to the public on the message of the Parish Development Model, which is intended to create wealth among citizens.
“As President Museveni is preaching the message of wealth creation, I want in a special way to thank Makerere University for playing a very critical role in sensitizing, disseminating knowledge, and raising awareness to the public on the message of the Parish Development Model (PDM), and they have a committee that monitors and informs government. They are indeed part of the team promoting wealth creation in this country,” she said.
Mrs. Lorna Magara, the Chairperson of the Makerere University Council said that the construction of the Graduate studies building speaks to the University’s mission of being a research-led institution because it comes as a dedicated building to house the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, which marks the resolution of a critical gap in our institutional framework
“At the heart of Makerere University’s current strategy is the promotion of a research-led institution, with a strong focus on graduate training. The establishment of a dedicated facility for the School of Graduate Studies, which also houses the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, marks the resolution of a critical gap in our institutional framework. The late Patel’s timely and generous contribution will undoubtedly advance graduate training and research for generations to come. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your exceptional support,” she said.
Mr. Manish Varsani who represented the Patel family took the first lady through how Mr. Hasmukh Patel started the idea of donating the building to Makerere. He explained that, Mr. Patel intended to present a gift that was coming from the bottom of his heart, and he teamed up with General Muhoozi who led him to Prof. Nawangwe’s office.
He also recalled when Mr. Patel met H.E President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Museveni in Bukoto where he (Patel) had donated a building to a school and told the President that he would want to donate the same building to Makerere University as a gift to the First Lady Janet Museveni because he loved her so much, and in response, the President said he would take the message back to the First Lady.
The Guild President Lubega Vincent Nsamba asked the First Lady to consider constructing another hall of residence for the female students to solve what he described as an accommodation imbalance.
“Maama Janet Museveni, allow me to report to you that we still have only three halls of residence gazetted for female students against the six halls of residence gazetted for male students. These halls of residences were built back in colonial and independent times when the female students were fewer compared to their male counterparts, and to me Maama, this accommodation imbalance is something that should be addressed,” he stated.
“To me Maama, this speaks to the sense of how there is a dire need to invest in another additional hall of residence for the girl child here at Makerere University, and Maama, without any fear of contradiction, we humbly request that you consider building an additional hall of residence named after you in recognition of the contribution and honor of the service you have made for this country as a mother and as an educator,” he said.
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