General
MakSPH Lab Technician Retires after 36 years of Dedicated Service
It was in 1980 when Mr. Rudolf Buga, 65 attained Certificate in Medical Laboratory Technology (CMLT) of Makerere University that his dream of becoming a laboratory expert was in sight.
36 years later, he has decided it’s time to take a break. He has decided to hang up his lab coat and concentrate on his retirement after serving the century-old and Uganda’s premier institution-Makerere University as a Chief Technician.
Mr. Buga, started his career at the Central Public Health Laboratories Mulago Hospital National Referral Hospital working then as Technician Grade I.
He however never thought of ever joining Makerere University but as luck would have it, he inevitably joined Makerere University and out of hard work and utilising capacity building opportunities at his disposal, Mr. Buga rose through the ranks in the first 12 years of employment. This, he said while giving his remarks at a farewell luncheon organized by the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health of MakSPH on Thursday December 2, 2021.
“I joined Makerere University in 1985 in the department of Parasitology and Microbiology in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine then. And It was that department that I could give most of the credit to because it brought me through a lot of training here and there by sending me for further training and that is how I managed to reach the highest level of the technical staff within 12 years,” he said.
A colorful farewell ceremony held at Piato Restaurant in Kampala was fairly attended by MakSPH faculty, students and staff plus Mr. Buga and his family.
Joining MakSPH
In May 1998, following his dedicated service to Makerere University, Mr. Buga was promoted to a position of Chief Technician, the highest rank in laboratory management in Makerere University.
This promotion came with a transfer at the Institute of Public Health, now School of Public Health, a move he says was the best.
He says he has no regrets forever joining Makerere University, since he has been able to uplift himself a Diploma Holder, Bachelor of Science, and Masters in Science all through Makerere University. “I really would like to greatly thank Makerere University for having given me all that,” he says.
When he joined the School of Public Health in 1998, then as an institute of Public Health, Mr. Buga says he had very high hopes of finding a huge lab to manage.
“Reaching there, I found the lab was not at the level I expected. And I really wanted to build it up but because of the financial constraints of the University, we were not able to equip it at the level I would have wanted. But with the little we had and with a lot of improvising,” he recalls.
Mr. Buga expressed his heartfelt gratitude for all the good things that he achieved and went through while at the College of Health Sciences, under which MakSPH falls.
“During my stay here in the School of Public Health, I think I have been given the best I expected,” he said.
Video: MakSPH’s Rudolf Buga retires after 36 years of dedicated service
Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11th and 12th 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 21st 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 – 91st 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.
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