General
First Mak@100 Lecture Examines Governance of Public Universities
The Makerere@100 Lecture Series got off to an exciting start on Wednesday 9th February, 2022 with an eminent alumnus and Attorney General of the Republic of Uganda, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka delivering an excellent exposition of the theme “A Legal perspective on the role of Governing Councils in the Management of Higher Education Institutions”.
Delivered to a packed but SOP-observant audience in the Central Teaching Facility 2 (CTF 2) Auditorium as well as hundreds online, the first series could best be described as historic; the first to be delivered by a sitting Attorney General of Uganda.
“It is therefore a privilege for me to moderate this public lecture not only as a lawyer but also as the Principal, School of Law” remarked the Event Chairperson, Prof. Christopher Mbazira. “We know and the Attorney General knows that his role as Head of Bar comes with various responsibilities, key among which is to mentor lawyers and ensure that the law is practiced according to professional standards and codes of conduct,” he added.
Prof. Mbazira thanked the Attorney General for using the lecture as an opportunity to discharge part of his duties as Head of Bar and informed the audience that as Principal, he had made a conscientious decision to cancel morning classes at the School of Law so that his students could attend the lecture, “because as I Law Student I never got that opportunity.”
The Principal invited the Attorney General to take keen interest in the quality of legal education offered at the School of Law, particularly the unique innovation of offering of Legal Aid services.
“We invite you to take interest in that as we wait for the promulgation of the Legal Aid Bill, as well as use your offices to ensure sustainability of that innovation by having that particular aspect of the School of Law incorporated in the Justice Sector” added Prof. Mbazira.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe in his welcome remarks noted that in addition to being the first Makerere@100 Lecture Series, it was the first time the Attorney General was delivering a lecture at his alma mater.
“The Lecture is on a very important subject to Makerere University and all other Higher Education Institutions because the Council is the supreme governing body of the institution. We therefore thank Honourable Kiryowa Kiwanuka for accepting to come and deliver this lecture despite his very busy schedule” added the Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Nawangwe noted that the First Lecture would be followed by others in the lead-up to the climax of the Centenary Celebrations in October 2022. He thanked Prof. Mbazira for enabling his students to attend the historic lecture delivered by one of their own and Senior Counsel.
The Chairperson of Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara in her motivational statement prior to the lecture noted that there was no better person to deliver the First Makerere@100 Lecture Series than Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka.
“He has experienced firsthand the intricacies involved in the Governance of an educational institution of the magnitude of Makerere University” said the Chairperson, before adding that “Makerere University significantly benefited from Honourable Kiryowa Kiwanuka’s extensive legal experience, his willingness to lead; his quick incisive thinking and relentless ability to find solutions to multifaceted issues.”
Mrs. Magara further stated that the Lecture would double as an opportunity to officially bid farewell to Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka who served the Council from December 2018 to October 2021, as well as Her Worship Doreen Nyanjura who served from July 2016 to January 2022.
“As Chairperson, it’s been one of those bittersweet moments bidding farewell to two extremely resourceful Council Members, and yet at the same time, finding great joy in seeing them take on greater responsibility to serve our Nation and our City. I heartily congratulate you Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka and Your Worship Doreen Nyanjura both upon your respective appointments” she added.
Quoting Barry Posner and James Kouzes’ book “The Leadership Challenge” wherein they state that the domain of leaders is the future, Mrs. Magara emphasised that Makerere as it celebrates 100 years of achievements must leverage its wealth of intellectual and human capital to profer leadership in transforming Uganda, “and it starts with good governance, undergirded by a proper legal framework.”
‘Cometh the hour, cometh the man’ is an idiom more popularly used in sport to describe the sportsman/woman that turns the tide of what hitherto seemed like an impossible score to recover from. Although no stranger to sport, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka in this case had to deliver on a theme that was not only broad but also largely dependent on a legal framework; The Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2001, that is in desperate need of amendment.
So palpable was the immensity of the task at hand that the Attorney General admitted “It’s not business as usual to deliver a public lecture like this, our business is normally behind the desk writing documents, so I’m really honoured to receive this recognition… it’s also interesting that I hear today, that this is the first lecture of the series, that I didn’t know, because if I had been told, maybe I would have had an excuse to take the second.”
He nevertheless noted that although the day’s theme sounded legal, what he was going to discuss was education, which would hopefully help the audience plan for a lifetime. He observed that “new” knowledge will be very instrumental as the country seeks to achieve Middle Income Status, which further underlines the importance of Makerere University and other institutions of higher learning, and their need to observe good governance.
Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka noted that the University Council derives its mandate from Sections 38(1) and 40(1) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001 and its functions from Section 40(2) of the same. He added that although the broad nature of the Council’s functions occasionally makes it hard to draw a line between its roles and those of Management, Council, being the Trustee of the Government wields overall responsibility to ensure effective and efficient management and functionality of the University.
“The role of the university council is not simply to manage the institution but to manage change. We are surrounded by an ever changing environment. We are in the age of computers, social media, IT, artificial intelligence etc.” explained the Attorney General.
In this regard, he commended the University for adapting to the changing world. “Makerere University has identified the changing circumstances and the need for research in order for us to find homegrown solutions to our challenges and has decided to make this its primary goal. To become research led!”
After delving deeply into the specific and routine responsibilities of Council such as: Making recommendations for the appointment of the University’s top leadership; Establishing the University Senate and other Academic Bodies; Establishing Boards of Faculties, Institutes and Colleges; Appointing Committees of the University Council; Management of University Property; and Submitting University Budget Estimates, Hon. Kiryowa summed it up by saying there is no point in the management and running of the University where Council does not have a direct role.
“University business is not ordinary business. The rationale of this is that the purpose of a University is for the greater good. The greatest stakeholder at least in Makerere University, is the people of Uganda; alumni, students or not. What you do here affects all of Uganda” cautioned the Attorney General.
University Councils face a number of challenges largely due to their size and flouting the Chatham House Rule. After enumerating these, Hon. Kiryowa concluded on a cautionary note, reminding his audience of the need to achieve a good balance between the Council and the Vice Chancellor/Management for the good of the university.
The risk, he noted, was in a proactive Chairperson and a proactive Council limiting the scope of activity for a Vice Chancellor. He nevertheless commended, “I have had the privilege of working with both a dynamic Chairperson and proactive Vice Chancellor.”
The well-received public lecture was followed by a lively one-on-one with the Attorney General, moderated by Assoc. Prof. Sarah Ssali a Council Member and Dean, School of Women and Gender Studies, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS).
Pertinently raised were the need to: amend the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act to move beyond the era in which Makerere was the only Public University in Uganda; and cater for affirmative action and minimum qualifications in the constitution of Council. Other burning issues touched on stifling academic freedom, losses to public universities arising out of litigation and the growing presence of the military in academic spaces. MakererePertinently raised were the need to: amend the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act to move beyond the era in which Makerere was the only Public University in Uganda; and cater for affirmative action and minimum qualifications in the constitution of Council. Other burning issues touched on stifling academic freedom, losses to public universities arising out of litigation and the growing presence of the military in academic spaces.
The Attorney General in summary concurred with the urgent need to amend the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act as it governs a very dynamic era, proposing it be subject to amendment every ten years. He called for the adoption of a more inclusive “Ugandans in uniform” reference to the military, and offered to create a space for the public and academia to debate their growing presence in spaces outside their usual domain. Finally, he urged his audience not to use academic freedom to trample upon the freedoms of other members of the public.
As hinted on by the Chairperson of Council during her motivational statement, the lecture was crowned by the presentation of eminent service awards to Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka and Her Worship Doreen Nyanjura.
In her acceptance speech, Her Worship acknowledged that although she did not know what the future held as she journeyed from Nyamabuga village in Kyenjojo district to commence her undergraduate studies at Makerere in 2009, she carried in her heart a burning desire to make her surroundings a better place than she had found them. She went on to serve on the Students Guild and in 2016, became Councillor for Makerere University at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
Nominated by KCCA to sit on the Makerere University Council in 2016, Her Worship was at the time of her departure in January 2022 serving her second five-year term.
“I want to extend my sincere gratitude to this Council and its members with whom I served. This University Council has groomed me, it has trained me and sharpened me to be a better leader. The Council has taught me that every single decision we take affects so many people and their families, a single decision could destroy a career or build it, it could shut out a whole section of our society from attaining an education or enable them to attain education” she said.
Please click the embedded video below to view proceedings of the First Makerere@100 Lecture Series
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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