Seated: DVCAA-Prof. Umar Kakumba (2nd L), Ag. DVCFA-Prof. Henry Alinaitwe (R), Keynote Speaker & Youth MP Central-Hon. Kirabo Agnes (2nd R) and UDB’s Ms Barbara Kasekende (L) with Principal CoBAMS-Prof. Eria Hisali (Standing 2nd R), college leadership and some of the MBA students at the 1st Graduate Entrepreneurship Breakfast Pitch, 9th April 2022, Protea Hotel, Kampala.
Masters of Business Administration (MBA) students of Makerere University have been advised on sustainability of entrepreneurial projects, starting small and understanding the market before engaging in a business idea. The call was made by Ms. Juliet Namuddu of Kampala City Council Authority, Ms. Barbara Kasekende of Uganda Development Bank and Dr. Peter Turyakira of Makerere University. The three were speaking during the first Graduate Entrepreneurship Breakfast Pitch held on 9th April 2022, an occasion that allowed students to present business ideas following a months of research in their respective communities.
The Entrepreneurship Breakfast Pitch event under the theme “Rethinking Entrepreneurship” gave MBA students a platform to present their projects. The projects were evaluated by a team of judges on the basis of ability to solve real-life problems, innovation, sustainability and scalability. The public pitching event is aimed to enhancing students’ knowledge and capability in project design and implementation, improving research skills and building networks and exposure. About 130 students were grouped into 14 teams and asked to go into the community, identify a problem and develop an entrepreneurial solution to the challenge.
Ms. Juliet Namuddu from KCCA addresses the audience
Ms. Namuddu the Director of Education and Social Services at KCCA, told the students to start their businesses with the little capital they have rather than having big budgets which are prohibitive.
Ms. Kasekende, the head of Business Advisory at UDB, challenged the students to do what they love, saying “If you love what you do, you will start the business with or without the big monies.”
Dr. Turyakira shared with the students who a good entrepreneur is. He said this is someone that exploit opportunities to transform society, creates profitable businesses that are sustainable and protect the environment and offer quality products at affordable prices. He said price is fundamental in determining a prosperous business. “Understand your clients before you determine the price of your products. Can your target market afford your product?” Dr. Turyakira challenged the students. “An entrepreneur must have a problem to address and by so doing create jobs.”
Judges & Panelists: L-R; Mr. Joseph Monroe, Mr. Robert Semakula, Ms. Barbara Kasekende, Dr. Peter Turyakira and Ms. Juliet Namuddu
The pitches made included the following;
List of students Projects
No
Project
Description
1
FruitMax
Enabling longevity of ripe fruits (Tomatoes)
2
Yimusa Enfuna yo
Training and Mentoring programme for market stall owners in to with soft skills and business management skills to increase their net turnover which will enhance their business growth
3
Gagawala Project
Improving banana produce
4
Nze Wuwo – Biziyo Mobile App
Creation of mobile phone app to capture inflows and outflows and provide simplified financial reports
5
SmartLabs
Mobile Vet services
6
Akatale ko (Your Market)
Reliable market for farmers
7
Ugacraft
Setting up an Art-hub to standardize crafts for export
8
Yoyota Emwanyi Yo
Improving coffee post-harvest handling and coffee processing
9
EverGranaries
Establishing improved granaries for sustainable food security and improved household incomes
10
NCD Facility
Reducing prices for Non-Communicable Diseases drugs through aggregated demand and reduced prices
11
Agago Wetland Regeneration
Reclaiming the Agago wetland
12
Gorilla Rush
Promoting and creating awareness of Gorilla tourism
13
MySafe
Building financial sustainability for the informal sector and the diaspora
14
LapTops4Dev
Contributing to bridging the education equity in rural schools. At hire purchase
The Head of the Makerere Entrepreneurial Centre, at the College of Business and Management Sciences, Dr. Cathy Mbidde said the focus of the pitching exercise was to allow students to rethink entrepreneurship so that by the time they finish university, they can create jobs.
Some of the MBA students applaud during the Pitch.
“There is a misconception that entrepreneurship refers to Small and Medium Enterprises. We want the students to know that even addressing community challenges is entrepreneurship.
Dr. Mbidde advocated for a mindset change to have students develop society changing ideas rather than business Ideas. “The students wanted to start their own businesses but we challenged them to find social problems in their districts and formulate an entrepreneur solution.”
Mr. Robert Semakula one of the judges called on students to draw attention to sustainability as a key quality for businesses. He appreciated the university for training the students on pitching business ideas.
The Keynote speaker, Hon. Kirabo Agnes, the Youth Member of Parliament for the Central Region, advised the students to tap into the Parish Development model which was set up by the government to bring funds closer to the masses. She encouraged them to access the low interest funds and ensure they are well utilized. On Market availability, the Member of Parliament, said pointed the students to the expanding East African Community Market with the inclusion of Democratic Republic of Congo into the EAC. She called on the entrepreneurs to ensure quality and customer satisfaction, have honesty, commitment and good planning.
Dr. Cathy Mbidde (standing) and Dr. Sarah Bimbona (clapping) celebrate their students
Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration, who represented the Vice Chancellor said the pitching project was a good idea which fit into the university’s strategic plan of moving towards a student-centered approach to teaching as well as being a research-led university. He thanked the lecturers for a job well-done, saying the pitching process will improve innovation among students as well as the soft skills. He advised the organizers to involve more private sector players in the project so as to get good feedback and support for the project.
Prof. Umar Kakumba, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs and Dr. Godfrey Akileng, the Dean School of Business appreciated the organizing team led by Cathy Mbidde, Dr. Sarah Bimbona and Dr. Jude Mugarura for a job well done in training the students and for organizing the Entrepreneurship pitches.
Prof. Kakumba said he was happy to witness the business pitches, emphasizing that knowledge should offer solutions to society challenges. “Having a first year student pitch a business idea fits into our mission of fostering innovation.”
MBA Students listen to the presentations
The Principal of CoBAMS, Prof. Eria Hisali, joined others to thank the organizers and encouraged the students to pursue the start of these brilliant pitches. “Entrepreneurship is still a new concept in Uganda so there are many opportunities for us to make a difference in our communities,” Prof. Hisali said.
He advised the organisers to draw a monitoring and evaluation framework which will help them reflect on the progress of the projects this time next year. He also called for more partnerships and sponsorships.
Dr. Sarah Bimbona, one of the tutors and organizers of the event called on the students to continue engaging the Entrepreneurship center in an effort to grow their business ideas. She also appealed to the private sector to support the university and the students in this endeavor.
Also present was Ms. Hellen Masika, the Deputy Executive Director of Microfinance Services Centre, representatives from Sumz snacks, Bee Mine Honey among other entrepreneurs.
The Principal, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Prof. Edward Bbaale participated in the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) Academy in Rabat, Morocco, from 21 to 23 May 2025. The Academy, themed “Financing a Just Transition to Green and Circular Economies,” convened representatives from PAGE countries across the region.
It was designed to enhance knowledge and promote innovative, inclusive mechanisms for financing and implementing green and just transitions in Africa. The event provided a vital platform for peer learning and knowledge exchange, drawing on best practices and African case studies.
Prof. Bbaale participated in Master Class 3, which explored strategies and partnerships for scaling up training in green and inclusive finance. The session highlighted regional policy trends, rising demand for relevant skills, and importance of collaboration among governments and financial institutions.
Prof. Bbaale contributed to discussions on two critical issues:
How economics departments are adapting curricula to respond to the evolving field of green and, inclusive finance and,
The role of academic research in shaping green financing instruments and supporting reform efforts.
The Principal shared how Makerere University has taken a proactive, multidimensional approach to embedding green and inclusive finance into its economics curriculum. This includes a strong emphasis on technical modelling skills, policy relevance, and cross-disciplinary learning. He highlighted that Makerere is emerging as a regional leader in climate-informed economics education, positioning itself to contribute meaningfully to Africa’s green transition.
On Friday 23rd May 2025, a delegation from the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) visited Makerere University to strengthen partnership with the School of Economics through re-engineering economic research, capacity building, policy formulation and collaboration to impact Africa’s development and transformation.
The Engagement meeting focusing on shaping Africa’s future in research and development brought on board academic and administrative staff from the School of Economics under the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) and the AERC delegation comprising: Prof. Victor Murinde-Executive Director, Dr. Charles Owino-Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation, Ms Anna Owino-Personal Assistant to the Director and Ms Veronica Nanyanzi from State House-Uganda.
Underscoring the importance of the engagement meeting, Prof. Murinde said, “Following the keen observation of the recent global economic shifts and geopolitical uncertainty, the AERC seeks strategic partnerships with African governments and institutions to chart the roadmap through research and co-production of evidence-based economic solutions.”
Following the theme, Understanding the future of research and training collaboration with AERC, Prof. Murinde explained that the interaction also presents an opportunity to discuss the AERC Strategic Plan (2025-2035) titled, “Re-inventing the AERC for Delivering Africa’s Economic Prosperity, in which AERC is embarking on a comprehensive reform agenda, designed to strengthen research excellence, enhance policy impact and secure long-term institutional sustainability.
Prof. Victor Murinde, Executive Director of AERC (Left) and Prof. Ibrahim Mike Okumu, Dean, School of Economics (Right).
Concerned about the visibility and recognition of African researchers, Prof. Murinde reported that AERC will ensure that they are acknowledged with their names included in the publications. On the issue of network membership, EARC is considering the following categories: The distinguished service award, AERC Fellows, AERC Associates, and AERC Affiliates.
Distinguished service award-Presented to those individuals who started the work in 1988
AERC Fellows-Researchers who are active in research and capacity building
AERC Associates-For Mid-Career researchers
AERC Affiliates-For Masters’ and PhD students
The AERC was established in 1988, when a group of African scholars and Africanists voiced concern over the disconnect between economic research and policy formulation in Africa. According to the Executive Director, the founders of AERC observed that much of the existing economic research was either inapplicable to Africa’s economic challenges or inadequately utilized in local policymaking. Consequently, the group conceptualized a framework for fostering high-quality economic research tailored to Africa’s specific needs.
The collaboration between the AERC and Makerere University through its School of Economics started in 1988, and has led to impactful economic research in Africa, notable publications, increase in the number of faculty with PhDs at the School of Economics as well as mentorship.
Acknowledging Makerere University School of Economics as a key stakeholder in AERC, Prof. Murinde said, “Without your participation over the last 37 years, AERC would not be here.”
Some of the staff participating in the engagement meeting.
The Executive Director described AERC as a network of members and universities focused on providing evidence based research for policy making in Africa. Stating the key achievements, Prof. Murinde said, “A framework has been put in place to conduct research and collaboration, with AERC providing a network to work with economists across Africa. He added that the AERC has linked up the various Deans in the Member Universities in Africa both in research and the common programmes that they conduct.
Reflecting on the AERC’s journey, he noted that in 1988, the School of Economics could mention one or two members of faculty with PhDs. Over the years, with AERC’s support to research and capacity building, the School of Economics has built a critical mass of faculty with PhDs. He highlighted that some Ugandan economists have worked with the EARC Secretariat and the EARC Board. He pointed out that the most active Ugandan economists in the AERC network are based at the following entities: Makerere University (School of Economics, College of Business and Management Sciences), Bank of Uganda, Economic Policy Research Centre (the think tank), Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, National Planning Authority, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, and Uganda Development Bank.
In his remarks, the Dean of the School of Economics, Associate Prof. Ibrahim Mike Okumu credited AERC for its continued collaboration, which has significantly contributed to the growth of the School. He appreciated EARC for supporting research, scholarships provided to Masters’ and PhD fellows, support for ICT infrastructure development, and contribution towards the construction of the School of Economics building.
Stressing AERC’s contribution to research at the School of Economics, Prof. Okumu said, “AERC provided opportunities to ‘fresh’ fellows to write proposals. AERC would focus on building the idea. AERC has nurtured most of us into professional researchers/scholars.”
Engagement meeting in session.
The Dean disclosed that in addition to research, some of the personalities nurtured by AERC took on academic leadership positions and have significantly contributed to the growth of the College/School. Some of the personalities include: Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu-former Principal and Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Eria Hisali-former Principal of the College, Prof. Bruno Yawe-former Deputy Principal, Prof. Edward Bbaale-Principal of the College, Dr. Sarah Ssewanyana-Executive Director, Economic Research Policy Centre, and among others.
Presentation of the AERC strategic plan (2025-2035)
The remarks set the pace for the gist of the engagement meeting, which focused on presentation of the areas of transformation and the new research programmes respectively.
In the presentation, Prof. Murinde explained that AERC was reconfiguring its strategic direction in 2025-2035, to concentrate on the key strategic reform options organized around eight (8) core areas. They include: Research Offerings, Graduate Training, Policy Engagement for research impact, The Consortium structure and governance, Entrenching network membership, Enhanced resource mobilization for financial sustainability, Geographical inclusion, and Possible risks to the planned reforms and how to mitigate them.
Regarding the policy engagement for research impact, Prof. Murinde noted that the ground had shifted with policy makers advocating for the need to embed research into their operations. He reported that the governance structure was going to change to a more inclusive and participatory approach bringing on board stakeholders in research and capacity building.
Prof. Murinde highlighted that the new strategic plan would focus on the following new research programmes:
Security, Governance and Economic Fragility in Africa
Industrial Policy and Growth Strategies in Africa
Unlocking Africa’s Digital Potential for Economic Prosperity
Africa in a Changing World: Jobs through Trade and AfCTA
Informal Cross Border Trade (ICBT) in Africa: measurement and welfare of women, youth and their families
Human Capital, Labour Markets and Migration
Climate Change: Food Systems, Climate Finance, Climate Risk and Resilience
Africa’s Trade and Investment Strategy on China
Macroeconomic Modelling, Management and Policy Reform
Input into the AERC Strategic Plan
The participants observed that the proposed linkage between policy makers and the private sector as well as the approach of co-designing research with policy makers, would contribute significantly to research uptake.
L-R: Ogwal Denis, Proscovia Taaka and Diphus Tugume, Graduate Students participating in the Engagement meeting.
Discussing the new research programmes, the participants suggested that AERC incorporates the following aspects: Integration of Natural resources management into economic modelling; Environmental Management; Interlinkages of Youth unemployment and the Green economy; Value Chains and Emerging threats such as fake products; Urbanisation; Youth and Substance Abuse; Health economics; the Informal Sector; and Agricultural Production.
Voices of the Graduate Students
Contributing to the discussion, the graduate students namely Proscovia Taaka, Diphus Tugume and Denis Ogwal urged AERC to continue supporting the collaborative Masters programme (CMAP) in Economics.
Way forward
Prof. Murinde thanked the participants for the valuable contributions that will definitely enrich the AERC strategic plan. He indicated that some of the proposed themes/ideas, would be considered as work streams within the different research programmes. The future is centered on PhD students at Makerere University and other member Universities formulating research questions in line with the new research programmes. AERC is working on a database of researchers in Africa to facilitate speed-dating in research. AERC plans a twinning programme for African universities, which will enhance joint supervision for PhD students. He pointed out that on completion of the PhD, there will be an opportunity for a post-doc Fellowship. He emphasized that researchers who win “big” projects will be encouraged to have work streams. He revealed a plan for each School of Economics in Africa to access publications across the entire membership.
I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the staff of the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) for the hard work, dedication, and commitment to the College. Your collective efforts have been instrumental in our achievements across academics, research, outreach, and institutional growth. Before delving into these areas, I would like to:
Congratulate our colleagues who have been promoted within the University service and those who have attained their doctoral degrees in 2024. Your accomplishments inspire us all and elevate the stature of our college.
Commiserate with colleagues who have experienced the loss of loved ones during the year. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families during these difficult times.
Let us now reflect on the highlights and updates across our areas of mandate:
1 Academics
I extend my congratulations to all of you for successfully concluding the teaching and learning activities of the year 2024.
In line with the University’s focus on graduate training, I urge all School Deans to prioritize increasing graduate admissions, especially at the PhD level. Our goal should be a minimum of five PhD candidates graduating per School annually.
To support this, we will introduce an Annual PhD Symposium, bringing together all PhD students from the three Schools within CoBAMS. Dr. Kasimu Sendawula from the School of Business will coordinate this initiative.
2 Research, Grants, and Outreach
We remain committed to contributing to Makerere University’s strategic direction of being a research intensive and innovation-driven institution. Congratulations to colleagues who secured research grants this year! I encourage all staff to form teams and respond to available grant opportunities, including MakRIF and external calls.
At the College level, we provided modest research grants to applicants this year. I implore recipients to expedite their work, which will form part of the CoBAMS Working Paper Series, serving as a foundation for our annual conference, journal publications, and book chapters.
In outreach, I commend colleagues who participated in national and international conferences and policy dialogues. In 2025, we plan to hold an Annual CoBAMS Conference, alongside policy dialogues and technical workshops. Dr. Peter Babyenda, our Policy Engagement Coordinator, will oversee these activities.
3 Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Award 2024
Congratulations to our colleagues who won the Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Award in 2024! I urge all staff to upload their research and teaching information to the Self-Assessment System (SAMS) at https://quality.mak.ac.ug/sa/index.php. It is only those colleagues who will upload their work that will compete for the awards. This is a valuable opportunity to showcase our achievements and elevate the profile of CoBAMS within Makerere University.
4 Infrastructure Improvement and Expansion
We are closely monitoring progress on the CoBAMS Infrastructure Expansion Project, approved by the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development. We are optimistic that funding will be disbursed in FY 2025/26 to kick start this project. The building will expand the teaching and learning spaces hence addressing the critical challenges such as overcrowding in offices and classrooms.
5 Capacity Building
Capacity-building opportunities remain available to staff despite financial constraints. Deans and Administrative Heads are encouraged to share training needs with my office, and we will support facilitator costs where possible. Additionally, Makerere University offers free training programs in areas such as grant proposal writing (GAMSU) and supervision (DRGT). Please inform us of suitable schedules to enable us plan for and organize these sessions.
6 Finances
The University faced a significant financial cut this year, which affected all units.
I urge Schools to initiate special programs like short courses, which operate as projects and on an 80:20 revenue-sharing model, to generate additional income. In this model, the college retains 80% while 20% is remitted to the centre. Furthermore, we are committed to growing the College’s Endowment Fund, with its launch planned for early 2025. This event will enable us to engage alumni in supporting the Fund.
7 Staff Wellness
I encourage all colleagues to prioritize their wellbeing by participating in the free University-wide Physical Wellness Program, organized by the Institute of Sports Science in the College of Natural Sciences. Sessions are held every Wednesday and Friday at the JICA Grounds after 5 PM.
Looking ahead, we are committed to establishing our own wellness initiatives within CoBAMS. The Deputy Principal is particularly passionate about creating a fitness club tailored to our staff’s needs and establishing a welfare SACCO to enhance financial support and community building. These initiatives will further promote health and well-being among our staff in the near future.
Closing Remarks
As we reflect on 2024, I am deeply grateful for your unwavering dedication to CoBAMS and its mission. Together, let us look forward to 2025 as a year of continued success and growth for our college.