Business & Management
Refugees awarded certificates in Entrepreneurship and Business Management
About 265 refugees were on April 9th 2022, awarded certificates after training in Entrepreneurship and Business management from Makerere University’s College of Business and Management sciences’ (CoBAMS). This training was conducted under the special refugee empowerment project sponsored by Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), the project aims at integrating refugees into the economic development of the country while making them self-reliant.
The Makerere University Central Teaching Facility 2 (CTF 2) held event saw the pioneer group of this refugee empowerment project managed by Dr. Anthony Tibayingana, Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and other business practitioners passed out in jubilations and overwhelming joy from the beneficiaries.
Dr. Anthony Tibaingana the project principal investigator opened up the ceremony by reminding the congregation that everybody is a potential refugee and that is why he and team decided to take the university to the community and most importantly a very special part of community the refugees. He hailed the graduands for their resilience and willingness to acquire knowledge thus the milestone achieved.
“It has been a great phenomenon to interact with the community of refugees, we have given you the knowledge and skills, we have all the trust and belief that you will use them to better your lives and the world at large,” added Dr. Tibayingana who concluded by thanking his team members, Mak-RIF, the CoBAMS fraternity and the government of Uganda for polices and strategies on refugee empowerment.
On behalf of university management, Professor Edward Bbaale, the Dean School of Economics, hailed the government of Uganda for the Refugee Act 0f 2006 and its regulations of 2010 that protect and give refugees a right to engage in business and also attain education which have helped build their capacity and also cop up with life even when away from home. Prof. Bbaale thanked the project team for foreseeing impact for local integration and giving chance to this group of community to take part in activities that build the economy.
“With the knowledge and skills acquired, I believe these are qualified people and different from their non-trained fellows. I would like to implore the research team even to further form new research questions and make good recommendations that will even be adopted by government,” added professor Bbaale who urged graduands to keep in touch, work together and share ideas because strength is about togetherness.
The Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (MAK-RIF) Committee member, Dr. John Mutenyo, thanked Dr. Tibayingana and the research team for thinking about such an impactful community engaging idea adding that it is the first one of a kind amongst the over 700 research projects that have so far received funding from MAK-RIF.
Dr. Mutenyo further encouraged the research team to write more research applications of the kind to continue impacting communities and also added that there is no way such projects can not be funded because community impact is one of the aspirations of the grant management. He closed off his remarks by thanking Government of Uganda and Makerere University for supporting research and policy framework.
Representing the guest of honor, Ms Kusasira Darison a Community Services officer from the Prime Minister Office Refugee Division promised to extend this training through these now qualified refugees to the settlements in order to support the rest.
Ms Kusasira hailed government for putting in place friendly foreign policies that make refugees feel at home even while away from home. She reminded the beneficiaries that acquiring these skills is a lifetime opportunity and they should use them to integrate their livelihoods.
The refugees under their umbrella bodies of Somali Youth Action organization (SOYA), United South Sudanese refugee Community (USSARC) and the Congolese refugees in Uganda thanked government of Uganda and the East African community for welcoming Democratic Republic of Congo into the East Africa bloc. They thanked Makerere University and Dr. Tibayingana for the training opportunity which has also helped them skill their fellows in local languages they understand well back in their communities of Kawempe, Kitintale, Kansanga, Kisenyi and Mengo.
Dr. Faisal Buyinza a Co-Principal investigator on the project praised the refugee community for togetherness, resilience and willingness to acquired new skills exhibited throughout the training period.
The Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence has commenced a three-day refresher training for members of the Development Committee (DC) of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The training, which began today in Jinja, aims to enhance the analytical and technical skills of committee members who are tasked with reviewing government projects submitted by various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The training was today February 19, 2025, officially opened by Dr. Hennery Ssebukeera, who represented the Director of the Budget Directorate. In his opening remarks, Dr. Ssebukeera emphasized the importance of the refresher course in enabling the Development Committee to effectively conduct quality reviews and fulfill its mandate as a key gatekeeper of the Public Investment Plan. He noted that the training would improve the participants’ ability to appraise and implement public investments in line with the Public Investment Management System (PIMS) framework.
Speaking at the same event, Prof. Ibrahim Mike Okumu, representing the Centre Director, Prof. Edward Bbaale, expressed the Centre’s gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to Uganda’s PIM cycle. He highlighted the importance of the training in harmonizing the relationship between the MDAs that draft project proposals and the analysts who review them. Prof. Okumu reiterated the Centre’s commitment to building the capacity of government officials in Public Investment Management, thereby supporting the country’s development aspirations.
The need for this training was identified during the Development Committee retreat held in 2024, which revealed limited capacity among DC members in project appraisal, specifically in reviewing prefeasibility and feasibility reports, Dr Ssebukeera noted. In response, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, in collaboration with the PIM Centre of Excellence, organized this refresher course to strengthen the participants’ technical and analytical skills.
DC is a statutory committee of government that evaluates the viability of public investment projects. Its statutory composition includes: Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, National Planning Authority, Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Office of the Solicitor General, Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, National Environment Management Authority, Equal Opportunities Commission, Ministry or Work and Transport, Ministry of Water and Environment, Public Private Partnership Unit. The PIM Center of Excellence was recently admitted to the Development Committee as a non-voting member.
The training will cover a wide range of topics, including the role of PIMS in the country’s development goals, the logical flow of project profiles, costing, and the interpretation of interconnections between prefeasibility/feasibility reports and financial models. Additionally, participants will explore the role of public-private partnerships in national development.
Dr. Ssebukeera encouraged participants to actively engage in discussions, share their expertise, and apply the knowledge gained from the training. He noted that this engagement would empower the Development Committee to effectively perform its role in reviewing and approving public investment projects, ensuring they align with national priorities and deliver value for money.
The Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence, established by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in partnership with Makerere University School of Economics, continues to play a pivotal role in building the capacity of MDAs in managing public investments. To date, the Centre has trained over 300 officers and produced several research papers, reflecting its commitment to enhancing public investment management in Uganda.
The training in Jinja is expected to enhance the participants’ capacity to effectively review government projects, thus supporting the effective implementation of Uganda’s Public Investment Plan.
Business & Management
Somali Officials Complete Executive Training in Infrastructure Asset Management at CoBAMS
Six Somali government officials have successfully completed a three-day Executive Training in Infrastructure Asset Management, held at Makerere University’s Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE). The training, funded by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), took place from January 27 to 29, 2025, and aimed to enhance regional capacity in infrastructure planning and management.
The training brought together senior civil servants and policymakers from Somalia, equipping them with practical knowledge and strategies for sustainable infrastructure asset management. It also fostered valuable cross-border collaboration, facilitated by UNCDF Uganda, which played a crucial role in connecting Makerere University with the Government of Somalia.
The program was delivered by experienced faculty from Makerere University’s College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), alongside experts from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) and the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). A special session was also led by the Makerere University Bursar, offering practical insights into financial management in infrastructure projects.
Speaking at the opening of the training, Mr. Ncube Mkhululi, the Regional Technical Advisor for UNCDF emphasized the importance of infrastructure asset management in driving sustainable economic growth. He highlighted UNCDF’s commitment to supporting capacity-building initiatives in developing economies, noting that effective infrastructure planning and management are critical to national development. He also expressed confidence in Makerere University’s expertise in delivering high-impact executive training programs for government officials.
During the closing ceremony, Prof. Bbaale Edward, the Principal of the College of Business and Management Sciences expressed gratitude to all partners, including UNCDF, Makerere University management, and the PIM CoE faculty, for their commitment to making the training a success. He emphasized Makerere University’s ongoing efforts to internationalize its research-led agenda, positioning itself as a hub for regional knowledge exchange.
UNCDF Program Manager, Mr. Joel Mundua, the commended the participants for their dedication and encouraged them to share the acquired knowledge with fellow officials in Somalia. This was reaffirmed by one of the participants, who pledged to apply and disseminate the learnings within their respective departments.
Mr. Sunday Denis Aliti, the Program Officer at UNCDF highlighted the importance of ensuring that infrastructure asset management strategies are practical, adaptable, and aligned with national development goals. He commended Makerere University for its leadership in knowledge transfer and regional training and encouraged continued collaboration between universities, governments, and international development partners to strengthen institutional capacity.
Dr. John Sseruyange, Manager of the PIM CoE, applauded both the participants and the expert trainers who contributed to the program. He reiterated the Centre’s commitment to advancing infrastructure asset management through continued training and collaboration with regional stakeholders.
As the training concluded, participants departed with valuable insights and practical tools to improve infrastructure management in Somalia and beyond. The success of this initiative highlights Makerere University’s role as a leading institution in public investment management, fostering capacity-building efforts that drive sustainable development across Africa.
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