The Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation-Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero (Centre Standing), flanked by the DVCAA-Prof. Umar Kakumba (Beind Right) Director DRGT-Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi (To her Left), Hon. Peace Regis Mutuuzo (Behind Left), President PF@Mak-Mr. Ahabwe Gerald (To her Right) in a group photo after orientation of PhD Fellows on 11th August 2022, CEDAT, Makerere University.
On 11th August 2022, the University Administration held an orientation ceremony for PhD Fellows at Makerere (PF@Mak) based on the theme, “Linking Research to Industry for Socio-economic Development of Uganda.” Held in the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) Conference Hall, the orientation was graced by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero, who also delivered a keynote address on the theme. In attendance were; the Minister of State for Gender and Culture, Hon. Peace Regis Mutuuzo who is also a PhD candidate, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Umar Kakumba, and the Director Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DGRT) and Patron PF@Mak, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi.
Also present were the Director Directorate for ICT Support (DICTS), Mr. Samuel Mugabi, Deputy University Librarian Dr. Ruth Nalumaga, Deputy Dean of Students, Mr. Peter Rivan Muhereza, Principal College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Assoc. Prof. Josephine Ahikire, Deputy Principal CEDAT, Assoc. Prof. Venny Nakazibwe and the Head Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), Prof. Fred Masagazi Masaazi among others.
Keynote address by the Minister
Hon. Dr. Musenero in her keynote address challenged the PhD Fellows to go beyond the culture of “publish or perish”, noting that it was time for them as creators of knowledge to align their research with the Government’s eight priority industrial value chain areas. These include; Pathogen Economy, Mobility, Aeronautics and Space, Industry 4.0+, Infrastructure Innovation, Productivity Acceleration, Import Substitution, and Value-added Exports.
“Every time you buy something imported, you cost us jobs,” she remarked. “I don’t know a better place to begin than here. I hope that after today some of you will go back and change your research topics” added the Minister.
Challenges affecting innovation
She nevertheless acknowledged that the current state of affairs is attributable to four main challenges namely; an unfavourable ecosystem, an incomplete education system, a limited ability to develop systems and an absence of priortisation systems.
Hon. Dr. Musenero expounded that the unfavourable ecosystem has been consistently inculcated by a culture that does not support innovation, but instead prefers what is imported over locally produced goods. This is exacerbated by the incomplete education system, designed to create technicians who are consumers of imported goods or users of existing knowledge.
“Our curriculum doesn’t teach how to develop but rather how to consume… It’s up to you PhDs to create a curriculum and content that will drive us to attainment of Vision 2040… We import textbooks and yet every PhD should be a textbook” she pointed out.
Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero delivers her keynote address at orientation.
Furthermore, the Minister noted that our limited ability to develop homegrown systems is one of the reasons why we struggle to change things. This, she said, could be attributed to and education that does not teach us how to create systems but rather use existing ones. A case in point, she noted, was our local enterprises that don’t thrive because the owners take over the role of systems. The absence of prioritisation systems is closely tied to the above scenario, causing us to struggle with setting priorities both corporately and as individuals.
The way forward
Having cited the aforementioned challenges, Hon. Dr. Musenero was nevertheless willing to participate in any initiatives to reorient PhD training through the teaching tracks on innovation and development of systems as well as producing graduates that are principled and less reactive.
She noted that by aligning their PhD work to the Government’s eight priority industrial value chain areas, Fellows will have something to look forward to further pursing after graduation, unlike the all-too-common scenario where theses are treated as burdens to be borne and offloaded at the next best opportunity.
Giving examples of the dynamic work currently underway, the Minister shared that the Government is in advanced stages of producing vaccines for both humans and animals, putting up a facility to develop PCR test kits, and fine-tuning the diesel engine fabricated by Makerere researchers and local artisans.
Furthermore, on the Aeronautics and Space front, seventeen (17) personnel have been trained, eight (8) being PhDs, and work is currently underway to launch Uganda’s first satellite in September 2022 and set up the National Space Agency at the Mpoma earth station in Mukono District.
Hon. Dr. Musenero reassured the audience that Uganda is naturally endowed with minerals, and has some of the best sand in the world at Lwera in Mpigi District. The sand, she said, will be a useful raw material for the manufacture of semiconductors, with efforts currently underway to begin manufacturing chips by November 2022.
On the productivity acceleration front, the Minister introduced Dr. Joshua Isiko, Team Leader for Makerere University, as the go-to person. “We are going to have a hub at the University, which is our STI Office; run on our principles and on our value system. We are going to put this at every University.”
Using the example of the mobile phone that took over 30 years to move from prototype to an affordable gadget costing approximately UGX 30,000, she encouraged innovators to be resilient and never give up on their ideas, no matter how tough the going gets. “Keep working on it (your innovation), don’t go for the easy way. Everybody goes for the easy way but the things which generate successful industries are those which choose to flatten the path because they are solving a problem.”
Remarks by University Administration
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe thanked Hon. Dr. Musenero for accepting the invitation to preside over the orientation ceremony and deliver the keynote address. He said that Makerere is mindful of the contribution that highly trained human capital makes to national development and shared the University’s efforts to train PhDs. Makerere produced 100 PhDs at the 72nd Graduation Ceremony held in May 2022 and 108 PhDs at the 71st Graduation Ceremony in May 2021.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe delivers his remarks.
Prof. Nawangwe nevertheless appealed to the Minister to follow up with the Head of State on the request for Government to fund Masters and PhD studies or set aside study loans for the same. He also requested for a follow-up on the request to declare Makerere a Research University.
In his remarks, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi informed PhD Fellows that Patent work can be used to meet the publication requirement, with each patent work equivalent to three (03) publications.
The University Administration appreciated the work done by PF@Mak particularly the President Mr. Ahabwe Gerald, who constantly engages them on matters related to PhD students. Fellows were reminded that PhD completion is dependent on the Quality of Student, Supervision, and Administration. They were therefore urged to do their part and then engage the administration to support supervision and enabling policies.
PhD Fellows were further informed that the University is not waiving time lost due to COVID-19 disruptions. Candidates with justifiable reasons were nevertheless encouraged seek hearing on a case-by-case basis.
Publication is an integral part of the PhD journey. Fellows were therefore encouraged to make use of Internal University and Regional Journals to have their work published. They were equally reminded that cross-cutting courses are intended for all PhD students, irrespective of whether one is admitted on a PhD by Research or Course work and Dissertation.
Conclusion
The PF@Mak President, Mr. Ahabwe Gerald emphasized the need for the Administration to take advantage of the knowledge and skills possessed by PhD students, to help achieve the set strategic goal of transforming Makerere into a research-led University.
The James M. Ntambi Postdoctoral Fellowship offers an exciting opportunity for early-career scientists who have completed their Ph.D. training at a university in Africa. Fellows will be able to expand their existing research experience in biochemistry related to human metabolic diseases, continue their career development, and make impactful contributions to the scientific community upon their return to Africa.
The selected fellows will work in a cutting-edge research lab led by a faculty member from the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Biochemistry who will mentor and support the fellow throughout the duration of the fellowship.
The Department of Biochemistry is built on a commitment to excellence in basic research, established when it was founded in 1883, and continuing to the present day. Contributions by our researchers have dramatically changed our understanding of life and rank among the highlights of biochemistry to date. You can learn more about the Department’s history on our About page, and about the University of Wisconsin–Madison on the university’s main website.
Madison, Wisconsin is located northwest of Chicago, Illinois, an approximately 2.5 hours drive or bus ride from O’Hare International Airport.
Application materials must be uploaded by August 31, 2025. Accompanying recommendations must be uploaded by September 15, 2025.
A study by researchers from the EfD-Mak Centre at Makerere University has revealed stark gender differences in the impact of COVID-19 on food security among Uganda’s urban poor, with female-headed households bearing the brunt of the crisis. The findings were presented at a stakeholder dissemination meeting held at Tick Hotel in Kawempe Division, Kampala.
The research, led by Dr. Fred Matovu, Fred Kasalirwe, and Anitah Kyamugabwa, focused on Kawempe Division, one of Kampala’s most densely populated and low-income areas. Using data from a 2022 household survey of 415 respondents, along with focus group discussions and interviews with key government stakeholders, the study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions worsened food security in informal urban settings.
Peter Babyenda speaking during the dissemination workshop.
Speaking on behalf of the EfD Uganda Director, Dr. Peter Babyenda stressed that Uganda’s current social protection structures are inadequate, especially for the most vulnerable. He called for policy frameworks that are informed by grassroots realities. “We need policies that involve those affected from the ground up, especially the urban poor who live on daily incomes. During COVID-19, these groups suffered immensely when lockdowns were imposed without consultations,” he said.
The study, titled “Differences in COVID-19 Effects on Food Security and Adaptive Strategies among the Urban Poor: Experiences from Uganda and Tanzania”, was conducted between 2022 and 2023 in collaboration with EfD Tanzania. In Uganda, the research focused on how urban poverty intersected with gender and food insecurity.
Peter Babyenda representing the Director EfD-Mak Centre.
Presenting the findings, Fred Kasalirwe reported that poor urban households, especially those relying on informal employment, were disproportionately affected due to low and unstable incomes. The containment measures introduced in March 2020 including stay-at-home orders, closure of schools, suspension of public transport, and night curfews had a devastating effect on daily earners. As economic activity halted, access to food, healthcare, and essential services declined sharply.
The research found that food security and dietary quality worsened for both male- and female-headed households. However, the impact was more severe for female-headed households due to greater caregiving responsibilities and fewer income-generating opportunities. With limited access to social safety nets, families resorted to extreme coping strategies such as selling household assets, depleting savings, and changing their diets involuntarily. Kasalirwe noted that government food assistance during the crisis was inconsistent and insufficient.
Fred Kasalirwe presenting the study findings.
He explained that female-headed households faced unique challenges, often balancing caregiving with limited means to earn income during lockdowns. “These households suffered more from income shocks, leading to worsened nutrition among children and the elderly,” he said. Most had to rely on informal networks or personal savings to survive.
The study also noted an unexpected finding: persons with disabilities experienced relatively improved food security during the crisis, likely due to targeted social support. However, this level of support was not extended to most households, exposing critical gaps in Uganda’s social protection systems.
Fred Kasalirwe presenting the research findings at Tick Hotel in Kawempe.
While the COVID-19 pandemic was a primary focus, researchers emphasized that food insecurity among the urban poor in Uganda has been driven by a wider series of shocks. These include prolonged droughts, floods, mudslides, economic recessions and the suspension of major aid programs such as USAID. Each of these events has further strained already fragile food systems and household resilience.
Kasalirwe warned that unless Uganda adopts robust and inclusive social protection policies, the country will remain vulnerable to future crises. He urged the government to consider gender-responsive strategies that recognize the disproportionate burden carried by women and informal workers. “Government programs often collapse because communities are not involved in designing or owning them,” he said. “What we need is a bottom-up approach where self-help mechanisms and community buy-ins are developed alongside government interventions.”
A stakeholder contributes during the discussions.
He further noted that while COVID-19 provided the context for the study, the findings are applicable to a wide range of future shocks, including public health emergencies, climate change, and global economic downturns. “We’ve seen floods in Mbale, Ebola outbreaks, and the ripple effects of the Ukraine war. We need systems that don’t crumble when funding dries up,” he said.
The researchers urged both the government and development partners to shift focus from emergency responses to long-term resilience building. They emphasized that coping strategies such as selling productive assets or reducing food intake are impoverishing and unsustainable. The study called for a strong policy framework that prioritizes food security, supports vulnerable populations, and enhances urban livelihoods.
A participant makes contribution to the study finding.
The study recommends a participatory approach that actively involves vulnerable communities in the design and implementation of social protection programs. It also calls for the establishment of community-based safety nets that are sustainable even in the absence of regular government funding. The researchers stressed the importance of gender-sensitive planning, especially in informal settlements where women face heightened challenges during economic shocks. Additionally, the government is urged to streamline its social protection initiatives through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, ensuring effective outreach and awareness to reach those most at risk.
The research was funded by the EfD Global Hub and coordinated by the EfD-Mak Centre. Participants at the dissemination meeting echoed the urgency of addressing urban food insecurity and preparing more effectively for future crises.
More photos from the workshop
A participant contributes during the discussion.A local government official clarifies on some issues during the discussion.
Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer EfD Uganda.
Researchers from the Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology, and Biotechnology at the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University have highlighted the urgent need to conserve medicinal plants in the face of increasing threats from climate change, over-harvesting, and habitat destruction.
Despite Namutumba District’s rich diversity of medicinal plants, conservation efforts are limited, and several species are already classified as globally and nationally threatened. This highlights the urgent need for focused conservation strategies to safeguard these vulnerable medicinal plants.
Dr Tugume addressing the workshop participants on the key research findings.
Under a project titled “Knowledge, Attitudes, and Conservation of Commonly Traded Medicinal Plants in a Climate-Changing Environment in Eastern Uganda,” a team of researchers led by Dr Patience Tugume documented 174 medicinal plant species. The goal was to assess the existential threats facing these plants due to unsustainable harvesting practices and the lack of effective conservation measures. These species are widely used to treat various health conditions, including malaria, syphilis, diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers. The findings of the study are intended to guide the development of species-specific, evidence-based interventions to curb possible extinction and loss of medicinal plant resources. The research revealed troubling trends in the availability of key medicinal plants, including:
The herbalists mostly collected their medicinal plants from bushlands (92.0%), markets (82.3%) and wetlands (74.7%) and were rarely cultivated. This is of great concern regarding the conservation and future availability of these resources.
It was noted that 36% of the herbal products were made from roots, which presents a conservation threat since the heavy utilization of roots affects the regeneration of the medicinal plants.
Common plants used were: Kigelia africana (Naibere), Erythrina abyssinica (Ekiyirikiti) and Geranium sauveolens (Lokowe). Kigelia africana was the most cited species by the herbalists, indicating heavy utilization and a high conservation threat if deliberate measures are not taken to ensure its future availability.
Almost all respondents (289, 96.3%) acknowledged a considerable decline in the availability of 13 medicinal plants species including Aloe wollastonii (Ekigagi), Commiphora africana (Nkulidho), Myrica kandtiana (Mukikimbo) and Acacia sieberiana (Mufundawuzi).
Four plant species i.e. Tamarindus indica (Enkoge), Warburgia ugandensis (Balwegira), Mitragyna rubrastipulata (Mutamatama) and Mondia whitei (Mulondo) appear on the Red List of Globally and Nationally Threatened Species and were mentioned among the plants whose population has greatly declined.
The causes of decline in availability of medicinal plants included climate change, overharvesting, agricultural expansion, habitat destruction, land use change and inadequate regulations.
There were no medicinal plant conservation efforts by herbalists.
Kigelia africana was the most cited species by the herbalists, indicating heavy utilization and a high conservation threat.Participants included leaders of the herbalist associations, traders and research assistants.
The study recommended the following practices to ensure conservation of the medicinal plants:
Promote the use of sustainable harvesting techniques to ensure conservation of medicinal plants.
Conduct capacity building for stakeholders in the medicinal plants sector on conservation, value addition and standardization.
Establish community botanical gardens raw plant collection and sensitization programmes.
Advocate for agroforestry among herbalists to reduce the dependence on natural habitats.
Develop and enforce regulations on accessing natural areas for medicinal plants.
Promote conservation awareness campaigns.
Dr Tugume appreciating the Chief Administrative Officer-Namutumba, Mr. Ofwono Emmanuel for hosting the Dissemination Workshop at the District Offices.
Research Dissemination in Namutumba District
At the research dissemination workshop held in Namutumba District on 23rd July 2025, and attended by district leaders, researchers, and local herbalists, the project team led by Dr Patience Tugume expressed hope that the insights gained from the project, particularly in medicinal plants conservation approaches, will be invaluable for minimising the decline in medicinal plants.
The Resident District Commissioner-Namutumba, Mr. Fred Aggrey Bangu (Standing), the PI, Dr Patience Tugume (Right), and the LC5 Chairperson, Mr. Mutyaba Patrick (Left).
In her remarks, Dr Tugume, thanked the Government of Uganda through the Makerere UniversityResearch and Innovations Fund (MakRIF) for funding the project. She expressed gratitude to the research team composed of Dr Abubakar Sadik Mustafa, Dr Jamilu E. Ssenku, Dr Savina Asiimwe, and Dr Abdul Walusansa who have worked with her closely from project inception in February 2024. She further thanked the research assistants and all respondents, mainly the herbalists that participated in the study.
In a special way, she appreciated Mr. Fred Aggrey Bangu (Resident District Commissioner), Mr. Ofwono Emmanuel (Chief Administrative Officer), Mr. Kiire Noah (Communication Officer), Mr. Mugunywa Enock (District Community Development Officer), Mr. Kirya Moses (District Environmental Officer), Mr. Bamusubire William (District Forest Officer) and the leaders of herbalist associations for providing support throughout the study and sparing time to attend the dissemination workshop.
The MakRIF research Team. Left to right: Mr. Ronald Muwanika, Dr Savina Asiimwe, Dr Patience Tugume (Principal Investigator), Dr Abubakar Sadik Mustafa, and Dr Abdul Walusansa.
Addressing the participants, the Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Fred Aggrey Bangu urged all stakeholders to engage in a collaborative discussion on how the study findings can be translated into practical solutions to promote sustainable use and conservation of commonly used medicinal plants in Namutumba District amidst adverse effects of climate change.
The MakRIF project team with leaders of the Traditional Herbalist Associations.
Mr. Ofwono Emmanuel, the Chief Administrative Officer, praised the Makerere research team for selecting Namutumba as the study area. He said the research served as an eye-opener to the district officials and community, especially regarding the pressure exerted on natural medicinal resources.
Front left to right: Mr. Ronald Muwanika (Coordinator), Mugega Amos (Sec. Health), Mutyaba Patrick (LC 5), Bangu Fred (Resident District Commissioner), Dr Patience Tugume (Principal Investigator), Ms. Kiire Noah (Communication Officer), Dr Abubakar Sadik Mustafa (Researcher). Back left to right: Mugunywa Enock (District Community Development Officer), Kirya Moses (District Environmental Officer), Bamusubire William (District Forest Officer). Dr Savina Asiimwe (Researcher), and Dr Abdul Walusansa (Researcher).
Report compiled by Dr Patience Tugume and Dr Abubakar Sadik Mustafa – Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, CoNAS, Makerere University