General
MURBS Trustees Declare 11.05% Interest on Members Balances for the FY 2021/2022
The Board of Trustees for the Makerere University Retirements Benefits Scheme (MURBS) has declared an interest of 11.05% on members’ balances for the financial year starting 1st July, 2021 to 30th June, 2022.
The Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Godwin Kakuba made this declaration during the Presentation of the MURBS Performance for the Financial year ending 30th June 2022 to members of the University Council and Management at a meeting held on 18th October 2022 at Makerere University Telepresence Centre, Senate Building. The meeting was graced by Makerere University Council Members, the Vice Chancellor and members of management, the CEO Uganda Retirements Benefits Authority Mr. Martin. A Nsubuga, the CEO of the Insurance Company of East Africa and leaders of staff associations. Other members present were Trustees of MURBS, MURBS departmental Ambassadors, staff of Makerere university and MURBS among others.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Kakuba highlighted that given what has been happening on local and international market and the impact caused by the COVID pandemic, the declared interest is above the inflation rate implying that members contributions have been well preserved. He revealed that for 1,116 members of staff, the interest generated through the scheme investments and credited on their accounts is more than contributions received from the university.
The Board also confirmed that Makerere University remitted all the contributions that were due for the entire Financial year. Members funds grew from UGX 255bn to 299bn supported by the increase in contributions and positive returns from investments and is projected to hit a trillion by 30th June 2026.
Dr. Kakuba reported that the schemes accounts were audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers Certified Public Accountants who issued unqualified opinion on the financial statements. He said the scheme membership increased by 1000. As at 30th June 2022, the scheme had 7, 162 (active 3,093 and Deferred -4,069) members compared to 5,984(Active -2007 and Deferred -3907) as at 30th June 2021.
“The Trustees collected contributions totaling UGX 33.5bn as compared to UGX 24.5bn for the FY 2020/2021. Out of the 33.5bn, UGX 29.4bn was paid in respect of staff of Makerere university on main payroll except UGX 82.5m. The Trustees appreciate this compliance and are also grateful for the plans drawn to settle the difference. The Trustees thank the Makerere University for honouring these obligations,” he commended.
Dr. Kakuba appreciated the University Management for the progress made towards debt recoveries. The Trustees recovered UGX 6.5bn in respect of the In-house debt and thus, combined with UGX 5bn paid by Government on 20th May 2021, the scheme recovered UGX 11.5bn by 30th June 2022. Dr. Kakuba reported that on 4th August 2022, the Government paid UGX 1.5bn, bringing the cumulative amount recovered to UGX 13bn representing 51% total debt recoveries expressing hope that the balance of 12.4bn will also be cleared.
“The members’ funds grew from UGX 255bn at the start of the FY 2021/2022 to UGX 299bn at the end. This growth was supported by the increase in contributions and positive returns from investments. During the year, trustees approved investments in Unit Trusts which created an avenue for the scheme to maximise opportunities for daily cash contributions. The scheme’s strategy to significantly divest from equities continues to cushion our assets against volatility.” part of the statement reads.
Reporting on the effect of Fund value and return on investment on individual members, Dr. Kakuba noted that MURBs now has a member holding benefits in excess of UGX 400m while the average of the top five holdings exceeds UGX 398m. He promised that the Trustees will strive to push the member with the biggest member holding to hit 0.5bn mark over the next 12 months.
Kakuba also reported that for the past years the scheme has been voluntarily participating in Financial Reporting competitions to gauge its standard of financial reporting as compared to other financial institutions in the country with emphasis on the disclosures made in the report, governance, sustainability, communication and presentation of the accounts.
“With respect to the 2020 Annual report, MURBS again emerged winner in the Retirement Benefits Sector category. These awards are a confirmation that MURBS is on the right course. We are proud to have our scheme as a leader of the pension scheme,” said Dr. Kakuba.
Chairperson of Council satisfied with the interest of 11.05%, cautions staff on Mid Term
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In a speech read by Prof. Frank Mwine, the Chairperson Makerere University Council Mrs. Magara congratulated MURBS upon its consistent commitment on accountability to the stakeholders, subjecting the books accounts for auditing by a reputable firm, participating in the Financial reporting competitions and winning five awards.
The Chairperson of Council commended the Trustees for the positive performance indicators, a growing fund and membership, diversified investments, the growing net return on investment and competent return on investment. As leaders in the pension sector, the Chair implored the scheme to keep the position and support other retirement benefits schemes in Uganda to improve.
“I have noted that you have declared less interest this year than last year., but considering the economy and market conditions during the 2021/2022 Financial Year, I am satisfied that the interest 11.05% is a good return. So, our Trustees have done very well and as Council, we agree that this performance has added value on each members holding in MURBS.”
The Chairperson of Council reminded the Trustees to be aware that handling mandatory contributions requires a great deal of care. She implored the Trustees to take the highest level of due diligence as they work with service providers in the sector noting that there is no greater pain to an employee than to be told some of the money was lost in some not-so-clear investments.
In her speech, Mrs. Magara also encouraged staff and retirees not to spend a big part of the retirement package and to take advantage of the MURBS Annuity program in order to have a comfortable retirement. She reasoned that given the rate at which the scheme fund is growing, and the benefits they have, it’s likely that annuity pay-outs will soon be able to match a retirees exit salary for many members. She asked Trustees to sensitize members on the benefits of annuities.
The Chairperson of Council reminded MURBS members that there has been early access to retirement benefits before in Makerere and this has been one of the main reasons senior staff may be still having smaller packages for retirement and some members ending up accusing the university for giving them peanuts at the end of service.
Mrs. Magara cautioned and expressed concern about whispers of MURBS members getting early access to and part of their retirement money on the pretext of hardships faced during the lockdown years of COVID 19.
“I am not convinced this is a good idea for the members of MURBS since the university was able to pay full salaries during that time. The idea of midterm access coming out of a one–time event called COVID 19 should not become entrenched into long term scheme rules. I will therefore caution you to be very careful with this idea and sensitize members of MURBS,” she guided.
MURBS performance-a relief and in line with Council’s objectives – Mak VC
Describing MURBS as the brain child of the Makerere University Council established 12 years ago, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe said the purpose was to ensure that staff lived decent lives in retirement. Prof. Nawangwe reported that the status of the scheme was last year boosted when the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development exempted the University from mandatory contributions to NSSF, making handling of mandatory retirements benefits easier and adding value to the university employees.
Prof. Nawangwe congratulated the Trustees upon the excellent performance saying, the good results presented met the original objectives of the University Council. “It is so gratifying to hear that there are more than 60 employees whose retirement packages are over 300m but are still working and some still below 50 years. This was unthinkable a few years ago. It is good to hear that over 1000 individuals have received more interest than their contributions in this financial year. This is a big achievement for a University that used to suffer negative publicity on the basis of retirement packages of her employees,” Prof. Nawangwe stated.
Prof. Nawangwe recalled that 12 years ago MURBS started with less than UGX 20bn but now holds, over UGX 300bn and receiving monthly contributions over UGX 2bn. He reminded participants that this is part of the potential he was referring to while starting his first term as Vice Chancellor.
“You may also recall that unlocking the potential within Makerere University was top of my agenda. In the case of social security of staff, this is being done every month when more than UGX 2bn is invested by our own scheme and for repayment of university debt. In addition, I promised to prioritise repayment of university debt.”
The Vice Chancellor, expressed happiness that the University with support from Government completed paying all debts for the period between 2005 and 2011 and has now repaid UGX13bn of in-house debt pledging that the balance is expected to be cleared in less than two years.
Vice Chancellor challenges staff to face the challenges of the century squarely
Turning to the staff, the Vice Chancellor stressed that with the completion of celebrations of 100 years of excellent service to humanity, Makerere University has a firm foundation on which to build.
“It is now time to face the challenges of the century squarely. We owe it to the Ugandan tax payer and to the Government of Uganda to come up with innovations that will solve the problems that our people are facing,” Prof. Nawangwe said adding:
“The Government has consistently been increasing funding towards universities. So, Universities too, and Makerere in particular, need to support government development programmes for the country by finding real solutions that impact lives and transform society. Let us nature the good relationship that exists between Government and Makerere university,” Prof. Nawangwe said.
Prof. Nawangwe commended the University Council and Management for the support accorded to MURBS saying, they have worked with the Trustees over many complicated matters and were going to continue working together in other matters such as the amendment of the Trust Deed of MURBS as the new dispensation requires.
MURBS has a formidable team and experts –CEO UBRA
The Chief Executive Officer Uganda Benefits Regulatory authority, Mr. Martin A. Nsubuga congratulated Makerere University upon holding the centennial celebrations successfully. Mr. Nsubuga also congratulated the MURBS for the wonderful performance.
“For people in this Market, declaring the interest of 11. 05% in the era of COVID and the market dynamics that were present, I really have to congratulate you. You have a very good formidable team with very good experts.”
Re-affirming the position of the Trustees on the interest declared and investments made, Mr. Nsubuga said: “On our side, we can only confirm that the numbers that have been declared are consistent with what we had anticipated. Just to confirm to you when we came here we know where your money is invested with almost 80 % in fixed assets and we know how they are trading, we had an idea and we would have been disappointed if they had declared anything less than 10%.”
Mr. Nsubuga commended MURBS Trustees for upholding good governance standards saying, they are reliable, the reason why they were recommended to become an in dependent pension scheme.
He said as a regulator, they were proud of MURBS credibility in her Financial statements describing the performance as unrivalled as far as the standard, disclosures and the returns are concerned.
He appreciated the University Management and Council for the support rendered to the scheme, fulfilling the contribution obligation and enabling the scheme to operate and perform without influence.
Mr. Nsubuga also commended the schemes foresightedness. He implored staff and Trustees to make an arrangement to work with ICEA and and purchase annuities so that they can receive monthly payments throughout their lifetime.
By: Jane Anyango and Ritah Namisango
General
Makerere University Writing Centre holds second training workshop: Roots for standard University-wide templates in minute writing
By Chris Kaahwa and Ritah Namisango
Makerere University Writing Center (MakWC) has intensified efforts to improve the quality, consistency, and accuracy of official records across the institution.
In pursuit of this agenda, MakWC has lined up a series of writing training workshops targeting University staff in the various units. On 13th November 2025, 27 members of staff participated in the second training workshop, which highlighted the need for development of standardized templates, to guide the documentation processes within the University. This builds on the workshop for the first cohort where 24 members of staff were trained on 6th November 2025.
With over 50 members of staff so far trained, MakWC is building both the individual and institutional capacity in writing minutes, record keeping and presentation of official records.
Addressing the participants, Professor Fredrick Jones Muyodi, Team Leader, MakWC, described the Center as a transformative initiative committed to enhancing academic and scholarly writing, and publication capacities across the University. He shared that the Center continues to support faculty, staff, and students through mentorship and training on various forms of writing, including theses, dissertations, publications, project proposals and grants.
Noting the urge for professional development, Professor Muyodi acknowledged staff from the Department of the Academic Registrar, administrative units, colleges, and Makerere University Jinja Campus for embracing continuous learning. He highlighted the Centre’s deliberate plan to continuously use a comprehensive training and mentorship model, bringing on board specialists and mentors with extensive experience in writing, collaborative research, and publication to guide and support participants.
The Academic Registrar of Makerere University, Professor Buyinza Mukadasi represented by Mrs. Patience Rubabinda Mushengyezi, applauded the Writing Center for continuously providing practical support to staff who handle official documents and sensitive academic information. “This is the kind of support we all need in the various units. Many of us will benefit from this workshop,” she said.
Stressing the need for standardized templates and ethical writing practices, Mrs. Mushengyezi noted that minutes are important documents that must be accurate, confidential, and easy to reference. “Many of us handle sensitive information. A standard template will help us keep our records consistent and professional across all units,” she stated.
Mrs. Mushengyezi encouraged staff to take the training seriously pointing out that proper minute writing and documentation contributes to professional and institutional credibility. She tasked staff involved in writing minutes as well as documentation of university proceedings to ensure that official records conform to the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act.
Guiding participants through the Roles of a Minute Taker, Mrs. Mushengyezi pointed out the different types of meetings, which included; Regular, Special, and Emergency, and urged them to have a solid understanding of the University’s operational framework in order to record such meetings accurately.
During a session on legal compliance, Ms. Esther Kabinga, Principal Legal Officer, explained that adherence to policies and regulations, which govern minutes writing, upholds the integrity of records and decision making process of institutions. “In addition”, she said, “Accuracy and objectivity, completeness and clarity, timeliness and confidentiality, compliance with organizational policies and procedure,” are among the key considerations that the staff should comply with while writing minutes.
She guided participants to desist from including personal opinions in writing minutes, stressing that in accurate or incomplete documentation may expose institutions and individuals to legal risks. “Proper documentation protects both the University and the decision-makers,” she said.
To ensure consistency across academic and administrative units, Ms. Prossie Nakayiki, Acting Deputy Academic Registrar (Examinations and Transcripts) advocated for the adoption of University-wide standardized templates. She explained that standard templates promote a uniform and consistent writing culture. She called upon participants to use simple, clear and official language while avoiding abbreviations and unnecessary jargons. She emphasized that each minute should accurately record the resolution made, indicate the person responsible for follow-up actions, and provide clear timeline for implementation. “Good minutes, reflect not just what was discussed, but also the discipline, clarity, and accountability of the institution,” she added.
In a virtual presentation, Professor Paul Birevu Muyinda, Director of the Institute of Open, Distance and e-Learning (IODeL) sensitized the participants on the Ethical and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Underscoring AI’s growing transformative role in teaching, learning, research, and administration, Professor Muyinda urged participants to integrate AI tools into their daily work, and to conform to the University’s approved AI policy.
Supporting his submission, Dr. Godfrey Mayende, Head of the Department of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and Deputy Director of IODeL, highlighted how AI and Online platforms provide automated accuracy, faster turnaround in work efficiency, and better accountability in writing and recording minutes.
He guided participants on preparing effectively for virtual meetings, including confirming the agenda, setting platform options (recording, captions, cohost), and preparing consent scripts.
Closing the workshop, Professor Ronald Bisaso, Assistant Team Leader, MakWC commended staff for their active participation, as well as, the facilitators for sharing the knowledge and expertise.
“As the Writing Center, we are profoundly honored that we started with a team entrusted with essential duties of this great institution. Standardizing minute writing is the next step toward improving the credibility and accountability of our academic records,” he concluded.
Makerere University has made a notable advance by officially launching the implementation of its Mentorship Policy. This initiative aims to strengthen support and guidance for students, fostering personal and academic growth within the university community. This was announced on Thursday, 13 November 2025, by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs, in her remarks delivered by the Dean of Students, Dr. Winfred Kabumbuli, during the annual workshop for mentors of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, held at the Fairway Hotel.
Prof. Ssali praised the university’s mentors for their outstanding work in supporting students.
“I am pleased to join my fellow mentors at this crucial capacity-building workshop organised under the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University. It is important to recognise and commend your unwavering dedication to the holistic development of our Scholars. Your roles in mentorship, safeguarding, and fostering inclusion are essential, and together, we must continue to advance these efforts for the benefit of our Scholars,” asserted Prof. Ssali.
Prof. Ssali expressed her enthusiasm, noting that mentorship closely aligns with the shared mission: ensuring that all Makerere University students feel safe, thrive, and achieve their academic and personal goals.
“Our efforts in student affairs are incomplete unless we provide our students with the mentorship, guidance, and support they need to develop into responsible global citizens. Safeguarding, mentorship, and inclusion are not just programmatic themes; they are values that define the Makerere University community we seek to build,” Prof. Ssali remarked.
Prof. Ssali further praised the University Council and Management for adopting key policies, the Mentorship Policy 2025 and the Safeguarding Policy 2024, which are essential for the well-being of students and staff at Makerere University.
“I wish to commend the University Council and Management for approving and implementing the Makerere University Career Guidance and Mentorship Policy (2025) and the Safeguarding Policy (2024). These policies provide structure and accountability to our work, helping us strengthen systems that protect and support our students and staff,” Prof. Ssali noted.
Speaking in her role as the Dean of Students, Dr. Kabumbuli highlighted the importance of Mentorship, inclusion, and safeguarding as the critical areas in managing student affairs at Makerere University.
“Safeguarding reminds us of our duty to create and maintain a learning environment where every student feels safe, respected, and valued. Career guidance and mentorship remind us that academic excellence must go hand in hand with personal growth, discipline, and preparation for life after university. Inclusive mentorship compels us to extend our support to every learner, including those with disabilities, those from refugee backgrounds, young mothers, and international students, ensuring that no one is left behind,” Dr. Kabumbuli asserted.
Dr. Kabumbuli urged the mentors to reaffirm their shared commitment to a student-centred approach, one that recognises the human dignity, potential, and diversity of every Scholar. She encouraged the mentors to continue exemplifying the values of integrity, professionalism, and compassion that embody the spirit of Makerere.
On behalf of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and the Africa Climate Collaborative, Program Director Prof. Justine Namaalwa shared exciting news with the Program mentors about the recent recruitment of 191 undergraduate scholars and 41 graduate students. She highlighted the importance of providing mentorship and guidance to these scholars, who come from diverse backgrounds and possess various strengths and challenges. Prof. Namaalwa encouraged everyone to actively support these students as they embark on their academic journeys.
“We were excited to welcome 191 undergraduate and 41 master’s Scholars to the Programme this academic year. These talented individuals hail from diverse backgrounds and bring immense potential, and they need your active support and mentorship,” Prof. Namaalwa remarked.
Prof. Namaalwa further requested that, as the University continues to recruit more mentors, it’s essential to recognise that effective mentorship goes beyond mere knowledge sharing. It involves actively listening, empathizing with the mentees, and empowering them to forge their own unique paths.
”Together, we can create a supportive environment that fosters growth and success for all our Scholars and students of Makerere University.” Prof. Namaalwa pointed.
The Annual Mentors’ Workshop, which was attended by over 70 mentors from different units of the University and others from other organisations, featured a range of activities designed to enhance mentors’ skills and understanding. Mr. Musa Mwambu from Light for the World, a partner of the Mastercard Foundation, led a valuable training session focused on inclusion, equipping participants with essential insights. Additionally, Mr Apollo Mulondo from the Refugee Law Project provided an in-depth training session designed to empower mentors to support students with refugee status effectively. The workshop also included opportunities for mentors to hear firsthand from young individuals, including a student with disabilities and two safeguarding champions, enriching their understanding and commitment to inclusive mentorship.
The writer is the Principal Communications Officer for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
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