On 13^th April 2026, Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) of Makerere University, hosted Dr. Sizile Makola, a Visiting Scholar and Senior Lecturer from the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Makerere University and the University of South Africa committed to partnership and collaboration through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Consequently, Dr. Makola, a researcher and an expert in human resource and business management is  scheduled to spend two weeks at Makerere University, interacting with the leadership at different levels, researchers, students, as well as staff in the Department of Marketing and Management, School of Business under the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS).

Additionally, the visit accords Dr. Makola the golden opportunity to finalise her comparative studies with members of staff from the Department of Marketing and Management on behalf of Makerere University for the Ugandan context.

The meeting between the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Dr. Sizile Makola was attended by Associate Professor Godfrey Akileng-the Dean, School of Business, and Ms. Agnes Sansa from the Department of Marketing and Management.

Welcoming the Visiting Scholar, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) urged Dr. Makola to solidify the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both universities through academic exchanges and deepening scholarship on African-centred leadership.

Prof. Ssali shared a brief trajectory that has shaped Uganda’s workspace. She mentioned the critical role of three pillars that have fundamentally influenced the human resource development landscape in Uganda namely: Cultural practices, Structural Adjustment Programs (SAP), and Spirituality/Religion. She also acknowledged the distinct historical differences between Uganda and South Africa.

Dr. Makola’s discussion with the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) also featured the ongoing comparative study that Dr. Sizile Makola and Ms. Agnes Sansa are conducting in relation to how organizational and human resource management conditions shape the recognition and conversion of women leadership resilience in Uganda and South Africa.

The study is titled: Ubuntu/Obuntu Bulamu, Emotional Capital and Women’s Leadership Resilience: A Comparative Study Across Public and Private Sectors in South Africa and Uganda.

Impressed by the ongoing study, Prof. Ssali implored the visiting faculty-Dr. Sizile Makola to share with her the findings in due course.

Prof. Ssali expressed the readiness of the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) to work with the different units within Makerere University, and the University of South Africa, to support programmes aimed at strengthening collaboration, partnership, research, and internationalization.

On 10^th April 2026, Dr. Makola delivered a captivating guest lecture titled,Re-Imagining Human Resource Management in Africa, targeting undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing human resource management courses at Makerere University.

Emphasizing the need to integrate indigenous knowledge and organizational practice, Dr. Makola argued that researchers should theorize from African contexts, treat indigenous knowledge as a source of theory, use methodologies capturing moral, communal, and context-bound dimensions of work, and build concepts from African languages, values, and institutional histories.

She stressed the need for African-centered human resource management thinking, rather than just adding local case studies to Western frameworks. Dr. Makola’s argument was informed by limitations of Western human resource management frameworks, which assume autonomous individuals, formal institutions, and technical organizations, which are separate from family and community.

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Mak CoBAMS Hosts UNISA’s Dr. Sizile Makola

African Scholarship Must Theorize from Indigenous Knowledge to Build Contextually Grounded Leadership Systems,” Dr. Sizile Makola

I wish to proclaim that you, St. Augustine Chapel, occupy a special place in my life, and that the bond built over the years, will surpass generations! Whereas some people respect you for grounding them in the Catholic faith, I uphold you for being a parent figure – stretching to a counsellor, mental health expert, confidant, stress manager and reliever, and community development specialist.

I vividly recall the sessions on being a responsible Catholic, remaining safe and healthy, identifying the right friends, and tips on excelling in academics.

St. Augustine Chapel, you are a safe space for communion. You have grounded God’s people in the Catholic faith, and blended in well with activities to ignite a great sense of responsibility, leadership, community empowerment and service to humanity.

As we celebrate your 85 years of existence, I am glad that you have continued to grow. As we visualize your Centennial celebrations in the near future, you are presenting to us a golden opportunity to contribute to the expansion of St. Augustine Students’ Centre.

I am pleased to testify that I am a proud member of the St. Augustine Catholic Community at Makerere University, with a great sense of belonging, and an attachment destined to last forever.

My encounter with St. Augustine Chapel and Students’ Centre commenced in 2001, when I joined Makerere University for a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication. I was blessed to do my ‘A’ levels at a vibrant Catholic school – St. Joseph’s S.S. Naggalama – and upon completion, I kept on wondering whether I would find such a place at Makerere University.

Little did I know that St. Augustine Chapel was destined to be my spiritual and genuine lover! The Chaplaincy and the Students Executive Committee coordinated special programmes that would bind us together in love. Both the Chapel and Students’ Centre became safe spaces to inculcate a high sense of responsibility, discipline, leadership, talent development, friendship, socialization and networking.

During the Freshers’ Orientation Week, the Chaplaincy and Students’ Executive Committee did engage us fully to optimal levels. Every evening, the new students would convene at St. Augustine Students’ Centre where the then Chaplain (Rev. Fr. Dr. Lawrence Kanyike) lined up a series of activities on balancing academics with other aspects of life, talent identification, counselling, career guidance, and socialization. We enjoyed the engagements that shaped a great sense of responsibility and calling to serve humanity.

To the Chaplaincy (Rev. Fr. Dr. Lawrence Kanyike and Rev. Fr. Josephat Ddungu), for the sessions where you identified professionals such as counsellors, mental health experts and coaches, to guide the students on balancing academics, spirituality and other demands of life, we will remain eternally grateful.

For talent identification, we were introduced to the different platforms such as the Choir, Music, Dance and Drama, Concerts, Catholic student clubs, and leadership opportunities within the Catholic community.

For friendship and socialization, the Chaplaincy would organize picnics, trips to Catholic sites, and beach bashes. The most popular ones were at Nabinoonya Beach, off Entebbe Road. The interaction would start with prayers, and thereafter, activities that re-kindled our youth such as enjoying breeze, listening to music, walking and playing in the sand, dancing, participating in games, and dining together. I believe that these activities also impacted our mental health, cognitive abilities and relaxation.

The Solidarity Masses in the Halls of Residence were memorable. The most vibrant one was the Lumbox solidarity mass, bringing onboard Catholic students from Lumumba and Mary Stuart Halls. At the end of the Mass, we would interact as we enjoyed snacks and soft drinks courtesy of the Chaplaincy. Though intended for Catholics, the solidarity Masses also attracted students from other denominations. At some point, the Chaplain, fondly referred to as ‘Fr. Larry’ by the students, observed that the snacks and soft drinks were less compared to the turn up.  The Chaplain requested students from other denominations who wished to be part of the solidarity Mass to register a week in advance, the numbers soared, but given his generosity, we continued to enjoy the snacks and soft drinks.

A number of socialization and networking events would be announced in the Chapel, and hosted at the Students’ Centre.

It is my prayer that we contribute generously to the expansion of this facility. Within this space, many lives have been touched, shaped and inspired.

Long live St. Augustine Catholic Community! Looking forward to the Centennial Celebrations!

Ritah Namisango, Public Relations and Communication Specialist

As Makerere University marked 85 years of St. Augustine Chapel on April 12, 2026, the historic sanctuary came alive with voices of praise drawing not only students and clergy, but the community and generations of alumni who returned to honor a space that shaped their faith and memories. From nostalgic reunions to heartfelt thanksgiving, the milestone became more than a commemoration; it was a powerful homecoming of a community bound by eight and a half decades of spiritual nourishment.

Under the resonant theme, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord,” the thanksgiving Mass was led by His Grace, Paul Ssemogerere, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala, who served as chief celebrant. His presence lent solemn weight to the occasion, as worshippers filled Makerere’s Freedom Square in a deeply moving celebration that blended reverence, reflection, and renewed devotion, echoing the enduring spiritual heartbeat of Makerere University.

Hailing the legacy of St. Augustine Chapel, Maj. (Rtd)  Jessica Alupo praised the students’ centre as a cradle of leadership that has helped steer the nation’s development. Speaking as the Vice President, the chief guest and proud alumna of Makerere University, she reflected on the chapel’s enduring influence since 1941, describing it as a rare space where intellect meets faith, questions meet prayer, and the pursuit of knowledge is illuminated by the gospel. Her remarks, underscored the chapel’s profound role in shaping generations of thinkers and servant leaders grounded in faith and service to their nation.

On his part, the Archbishop, His Grace, Paul Ssemogerere delivered a heartfelt reflection during his homily, reminding the congregation that true education shapes not only the intellect but also the heart. He praised St. Augustine Chapel for faithfully advancing that mission over 85 years, serving as a sacred space where students prayed before exams, sought guidance in uncertainty, and encountered Christ through the sacraments. Quietly yet profoundly, he noted, the chapel has not only formed scholars, but men and women of character and purpose. Highlighting the Church’s presence within Makerere University as a profound gift, he reaffirmed the harmony between faith and reason, and called for the chapel to remain a lasting refuge and guiding light for generations to come.

The event also served as a high-impact fundraising drive for the expansion of the Students’ Centre, aimed at creating much-needed space for growing student activities and services.

Appealing to the congregation, Rev. Fr. Josephat Ddungu, the chaplain, underscored the urgency and importance of investing in both the spiritual and social life of the student community. He emphasized that the expansion is not merely infrastructural, but foundational to nurturing holistic student development.

He recalled the vision of Msgr. Lawrence Kanyike, who during his tenure laid significant groundwork for St. Augustine’s Chaplaincy and long advocated for its expansion in response to growing student needs. With rising enrolment and increasing demand for services, the call for a larger, more functional student centre has become increasingly compelling.

Once completed, the extension is expected to stand as a landmark contribution in the Chaplaincy’s 85-year legacy. It will accommodate a wide range of student-focused programmes, including fellowship meetings, Bible study groups, prayer gatherings, mentorship and counselling services, leadership development, Sunday school, choir rehearsals, care groups, gym facilities, improved sanitation, administrative offices, quiet study areas, student clubs and movements, as well as outreach initiatives connecting students with surrounding communities.

Fr. Ddungu announced that the project target stands at Uganda Shillings Two billion only. He added that so far, UGX 164,673,650 has been raised in cash and banked funds, while pending pledges amount to UGX 85 million, bringing the combined total to Uganda Shillings 250,426,650.

“In Makerere, we build for the future. Those who came before us built for the future, and their future is our present. Now it is our responsibility to build for those who will come after us,” he said.

The Vice President, on behalf of the President delivered a contribution of Uganda Shillings 30 million who she said, also requested the Bill of Quantities of the project to facilitate continued government support toward its completion.

The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, who contributed to the fundraiser, commended the Catholic community for its steadfast commitment to students’ spiritual welfare and its role in shaping servant leaders. He pledged continued support from the University Management to ensure this expansion of the Student center becomes a reality. From Senior Management, Prof. Sarah Ssali, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs and Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli, the Dean of Students, in their respective capacities, contributed to the fundraising effort too, reinforcing the collective commitment to the project’s success.

As the fundraising gathers momentum, the appeal remains clear and urgent, that every contribution brings the vision closer to completion. Built on the legacy of those who came before and sustained by the commitment of the present generation, the new Students’ Centre is poised to become a lasting beacon of spiritual grounding, intellectual growth, and communal transformation for decades to come.

If you wish to contribute via mobile money, below are the details of the recipient.

MTN: +256 (0)787888490, Airtel: +256 (0) 756851181 (Josephat Ddungu)