The Chair Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara (2nd Left) and Vice Chairperson, Rt. Hon. Daniel Fred Kidega (2nd Right) with Council Members Prof. Sara Ssali (Right) and Mr. Edwin Karugire (Left) during the meeting at CoBAMS on 2nd March 2023.
The Makerere University Council led by its Chair Mrs. Lorna Magara on March 2, 2023 visited the College to introduce the new members and also get acquainted with the operations of the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) and how it aligns with the University’s strategic goals.
The College management team, led by the Principal Prof. Eria Hisali shared with the council members what the College is doing to align its self to the Strategic Plan (2020-2030) which aims to transform Makerere into a research-led University, responding to national, regional and global development challenges, as well as contributing to global knowledge generation.
The Principal informed the council that the College awards small grants to different researchers as well as encourages others to apply for external grants. It also encourages publications and has various avenues for dissemination such as seminar series and the policy labs.
Some of the Council Members that attended the meeting.
Prof. Hisali informed the meeting that the College has established an endowment fund in an effort to improve its financial position.
The council members learnt that the College had written a proposal for infrastructure development to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The proposal is at Development Committee level. The College is optimistic about its funding.
The council members pledged to support the College and advised the leadership to register the PIM Centre of Excellence as an independent organization with legal status.
Council Members interact with CoBAMS Leadership during the meeting.
Other developments the Principal shared included;
The MA Economics students from the College emerged the overall best of the seven participating Universities at the Joint Facility for Electives with an average CGPA of 3.83 out of a maximum of 4.00, which speaks to the quality of programs offered.
Accreditation of BCOM by ACCA Global. Graduates of the Bachelor of Commerce Program now have eight out of the possible nine exemptions.
Partnership with Prudential Assurance Uganda Limited. This gives a cash prize of US$500 to each of the best five final year students on the Program. Even more importantly, they are offered a full scholarship to pursue the professional Actuarial program.
Development of a College based students’ enrolment system in order to improve decision making and service delivery. Students are being sensitized to enroll starting this Semester.
The College also completed a partnership through which the best performing MA Economics Student is absorbed as a Research Fellow at the EPRC
Graduate fellows are recruited for all the Departments. These are proving very helpful in supporting students to appreciate concepts in smaller groupings.
The College Endowment Fund has continued to grow and currently stands at approximately US$100,000. Plans are underway to launch it in order to pave way for the public and well-wishers to contribute.
Infrastructure project: The College has gone through the gatekeeping requirements and the feasibility report is now at DC of MoFPED.
The EAC extended support towards ICT equipment for the School of Statistics and Planning worth US$500,000.
The Government of Uganda took over support to the Public Investment Management Center at the College starting 2022/2023.
The College is supporting efforts to develop an implementation roadmap for the PDM
Researchers at the College have continued to win competitive research grants
The publication record at the College has improved considerably from around 30 publications annually to over 120 for the year 2022.
Community engagements and outreach through the EfD, Entrepreneurship Center, PIM Center, etc.
Revamping of the College website as part of plans to improve visibility of the College
Short term capacity building for the administrative and support staff of the College
The College has finalized discussions on the work process flows and are now due for discussion at the College Administrative Board
The College obtained full accreditation of its REC from the National Council for Science and Technology.
The School of Economics has been selected to host the Annual Centre for the Study of African Economies Conference by the University of Oxford. This is the second time it will be hosted on the African continent and will take place between 27th and 30th November 2023.
The School of Economics is engaging Amazon with regard to skilling in the field of Machine Learning
The School of Business has finalized plans to host a Public Lecture on April 4, 2023 on the theme, “Corporate Governance as a business competitive strategy, consolidating gains and advancing prospects in Africa’s Market”.
The training, held from September 23rd to 26th, 2025 at the College of Business and Management Sciences, aimed at strengthening the capacity of government officials to effectively identify, prepare, and implement public projects.
The closing ceremony was officiated by Ms. Belinda Bisamaza, who represented the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury (PS/ST). In her remarks, Ms. Bisamaza commended participants for their commitment, noting that the training had offered a solid foundation in the entire PIM cycle — from project conceptualization and profiling, through monitoring and evaluation (M&E), to the use of the Integrated Bank of Projects (IBP), Environmental and Social Risk Management, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
Prof. Eria Hisali
“With these skills, you can contribute meaningfully to improving the quality of proposals submitted to the IBP, ensure better risk management, and enhance implementation through robust monitoring frameworks,” she said, adding that participants were now better prepared for advanced modules on financial appraisal, risk analysis, and stakeholder engagement.
Representing the PIM Centre, Prof. Eria Hisali highlighted the need for well-prepared projects that directly contribute to economic growth. “We must move away from the practice of developing projects only when funding is required. Instead, we should create a strong bank of quality projects from which government can easily draw,” he said.
Training participants in session.
The Manager of the PIM Centre, Dr. John Sseruyange, expressed gratitude to the participants and trainers for their dedication. He noted that the facilitators were drawn from Makerere University, the National Planning Authority (NPA), and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Dr. Sseruyange also revealed that the Centre would be rolling out further in-depth training modules and creating opportunities for alumni to engage in consultancy and research work. The PIM Centre hosts the training as part of broader efforts by Makerere University, MoFPED, and NPA to strengthen Uganda’s public investment management systems, ensuring value for money, improved service delivery, and sustainable economic development.
Thirty-one government officers from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have successfully completed a two-week intensive training in the Certificate of Financial Implications (CFI) – Integrated Regulatory Cost-Benefit Analysis. The certification ceremony was held at the Pearl on the Nile Hotel, Jinja, marking another milestone in Uganda’s efforts to institutionalize evidence-based and fiscally responsible policymaking.
The training, delivered by the Makerere University Public Investment Management (PIM) Centre of Excellence in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), and National Planning Authority equipped participants with practical skills to evaluate policy and legislative proposals for their financial, economic, and social implications.
Mr. Paul Mwanja.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mr. Paul Mwanja, Commissioner for Infrastructure & Social Services at MoFPED, who represented the Permanent Secretary, commended the officers for their commitment at a time when government institutions are finalizing the Auditor General’s audits, implementing the FY2025/26 budget, rolling out the National Development Plan IV’s tenfold growth strategy, and preparing for the 2026 General Elections.
“Your participation affirms a collective commitment across Government to strengthen the quality, transparency, and credibility of public policymaking in Uganda,” Mr. Mwanja said. He urged graduates to return to their institutions as champions of reform, share their knowledge with colleagues, and drive the change needed in Public Finance Management. He also announced that the next cohort of the training will take place in January 2026.
Prof. Ibrahim Mike Okumu.
Prof. Ibrahim Mike Okumu, Dean of the School of Economics at Makerere University, delivered the graduation address, highlighting the certificate’s importance in addressing Uganda’s triple challenge of scale, scarcity, and speed.
“This program does something unique. It teaches you not only to ask whether a policy or project is beneficial, but also whether it is affordable and resilient under real fiscal constraints,” Prof. Okumu noted. He challenged graduates to apply their skills at project, portfolio, and policy levels—ensuring value for money and enhancing public trust in government spending.
Participants make a group presentation.
He further emphasized that Uganda’s pioneering approach to integrated CFI-CBA positions the country as a leader in Africa and beyond: “You, Uganda’s first CFI-CBA graduates, are now part of a global brain trust. Your work will speak to investors, parliaments, development partners, and above all, the Ugandan people.”
Dr. John Sseruyange, Manager of the PIM Centre of Excellence, expressed appreciation to participants for their active engagement throughout the training and thanked MoFPED and the faculty drawn from Makerere University, the National Planning Authority, Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Energy for their technical support.
Dr. John Sseruyange.
The Certificate of Financial Implications – Integrated Regulatory Cost-Benefit Analysis was introduced following the Revised Guidelines for Financial Clearance, effective July 1, 2025. The guidelines require MDAs to prepare their own financial implications statements, subject to rigorous cost-benefit analysis, thereby strengthening linkages between fiscal responsibility and regulatory impact assessments.
With the successful completion of the second cohort, Uganda is steadily building a critical mass of professionals capable of embedding cost-benefit thinking across government, ensuring every shilling delivers maximum impact for citizens.
A female participant receives her certificate.A male participant receives his certificate.
The Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University held its Steering Committee meeting on 4th September 2025 at Mestil Hotel in Kampala. The session, attended by all members, focused on reviewing progress, reflecting on achievements from the past financial year, and charting the way forward for the Centre.
About the PIM Centre of Excellence
The PIM CoE was established in March 2022 at Makerere University’s College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Its purpose is to strengthen Uganda’s public investment management system through training, research, and advisory services.
The Steering Committee plays a critical role in oversight, review, coordination, and advisory functions, guiding the Centre’s work and ensuring that public investment processes align with national development priorities.
Dr. Joseph Muvawala.
Highlights from the Meeting
Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Joseph Muvawala, the Executive Director of the National Planning Authority, praised the October 2024 Annual PIM Conference for expanding perspectives on project design and delivery. He emphasized the importance of shifting from theory to practice in training, advocating for students and officials to engage with real-world projects. He also underscored the Centre’s new autonomy—transitioning from a subvention to a vote—which gives it greater independence but also demands stronger financial accountability. Dr. Muvawala further called for a permanent physical home for the Centre, noting that sufficient resources are available to make this possible and that negotiations with government are underway.
Mr. Ashaba Hannington, Director Budget at MoFPED, shared key achievements from the 2024/25 financial year. He noted that the Annual PIM Conference, organised jointly by MoFPED and the Centre, provided a vital platform for stakeholders to reflect on progress in public investment management.
Steering Committee Members and part of the Secretariat at the meeting.
Mr. Ashaba reaffirmed MoFPED’s commitment to working closely with the Centre to strengthen Uganda’s public investment capacity.
Prof. Eria Hisali (Left) and Mr. Hannington Ashaba (Right).
Prof. Eria Hisali, Co–Principal Investigator of the PIM CoE, outlined strategies to increase the Centre’s vibrancy and impact. He emphasized direct project engagement, advisory services, and peer reviews as ways to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Looking ahead, he revealed plans for a Master’s program in Economic and Investment Modelling, a Training of Trainers (ToT) initiative, and deeper practical capacity-building efforts.
Prof. Hisali also noted several successful trainings from the past year, including:
46 staff from MDAs trained in Essentials of PIM.
59 participants across two cohorts trained in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis.
25 participants trained in Economic Appraisal and Stakeholder Analysis.
He proposed the introduction of a “trailer feasibility test” to evaluate whether completed projects deliver benefits as projected and to address optimism bias in project planning.
Dr. John Sseruyange (Centre) with Prof. Tonny Oyana (Left) and Ms. Alice Nakimbugwe (Right).
Dr. John Seruyange, Manager of the PIM CoE, highlighted the Centre’s growing regional footprint. Beyond Uganda, six central government officers from Somalia have been trained in Infrastructure Asset Management, generating further interest in advanced training from Somalia, Zimbabwe, and Somaliland. To position itself as a regional hub, the Centre is preparing a prospectus to market its courses across Africa and beyond.
Why It Matters
The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the PIM CoE remains a leading think tank and capacity-building hub for government and regional partners. By improving the appraisal, financing, and implementation of public projects, the Centre is strengthening accountability, enhancing service delivery, and contributing to Uganda’s broader development goals.