General
Top Management Strengthens Capacity to Align Mak Operations to NDPIII
The Top Management of Makerere University were from 27th to 29th April, 2023 engaged in a Strategic Leadership Training aimed at equipping them with skills required to bridge current operational gaps and link their day-to-day delivery to the University’s strategic plan as well as the Third National Development Plan (NDP III) priorities. The training attended by over 50 participants who included the Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellors, Heads of Administrative Units, College Principals and their deputies was equally aimed at enhancing the appreciation of current public finance management provisions for prudent management of public financial resources, as well as strengthening leadership and team delivery skills for optimal outcomes.
Officially opening the Training, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe noted that the Top Management had the joint responsibility of ensuring that Makerere’s legacy built upon the hard work and dedication of its leadership over the last 100 years is upheld. He therefore asked participants to reflect on what Makerere’s role ought to be in next 100 years, especially in terms of building a modern and prosperous Uganda.
He noted that although the strategic plan outlines; A research-led university, Innovation in teaching and learning, and An engaged university with enhanced partnerships as its overarching goals, it was the fourth; A Professionally Governed, Equitable, Inclusive And Gender Mainstreamed Institution that was most relevant to the training
The Vice Chancellor therefore urged participants to observe the hallmarks of; Human Resource Management, Time Management, and Efficient and Effective Planning in order to promote a professionally governed university.
Additionally, Assoc. Prof. Suzie Nansozi Muwanga, Executive Director of the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC) thanked the university Management for the opportunity to partner at the strategic level. She added that as a result of its synergetic relationship with hosts Makerere University and the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), JNLC had tapped into the extensive research and training experience of facilitators to offer leadership training and mentorship to youth in Uganda as well as the East African Community.
Furthermore, she shared that JNLC has worked with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme to develop a leadership course that will be accessible to all students on the Makerere University E-Learning Environment (MUELE). Assoc. Prof. Nansozi Muwanga therefore expressed hope that the training would accord participants a personal and corporate appreciation of the role they ought to play in order to ensure that the University Strategic Plan and NDPIII aspirations are achieved.
The Strategic Training was split into three sessions covering 1) Leadership and Corporate Governance, 2) Public Finance Management and 3) Human Resource Management. Mr. Dison Okumu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Institute of Corporate Governance facilitated the first session, while Mr. Stephen Ojambo, Commissioner, Treasury Inspectorate and Policy Department in the Accountant General’s Office facilitated the second session. Mr. Allan Muhereza, the Commissioner, Human Resource Planning and Development at the Ministry of Public Service facilitated the third session.
The final day of Training was dedicated to sessions on Financial Literacy, Mental Health and Servant Leadership facilitated by Mrs. Gloria Jombwe, Dr. Herbert Rwakiseta and Prof. Julius Kiiza respectively. The training also featured Constructive Team Building activities facilitated by Bwongo Consult.
Makerere University staff have been urged to embrace servant leadership, integrity and compassion as they prepare to welcome students for the 2026/2027 Academic Year.
The call was made during the Makerere University Staff Prayer Breakfast held on 31st July 2026 at St. Francis Students Centre Upper Hall under the theme “Faithful Stewards: A Servant Heart with Integrity and Wisdom,” drawn from Colossians 3:23–24 and Mark 10:35–45.
The prayer breakfast brought together members of Council, University Management, academic, and administrative staff to dedicate the new academic year to God while reflecting on their responsibility of serving students with excellence, humility and integrity.
A Call to Seek God’s Wisdom
Host Rev. Dr. Lydia Nsaale Kitayimbwa reminded staff that no amount of professional experience or academic expertise can replace God’s guidance.
She noted that the University’s mission can only be fulfilled when staff continually seek God’s wisdom in serving students and one another.
“There is no amount of experience or expertise that can replace God’s wisdom.”
Rev. Dr. Kitayimbwa observed that students remain the reason universities exist and challenged staff to approach their work as a calling rather than merely employment.
“Without students, there is no university,” she said, encouraging members of staff to remain united, avoid unhealthy competition and trust God as they begin another academic year.
She further urged staff to become faithful stewards who work together in harmony, which she summed up as, “United we stand; divided we fall.”
A Community, Not Just a Centre of Research
In her remarks, Dean of Students Dr. Winnie Kabumbuli welcomed the Council Chairperson, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Members of Management to the breakfast, and reminded staff that a university’s value cannot be measured by research and innovation alone.
She described Makerere as a community held together by the spiritual as well as academic wellbeing of its people, and called on staff to renew their commitment to one another as much as to the institution they serve.
Draw Inspiration From Stewardship
Representing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Prof. Sarah Ssali told staff that this year’s breakfast carried special significance.
“This is the first prayer breakfast we are having ever since we launched our strategic plan,” she said, referring to the University’s new Strategic Plan, launched on 2nd July 2026.
She encouraged staff to hold on to the morning’s reflections as a guide for implementing the plan over the next five years, describing Makerere as an institution many families choose above all others for the vision and training it offers their children. She urged staff to see themselves as stewards of that trust rather than simply employees carrying out a job.
Compassion and Discipline Must Go Together
Delivering her remarks, Makerere University Council Chairperson Dr. Lorna Magara challenged staff to strike a balance between compassion and discipline when dealing with students.
She observed that many students face different personal and academic challenges, making encouragement and timely support essential throughout their university journey.
“A word of encouragement can restore hope and prevent costly mistakes,” she noted.
Dr. Lorna encouraged lecturers and administrators to respond promptly to students’ concerns, explaining that delays, insensitive decisions and abuse of authority can discourage students and negatively affect their academic experience.
She reminded staff that students often remember how they were treated long after they have forgotten what was taught in class.
“Students may eventually forget what we teach them, but they will always remember how we treated them.”
She added that education goes beyond transferring knowledge.
“Education is more than knowledge. We communicate life, character and values.”
Quoting Mark 10, Dr. Lorna called upon staff to embrace servant leadership by exercising authority with humility, integrity and accountability.
She encouraged members of staff to ask themselves whether they would treat every student the same way ashey would treat their own child.
“We may not always have all the answers,” she said, “but we can communicate honestly, take responsibility and treat every student with dignity.”
She concluded by urging different colleges and administrative units to work together instead of operating in isolation, noting that unity strengthens the University community.
Referring to Galatians 6:2, she reminded staff to carry one another’s burdens and remain faithful stewards of the responsibility entrusted to them.
Servant Leadership Begins with Faithfulness
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. James Magara, husband to Dr. Lorna Magara, called on members of staff to embrace servant leadership grounded in humility, faithfulness and service to others.
Drawing from Mark 10:35–45, Dr. Magara reflected on the account in which James and John asked Jesus for positions of honour in His kingdom, prompting discontent among the other disciples. He observed that despite walking closely with Christ, the disciples continued to struggle with the desire for status and recognition. He noted that such competition remained evident even during the Last Supper, where concerns over positions and prominence persisted.
Dr. Magara said that Jesus responded to these human tendencies by redefining leadership through service rather than authority. He described Christ’s act of washing the disciples’ feet as the ultimate demonstration of servant leadership, explaining that genuine leaders are willing to undertake even the humblest responsibilities in service of others.
Referencing Philippians 2, he urged staff to emulate Christ’s humility and selflessness, contrasting it with the pride and self-exaltation illustrated in Isaiah 14. He emphasised that lasting influence and greatness are not measured by titles, positions or recognition, but by one’s willingness to serve faithfully and put the needs of others before personal ambition.
Drawing on his own leadership journey spanning several decades, Dr. Magara challenged leaders across the University to cultivate humility, integrity and a servant heart in the execution of their responsibilities. He cautioned that leadership driven by pride and personal ambition undermines both individual effectiveness and institutional progress, whereas servant leadership strengthens organisations and fosters lasting impact.
The prayer breakfast concluded with a call for unity and collective commitment as Makerere University prepares to begin a new academic year. Organisers noted that the reflections on stewardship, integrity and servant leadership would provide a strong foundation for the University community as it advances the implementation of the Makerere University Strategic Plan 2025–2030.
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