General
Assoc. Prof. Ruth Nalumaga Receives Office of University Librarian
Assoc. Prof. Ruth Nalumaga on Friday 7th July, 2023 officially received the office of University Librarian from Assoc. Prof. Helen Byamugisha at a ceremony presided over by the Human Resources Directorate represented by Ms. Ikiriza Racheal. The ceremony was witnessed by the Directorate of Internal Audit represented by Mr. Aggrey Luwuliza, University Library Management and other officials.
Assoc. Prof. Byamugisha was appointed as Deputy University Librarian in 2013 and was the first PhD-holding appointee to the position. She was later appointed Acting University Librarian from 2015 until she was substantively appointed in 2018.
However, Assoc. Prof. Byamugisha’s long and illustrious career at Makerere University started close to 44 years ago in 1979 soon after completing her Bachelor of Science (Botany/Zoology), when she secured her first job as Assistant Manager of the University Bookshop. She held this position until 1994 when she was transferred to the University Library to manage the Book Bank that had been established in 1990. “My major task was to take charge of acquisition of print books for the University.”
Faced with new work demands, she enrolled for a Postgraduate Diploma in Librarianship, which she completed in 1996. She would later enroll as one of the pioneers of the Master of Science in Information Sciences in 1997, and later as one of the pioneers of the PhD in Information Sciences, which she completed in 2012.
Assoc. Prof. Byamugisha who admitted that she had never dreamt of ever becoming a professor let alone the University Librarian attributed all her achievements to God who gave her the gift of discovering her own potential, courage and determination; “I have faithfully worked for close to 44 years at Makerere without a break and I go away with rich experiences, feeling proud of the skills and knowledge I not only acquired but also passed on to the many I have mentored, thanks to the great support of my colleagues.”
Sharing achievements from her handover report, Assoc. Prof. Byamugisha noted that she has been able to implement two Library Strategic plans, established a more peaceful and harmonious working environment at the Library, as well as the other units it interfaces with.
On the infrastructure front, she took note of the successful reroofing of the Main Library’s old wing and installation of additional water storage capacity to support the huge volumes of readers that regularly use the Library washrooms. A fire detection system is also currently under installation in the Library’s old wing with the support from the Mastercard Foundation.
Assoc. Prof. Byamugisha also took pride in, with support from the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, successfully lobbying the Parliament to allocate UGX 1.5billion per annum to sustain purchase and subscriptions to electronic resources. This was particularly important after the two-decade support from the Swedish Government through Sida that hitherto annually funded electronic resources came to an end in 2020.
Following the fire that gutted the Main Building in 2020, the University Library in addition to installing fire detection systems in the old wing also intensified its efforts to digitize its rare historical archives. These efforts have been boosted by the Mastercard Foundation through the purchase of a specialized scanner which is due to be delivered within the next 30 days.
Capacity building for University Library staff at all levels was one of Assoc. Prof. Byamugisha’s priorities upon assuming office. She was therefore proud to report that nine (9) staff had enrolled for PhDs during her tenure with one having successfully completed, another one (1) defended, while seven (7) are still continuing. “Additionally, twelve staff completed their Masters degrees while nine are on course” she added. Her term has also witnessed an increase in the output of research publications especially by the Academic Librarians.
Furthermore, nineteen staff were promoted to various positions including the incoming University Librarian who was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor. “Twelve staff were either confirmed or recruited into Library service while several staff have taken up leadership positions in associations at international, regional and national levels” she supplemented. For example, Assoc. Prof. Ruth Nalumaga is the current Chairperson of the Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL) as well as a member of the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Division Committee of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).
At close to 150 staff, the University Library is home to one of the biggest unit workforce at Makerere University. Staff welfare and activities that promote socialization were therefore serious priorities to Assoc. Prof. Byamugisha during her term. “We mobilise financial contributions for library staff who have family functions such as weddings or burials in the event that we lose a loved one. We usually fuel the library welfare van which takes the staff to the functions. It is through such activities that we strengthen staff bonds and promote unity and socialization.”
Content as she might be to have successfully completed her service to the University Library and Makerere University in general, Assoc. Prof. Byamugisha nevertheless pointed out a few challenges that her successor ought to follow up. These include; inadequate staffing and library space especially at the College level, inadequate funds to meet the demand for print books, inadequate space for staff recreation, the need to secure a permanently stationed plumber, renovation of worn out infrastructure, among others.
She concluded by wishing her successor a fruitful term and God’s blessing.
Delivering her acceptance remarks, Assoc. Prof. Ruth Nalumaga congratulated Assoc. Prof. Helen Byamugisha upon successfully completing her term and restoring a more peaceful and harmonious working environment among staff at the University Library. She equally thanked her predecessor for being intent on mentoring and showing her the way as a senior colleague.
“We have been able to work together, write grants together, write papers together and above all to discover each other’s talent and expertise… so as I take on the mantle, I will endeavour at all times to create an environment where staff members are able to do their work productively… the Library staff would like to be known by how distinct their outputs and contributions are to the University’s strategic priorities” shared Assoc. Prof. Nalumaga.
She added that as University Librarian, she will continuously look out for opportunities of academic excellence. “I thank you Prof. Helen for mentoring me and wish you the best in your future endeavours.”
The Chair of the handover ceremony Ms. Ikiriza Racheal thanked Assoc. Prof. Helen Byamugisha for her long and dedicated service to Makerere University and the Library in particular, noting that it was increasingly rare to encounter individuals who had served the same institution throughout their career. In the same breath, she congratulated Assoc. Prof. Ruth Nalumaga upon her appointment to the position of University Librarian. She wished both the outgoing and incoming University Librarians God’s blessings as they embark on the next phase of their careers.
Following the formalities where the outgoing and incoming officials exchanged the report and toured the office, the handover ceremony was crowned by staff from the University Library presenting a gift to Assoc. Prof. Helen Byamugisha and cutting cake in honour of their former boss.
On 20th August 2026, Makerere University welcomed another cohort of 258 recipients of the prestigious Mastercard Foundation scholarship for the 2026/2027 academic year with pomp and fanfare. The colourful Scholarship Award Ceremony was presided over by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, who was represented by Prof. Ibrahim Mike Okumu, the Dean of the School of Economics and the Chairperson of the Scholars Selection sub-committee of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
While addressing the gathering, Prof. Nawangwe reminded the Scholars that the scholarship was both an honour and a responsibility, and that they ought to make the most of it to improve their lives and communities.
“Now that you have stepped through the gates of Makerere University, remember that a scholarship is both an award and a responsibility. You have been chosen because we believe in your potential to lead, innovate, and serve. Makerere University offers you world-class academic resources, mentorship, and networks—but the impact you make with these resources will depend on your discipline, integrity, and vision,” Prof. Nawangwe remarked.
A Call for Responsible Living
The Vice Chancellor further urged the new recruits to embrace university life responsibly and form lasting bonds that will support future networks.
“I encourage you to engage fully and responsibly in University life, build lasting bonds with your peers, and, equally important, keep your home communities close to your heart. Let the knowledge and skills you gain here become the seed for innovative solutions to the challenges facing your communities, our country, Uganda, and the African continent.” Prof Nawangwe emphasised.
Prof. Nawangwe further expressed his gratitude to the Mastercard Foundation for recognising Makerere University as a worthy partner and pledged to continue supporting all the Mastercard Foundation’s initiatives at Makerere University.
Leadership starts with self
Mr. Adrian Bukenya, the Senior Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program globally and the Country Director for Uganda, urged Scholars to embrace leadership, particularly through self-leadership. He emphasised that the Scholars Program is fundamentally a leadership development program.
“The Scholars Program offers more than just a scholarship; it is a leadership development Program. I encourage you, Scholars, to embrace leadership, and leadership starts with leading yourself, then your community, your country and the continent,” Mr. Bukenya emphasised.
Mr. Bukenya expressed his gratitude to the Management of Makerere University for partnering with the Mastercard Foundation on various initiatives. He emphasised that the Foundation is committed to continuing this partnership to educate young people and nurture the next generation of leaders on the African continent.
Selection Process Highlights
On his part, the Chairperson of the Scholars Selection Committee, represented by Mr Charles Ssentongo, the Deputy Academic Registrar responsible for Undergraduate admissions, congratulated all the Scholars who had made it through a very competitive and watertight selection process. To illustrate how tight the selection process had been, he shared compelling statistics that clearly demonstrated its competitiveness.
“We received 3,664 Applications for the Scholarship; 2,904 Undergraduates and 760 master’s students. Of these scholarship applicants, 1,440 Undergraduates and 280 Master’s students were admitted to Makerere University on private sponsorship, and they were all eligible for the Scholarship,” Mr Ssentongo pointed out.
Mr Ssentongo informed the attentive audience that one of the biggest challenges the Committee faced was the very high number of applicants, while the number of scholarships available was always very small. Mr Ssentongo then highlighted further statistics that characterised the tedious selection process.
“For the Undergraduates, 650 applicants were shortlisted for interviews, while 58 Master’s applicants were also shortlisted. Of these, 245 undergraduates and 13 Master’s students were selected for the final award,” Mr Ssentongo highlighted.
Celebrating A Diverse Cohort
The Program Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere, Prof. Justine Namaalwa, used the occasion to highlight achievements made in the years gone by.
“Today, we are overjoyed to have successfully recruited 258 Cohort 9 Scholars—bringing us to the mark of 546 Scholars, 54.6% of the target recruitment of 1,000 Scholars under Phase II of the Program. To date, a total of 1,596 Scholars have been recruited since 2013, when the Scholars Program started at Makerere University,” Prof. Namaalwa announced.
Prof. Namaalwa showcased the diversity created by the Scholars Program, highlighting the arrival of international students from across the African continent at Makerere University through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
“For Cohort 9 Scholars, it’s time to celebrate our diversity in the Program. Let me call out the nationalities represented in the room: Lesotho (1 Scholar), Malawi (1 Scholar), Ghana (1 Scholar), D.R. Congo (13 Scholars), Cameroon (7 Scholars), Burundi (3 Scholars), Rwanda (10 Scholars), South Sudan (40 Scholars) and Tanzania (1 Scholar).” Prof. Namaalwa revealed.
Scholars Speak Out
Nathan Tamba, an international student from Cameroon, conveyed his enthusiasm regarding the opportunities afforded by the scholarship, particularly the prospect of pursuing his studies at Makerere University, recognised as one of the leading institutions on the continent.
“On behalf of my fellow scholars, I would like to express our gratitude to Makerere University and the Mastercard Foundation for awarding us this scholarship. It has given me the opportunity to study at this prestigious university and to experience Uganda for the first time.” Tamba remarked.
Tamba, clearly delighted like his fellow scholars, committed to using the scholarship opportunity to gain knowledge and skills he will use to benefit himself and his community.
The function was punctuated by entertainment from the Makerere University Choir, networking, and plenty of joyous celebration.
Bernard Buteera is Principal Communications Officer for the Scholars Program at Makerere University.
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