General
UNESCO Documentary Heritage Seminar Calls for Preservation of Africa’s Oral Knowledge
Makerere University in collaboration with the Sub-Committee on Education and Research Working Group Africa (SCEaR-WGA) of UNESCO Memory of the World and Uganda National Commission for UNESCO (UNATCOM) organized hybrid a seminar on “Preventive Conservation and Disaster Reduction of Documentary Heritage in Africa”. Held from 4th to 5th July 2023 in the Yusuf Lule Auditorium, the objective of the Seminar was to provide an input to the guide on Preventive Conservation and Disaster Prevention of Documentary Heritage in Africa being developed by SCEaR-WGA.
Officially opening the seminar, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Umar Kakumba appreciated SCEaR-WGA and UNATCOM for their invaluable support in organising and hosting the seminar. He therefore congratulated the Convener Prof. Elisam Magara, the Department of Records and Archives Management, the East African School of Library and Information Sciences (EASLIS) and the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) on championing the initiative at Makerere University.
“The strength of any nation is measured largely by the strength, character and proficiency of its people. Beneath the people is the knowledge – the human side of enterprise. Knowledge does not emerge from space, it must be generated, managed and preserved” noted Prof. Kakumba. This, he added, is particularly important in today’s knowledge economy for the sake of providing solid points of reference for future generations.
“Makerere University is happy to associate with UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme and many partners that seek to foster this document and knowledge preservation” he added.
In line with documentation and preservation efforts, Prof. Kakumba shared that the University Leadership is in the final stages of setting up the Muteesa II Memorial Museum and upon completion the reconstructed Main Administration Building would allocate space for a Museum.
Addressing participants, Ms. Misako Ito, the Regional Adviser for Communication and Information in Africa, UNESCO thanked Makerere University and Prof. Elisam Magara in particular for organising the event. She noted that Japan as a country that is prone to natural disasters has in response come up with very well-developed disaster prevention strategies.
“For last four years, Japan has funded this project to promote Preventive Conservation and Disaster Prevention of Documentary Heritage in Africa” she added relatedly.
Ms. Misako informed participants that UNESCO had on 1st July 2023 launched a new call for nominations for the Memory of the World International Register and encouraged the Uganda National Memory of the World Committee to submit entries. She noted that because only 5% of documentary heritage entries come from Africa despite its rich history, UNESCO has held workshops in Madagascar and Kenya to raise awareness of the initiative.
Ms. Misako said the latest call has added an important gender component to prominently reflect women in archives and historical narratives. She equally encouraged participants from other African countries to consider preserving the documentary heritage of revolutionary movements, which have had significant impact on the continent’s political leadership.
As Convener, Prof. Elisam Magara introduced members of the SCEaR-WGA namely: the Group Coordinator, Prof. Papa Momar Diop, Associate Professor at the University Gaston Berger, Senegal; Ms. Esther Olembe, Director of the National Archives of Cameroon; Dr. Lydia Waithira Muthuma, Senior Lecturer, Technical University of Kenya; Mr. Apolinaitre Tokanji Gbaguidi, Professor of Digitization at the Calavi University of Abomey, Benin; and Mr. Seyni Moumini, specialist in sub-Saharan Africa and Islam manuscripts at the Abdou Moumouni University, Niger. He equally introduced Ms. Hasiniaina Rajaonarivelo from the Malagasy National Commission for UNESCO who held a session on how to successfully register an entry in the Memory of the World.
During the hybrid seminar, participants listened to a keynote address delivered virtually by Mr. Lothar Jordan, Chair of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme Sub-Committee on Education and Research (SCEaR). Prof. Papa Momar Diop, who also doubles as President of African Regional Committee of Memory of the World (ARCMoW) and Dr. Lydia Waithira Muthuma also gave highlights of the Guide on Preventive Preservation Strategies.
Notable from the work done to date was the need to document Africa’s rich traditions, culture and norms that are largely passed on from generation to generation orally. “Many of us come from communities where the spoken word is the form of documenting knowledge and encapsulating heritage” explained Dr. Muthuma.
One of the recommendations of the guide under development is that ARCMoW’s stakeholders should come together and create a specific place for oral heritage, which is Africa’s living heritage. Citing examples such as traditional marriage ceremonies and decisions on where one ought to be buried in case of dispute e.g. the Kenyan Case of S. M. Otieno where customary law took precedence over common law, Dr. Muthuma said, “We have to be the ones to create a section or instrument in the Memory of the World where oral traditions are taken care of.”
So far, the guide contains chapters on; 1) Specific aspects of the region 2) Analysis and management of risks 3) How to involve the community 4) How to handle natural disasters 5) How to teach preventive conservation of documentary heritage and 6) Standards and handbooks on disaster prevention (ISO, ICA, IFLA, CCAAA, IASA etc.).
Prof. Magara equally shared the ten loss factors he is contributing to documenting in the guide namely; 1) Physical forces 2) Theft and vandalism 3) Fire 4) Water 5) Biological dangers (insects, etc.) 6) Chemical dangers 7) Light 8) Temperature 9) Humidity and 10) Loss of information due to obsolete equipment.
The seminar also featured a session on reflections chaired by Dr. Dominic Lali Mundrugo-Ogo, Assistant Secretary General, UNATCOM. Contributors to the session included Assoc. Prof. Ruth Nalumaga, the University Librarian, Makerere University and Mr. Adonia Katungisa, Director, National Library of Uganda (NLU). Additional contributions were from representatives of the; Uganda Library and Information Association (ULIA), Constorium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL), Cross-Cultural Foundation Uganda, National Records Centre and Archives, Ministry of Public Service, Library and Information Services, Parliament of Uganda, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation and Academia, among others.
Dr. Mundrugo-Ogo thanked panelists and participants for contributing to the discussions, noting that a lot of ground had been covered in line with the seminar theme. “We need to document our African cultural values, rituals and practices. It is a challenge for all of us to work in that direction.”
He challenged representatives of institutions present to each nominate of what entries ought to be included in the national register for consideration by National Committee of the Memory of the World. “Today’s meeting will be fruitful if henceforth, we start receiving proposals coming forward to form the basis for the national committee to act.”
Delivering the closing remarks on Day One, the Principal CoCIS, Prof. Tonny Oyana on behalf of the Vice Chancellor and Makerere University thanked UNESCO represented by Ms. Misako, SCEaR-WGA, UNATCOM and all participants for contributions to the efforts to preserve Africa’s Documentary Heritage. He reassured the stakeholders that despite the risk posed lack of documentation to the preservation of oral African knowledge, technology through various platforms offers a lifeline to not only embark on but also accelerate these efforts.
“I want to reassure all of you that we have new resources that we need to look to such as YouTube. We need to rewrite these literary elements or adopt oral documentation and we have the technology to help us document this knowledge” he said.
Prof. Oyana shared that the Makerere University Strategic Plan aspires to make the institution more research-led, with a research agenda that lays emphasis on community engagement, and commended the organisers on a job well done in this regard. “Your work Prof. Magara is well aligned to our research agenda and creating visibility for the University.”
Day One of the Seminar was moderated by the Principal Public Relations Officer, Ms. Ritah Namisango. Additional recommendations from Day One included the need to boost the Bachelor of Cultural Heritage Studies developed by the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda, with support from UNESCO’s ICH Fund to cater for Masters and PhD level studies. The programme is currently offered at Uganda Martyrs’ University, Kabale University, Kyambogo University, and the Islamic University in Uganda.
Day Two of the Seminar was dedicated to the ARCMoW Business Meeting and MoW workshop.
President Yoweri K. Museveni while officiating as Chief Guest at the Julius Nyerere Annual Symposium 2026: Nyerere-Museveni Dialogue at Makerere University called upon the audience not to merely hold Nyerere’s Legacy as a historical footprint but as a masterplan for the future that remains unfinished. Organised by the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC), the symposium was a two day event that started with “ekyooto” on 13th October at the JNLC gardens and climaxed on 14th October in Freedom Square. The second day hinged on the theme: Borrowing from the Past, Building the Future.
In the President’s message delivered by Rt. Hon. Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of Makerere University, the president spotlighted, “Mwalimu Nyerere as the greatest African that ever lived in terms of contribution to the African people’s efforts for freedom, human rights, and dignity.”
This greatness, he notes, spilled not just to political ideals but also to economics and security. The President agreed with him and warned that “freedom without economic transformation and economic prosperity, without a robust strategic security, remains incomplete.”
Reaching out to the younger generation of scholars and leaders, the President issued a strong warning to move beyond simply remembering Nyerere to action. He said, “you must carry forward the torch of pan-Africanism, reject sectarianism and tribalism, build our regional markets, and champion the total political integration of our motherland.”
He appreciated Mwalimu for his; unwavering support for the struggle of the East African Federation, courageous backing of the armed anti-colonial struggles in the southern half of Africa, principled and decisive support for the anti-Idi Amin struggle, pro-people and pro-unity policies that kept Tanzania peaceful for decades, and ensuring that Tanzania remained a strategic rear base for the entire African resistance.
As a believer in Nyerere’s ideals, the President urged the audience to honor Mwalimu “not merely through commemorative speeches, but through completing the historical task of uniting, defending, and prospering our motherland,” for the motive is to ensure that the independence wars won by our predecessors were not in vain.
To this note, he reiterated the case for Uganda, saying “we shall never forget his profound contribution” to Africa.
Professor Nyamsenda’s Keynote Unparked Pan-Africanism
During the Nyerere-Museveni Dialogue symposium at Makerere University, Professor Sabatho Nyamsenda, a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam delivered the Keynote Address titled “The Unfinished African Project: From Liberation Legacies to a New Generation of Transformation” during the symposium”.
He started on a lighter noticing “Nyerere is being Ugandanised.” This he said looking at the annual Public Lectures dedicated to his name and felt like challenging his home institutions to follow suit.
At the calm of the room, he presented a critique of the current state of Pan-Africanism, arguing that it has been grabbed by the ruling elites, a challenge Professor Nyamsenda identifies to have started in the period of 1960 -1980.
He explained that it was around this time period that Pan-Africanism was snatched away from the masses and it became a state project. Currently, he said the ideology exists in two forms: Boardroom and Street Pan-Africanism.
Professor, characterised Boardroom Pan-Africanism as a State Project. He said “boardroom Pan-Africanism sits comfortably with imperialism and elite-centered accumulation.” While Street Pan-Africanism to which Professor advocates, he emphasised that historically, this approach “united the African liberation movement and liberated the African continent from the most barbaric colonial powers.”
As he concluded, Professor Nyamsenda joined Mwalimu and the President of Uganda in urging youth to consider joining and leading the struggle for a better Africa.
Role of JNLC in Realising Nyerere’s Ideas
Professor Saturninus Kasozi Mulindwa, the JNLC Board Chair highlighted the primary objective of the center as “imparting knowledge and sharing experiences from the old generations to the new generations.” Therefore, JNLC contributes to the actualisation of Nyerere’s ideas by focusing on the development of the next generation of African leaders.
To supplement this, Dr. Nansozi K. Mwanga the Executive Director at JNLC said that the center is committed to “nurturing ethical, conscious, and transformative leaders inspired by Mwalimu’s ideas of service, human dignity, self-reliance, and Pan-African solidarity.”
She explained their focus is on several key areas with training as core. They have “trained over 1,500 young people and young leaders from across Uganda.”, and developed leadership programs “grounded in ethical decision-making, civic responsibility, public service, and action.”
In her remarks, it was observed that training alone is not enough; they are also doing mentorship, to provide opportunities for networking and learning from experienced leaders. There are already testimonies when you visit the Centre wall of fame. To which Dr. Nansozi revealed “leadership development matters when learning becomes service and meaningful action.”
The Centre remains proud of those they have touched and are eager to support as many cohorts.
Julius Nyerere Family Pour their Heart out
Mama Maria Nyerere, addressed the Symposium virtually and commended the Centre for keeping Mwalimu’s values alive.
As a memory of her husband, she reminded the audience that his greatest legacy was anchored on the values by which he lived: service, humility, integrity, unity and love for Africa and its people. She also urged the young people to take up leadership responsibilities and lead with humility, integrity and always remember the people they serve.
Mama Nyerere also advised the youth to learn from those who came before them like her husband with courage to build a better Africa for their generation and those who will come after them.
Joining Mama Nyerere, on behalf of the Nyerere family was Ms. Julia Nyerere, a granddaughter, who attended physically and thanked H.E. Kaguta Museveni for supporting the establishment of the Julius Nyerere Centre at Makerere University and also commended the Keynote Speaker Professor Nyamsenda for Critiquing Nyerere’s ideas.
Julia further shared an understanding of her grand-father’s interest in preserving humanity as a moral.
As a family they are happy that his (Nyerere) values and legacies continue to inspire Africa and beyond.
Appreciation for All who Made the Symposium Possible
Addressing the symposium, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, represented by Professor Henry Alinaitwe the Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Finance and Administration expressed the University’s appreciation and commitment.
He thanked “the government of Uganda for the support they are giving to the Julius Nyerere Leadership Center,” and requested Dr. Kiyonga to “convey the message to the fountain of honour for this initiative that Makerere University is happy for, and is going on well.”
To the leadership of the Center, he specifically thanked the Director Dr. Nansozi for her focused leadership. He stated, “I commend my friend, Dr. Nansozi, for the work that you are doing.”
Professor Alinaitwe also emphasized “we” value these symposiums, saying, “as a university, we acknowledge that such activities create great visibility.”
Dr. Kiyonga was also thanked for delivering the President’s message, together with veterans like Professor Kabwegyere, among other distinguished guests and partners that attended.
Professor Tarsis Bazana Kabwegyere as well appreciated all and emphasised the collective duty of the youth in building the next generation.
He advised “your responsibility is to identify and build Africa forward, building on the legacies and foundations of our forefathers,”.
The Professor also argued that “being young on its own is not a virtue. It is what you are when you are young.” He challenges the audience to avoid being ignorant and claim that you are young.
Background of the Nyerere Symposium
The Julius Nyerere Annual Symposium is an intergenerational gathering hosted at Makerere University. For more than six years now, it has been connecting past leadership legacies of Nyerere and other revolutionaries with current regional and continental priorities under the (JNLC) centre.
The Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC) serves as a training ground and research hub designed to mentor the next generation of African leaders. Co-hosted by Makerere University and the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), the Centre bridges the gap between older statesmen and youth by focusing on Pan-African ideals, ethical governance, and social transformation.
General
Makerere University and Xiangtan University Advance Strategic Partnership in Chemical Engineering
Makerere University and Xiangtan University are set to update their close to 20-year academic partnership, with a new focus on launching a joint Master’s degree program in Chemical Engineering and expanding student and staff exchange initiatives.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a recent visit by a delegation from Xiangtan University to Makerere University headed by Professor Dingyu Ou, in the company of Mr. Tang Fei and Professor Gilbert Gumshabe, the Chinese and Ugandan Directors of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University respectively.
While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify academic offerings and contribute to national development through training in Chemical Engineering. Through this new initiative, the University will better prepare graduates for the petrochemical industry and support the country’s industrial growth.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated that the proposed collaboration aims to address Uganda’s growing need for industrial expertise, particularly as the country develops its petroleum sector. The two universities here are working toward a 1+2 training model, which will enable Makerere students to gain practical experience and access advanced laboratory facilities at Xiangtan University.
Professor Nawangwe further reiterated that “our relationship with the people of China, not just for Makerere but also for a big part of Uganda, has been opened wider by the establishment of the Confucius Institute, considering that many other collaborations like one being discussed now have come through this collaboration.”
The head of the Xiangtan delegation, Professor Dingyu Ou, expressed appreciation for the meeting, and acknowledged the history between the institutions. “As mentioned, we have a very long relationship and a very stable friendship between our two universities.”
Professor Ou extended appreciation for the support provided to the Confucius Institute at Makerere, the care shown to his colleagues, and looked forward to the successful start of the Chemical Engineering collaboration.
Assuring the delegation of Makerere’s readiness for the collaboration, Ms. Hawa Ndagire Kajumba the Lead, Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Makerere University Advancement Office, aligned with the Vice Chancellor’s emphasis of University goal to have both theory and practice imparted to the students.
She said “the curriculum of the university and Uganda as a whole is moving towards competence-based education training to ensure students are equipped to demonstrate those skills in the actual field, particularly regarding petroleum exploration.”
Ms. Ndagire Kajumba also emphasised a shift in strategy for the partnership office, saying, “we are moving away from just signing MOUs that collect dust, and moving towards those that are more collaborative to benefit our faculty and students, just like this one.”
Professor Gilbert Kumushabe aligned his remarks with those of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Ndagire Kajumba, and described the method used at Xiangtan University as “actually competence-based teaching.”
Based on his recent visit, Prof. Gumoshabe shared that students in China are divided into groups with dedicated teachers to perform practical, hands-on work beyond the theoretical lecturers. He expressed gladness that the same was being adopted for the Ugandan context.
Both institutions are now working to finalise the specific agreements for the joint degree and exchange programs. Beyond academic training, the collaboration will advance cultural and professional exchange.
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