General
Mak Council Chair Tips Guild House on True Leadership at ELP Orientation
By Ritah Namisango
Makerere University in partnership with LIFE Ministry Uganda and the Global Leadership Summit is implementing the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), the brainchild of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni aimed at raising a dignified generation of youth in Uganda.
Addressing over 120 student leaders on the third day of the Emerging Leaders Program- orientation workshop on Saturday 21st October 2023, the Chairperson of Makerere University Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara applauded the Minister of Education and Sports for being a true mother committed to building a critical mass of young people and upcoming leaders grounded with values, good character, life skills and above all, a healthy generation that is free from HIV-AIDS.
The Chairperson of Makerere University Council informed the participants that on 2nd February 2023, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni inaugurated the University Council. At the inauguration, the Minister tasked the University Council to join her to implement a national Anti-Corruption and HIV/AIDS Campaign, starting with Makerere University.
Responding to this call, the University Council and Management engaged members of staff, student leaders and key stakeholders. The University Management carried out a survey and findings indicated that some of the students were already sexually active and needed help to know how to live a value based life, while others were grappling with drug abuse. In the survey, some of the respondents disclosed that they started using drugs before they joined the University due to peer pressure, stress and anxiety as well as exposure to such substances from some family members, slums and communities. During the engagements, some students revealed that they had knowledge of what constitutes good values, but in real life situations, they were facing challenges with sticking to the required values.
Personally touched by this deeper analysis of the underlying issues, the Minister of Education and Sports initiated the Emerging Leaders Program to equip and empower students with life skills, value based leadership and character development.
Mrs. Lorna Magara revealed that the Emerging Leaders program is a life skills program, aiming at fostering character mindset change at Makerere University, to influence the present and shape the future of our nation. She pointed out that the trainings would also entail a planned and deliberate effort to ensure that the youth take every step to remain healthy and free from HIV/AIDS as they pursue their studies at Makerere University.
“The Emerging Leaders Program is an empowerment initiative that focuses on values, character development and life skills. You may have the academic degree, but you need the right set of values and character to succeed in life,” said the Chairperson of Makerere University Council.
Mrs. Magara stated that the orientation workshop (19th to 21st October 2023) was organized to give participants exposure to the program content with the aim of enlisting them as active participants during its course of implementation. She commended the 125 student leaders, 60 lecturers as well as the Facilitators for accepting to be part of the program, and creating time to participate in the three-day orientation workshop. The workshop enabled participants to understand the objectives of the Emerging Leaders Program, learn and appreciate the key concepts, as well as set the pace for the unveiling of the Emerging Leaders Program and trainings that will commence next Semester.
On behalf of the students, the Guild Speaker, Rt. Hon. Babinga Gozan Wilson said that the Emerging Leaders Program was timely for it seeks to address the challenges faced by students and young people in general. The Guild Speaker noted that some of the students at the University are sexually active and engaging in relationships, which puts them at the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. He added that some of the students were grappling with the issue of managing finances and how to overcome corrupt tendencies in a highly commercialized world advanced by competitive lifestyles espoused through social media.
In an interactive session with the Student Leaders on Saturday 21st October 2023, Mrs. Lorna Magara who has served as a leader at different levels in society shared with students the true meaning of leadership. She demystified the adage that some people are leaders while others are followers. She disclosed that such a narrative leads to slavery. She informed the student leaders that each and every one of us is a leader who has been gifted to lead and serve people in politics, church, family, community, in the lecture room, among other settings.
“Leadership is about discovering who you are. Leadership is about uniqueness and service. Leadership is about identifying your uniqueness, and the ability to use that uniqueness to serve society. Leadership is self-manifestation. You must value yourself. If you do not value yourself, no one will value you,” Mrs. Magara highlighted.
Acknowledging the role of social media, Mrs. Magara advised the student leaders to use social media to serve society, and cautioned them against the temptation of using social media to define who they are.
“Many of you receive so much information through social media. There is a growing trend of everyone desiring to be like some of the personalities presented to you by social media. When you start to imitate people, and convince yourself that you should be like them in all ways, then you begin to lose the true definition of who you are. Discover the uniqueness in you, use that uniqueness to be a leader who serves society,” she advised.
Underscoring the need to redefine leadership, Bishop Joshua Lwere, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Global Leadership Summit informed participants and journalists that leadership had reached a level where people take on roles not because they love the people, or want to serve, but for self glory.
“We notice that our leadership has degenerated so much, to the extent that people go into leadership not because they want to serve, or to carry the weight of people’s needs, but to use these positions to get personal enrichment,” he stated.
Bishop Lwere reiterated that leadership is not about occupying positions, but servanthood. He explained that the Emerging Leaders Program starting with Makerere University provides a platform to nurture young leaders to acquire leadership skills so that we can get a new breed of skilled leaders.
At the end of the session on character matters and valuing relationships, Bishop Lwere requested the student leaders who after going through the three days’ training were convinced that they were ready to change their lives by leaving the bad practices and adopting to the accepted standards.
“May I request those who are ready to commit to the new set of values, those who are saying, I will never defile my body again, those who are ready to stand strong like Joseph in the bible who refused to defy his God and Master when tempted by his Master’s wife, to raise up their hands, and after stand up. I would like to pray for you and bless you,” he said.
It was gratifying to see majority of the student leaders raising up their hands, and taking that bold step to commit to changing their life’s trajectory.
One of the Facilitators, Mr. Elon Katweheyo explained that the Family is the best unit to consider in values and character development. He shared that young people and students are part of the family. “At LIFE Ministry Uganda, we believe that we must focus on the young people. We are privileged to start this program at Makerere University-the premier University in Uganda, and the place full of young people and upcoming leaders. Through the Emerging Leaders Program, LIFE Ministry Uganda will apply its Life at the Crossroads character development tool to build and nurture morally upright youth,” remarked Mr. Katweheyo.
Rolling Out the Emerging Leaders Program
Following a successful orientation workshop, the Chairperson of Makerere University Council highlighted that the Emerging Leaders Program training sessions would commence early next year (2024). The team will identify teaching staff and Trainer of Trainers to be part of be part of the cohort to roll out the Emerging Leaders Program. She revealed that during the Semester, the First Lady and Hon. Minister of Education, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni will launch The SAFE Campaign under the Emerging Leaders Program. TheSAFE Campaign stands for Sexually Fortified, Addiction Free, Financially Stable and Education Focus. The University Management and teaching staff will roll out the program to the respective Colleges and Schools, and it is planned that every semester should have 20 units of training. After building a significant number of Trainers of Trainers, the Emerging Leaders Program will be rolled out to other universities in Uganda.
Emerging Leaders Program Orientation
The three-day orientation officially commenced on Thursday 19th October 2023 with a joint workshop of a select number of staff and all our student leaders. Delivering the opening remarks, the Team Leader, Global Leadership Summit Uganda, Ms. Betty Byanyima noted that the workshop was aimed at sharing ideas and discussing different aspects of the challenges of corruption and HIV/AIDS. The beneficiaries would then be charged with influencing their Halls of Residence, Schools, Hostels, Families and Communities because the aforementioned challenges go beyond Makerere.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) and Chair of the Emerging Leaders Program, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe acknowledged that Universities have got a big role to play in influencing change in societies. He encouraged the leaders to look beyond the dates of the workshop and feel free to draft dossiers on how best these challenges can be tackled, in the event that the time assigned is insufficient to comprehensively debate the various topics.
The Board Chairman of the Global Leadership Summit Uganda, Bishop Joshua Lwere who served as lead facilitator for Day One of the workshop not only provided great insights into self-governance but also matched it with a great delivery that kept his audience engaged. Furthermore, he noted that holistic education ought to address the 4Hs (Heart, Head, Hands and House) and emphasised the need for all to revere God, adding that the more one loves God, the more they loves oneself.
Describing it as the policeman within, Bishop Lwere asked his audience to protect their conscience and it will protect you them in times of crucial decisions. Failure to do this, he cautioned the leaders, would result in its voice growing softer until it eventually goes silent. “When you compromise on your way up – getting there by hook or crook – you cannot challenge the wrong you find up there. You have the hook in you.”
Bishop Lwere further noted that leaders who espouse self-sacrifice and moral aptitude inspire those they lead to do likewise. He emphasised the need for leaders to set a high level of discipline for themselves and to live by conviction, not convenience. As you continue to live by conviction, it becomes part of your character;
Additional topics covered during the three-day workshop included; Mindset Change by the School of Psychology Makerere University, Character Matters and Sex in Perspective by the LIFE Ministry Uganda’s Dr. Eunice Kateshumbwa and Dr. Audrey Kisaka respectively. Additional topics covered were Grace, Truth and Time, Relationships and Life Skills.
The 89th Guild was on their part commended for their smartness and good grasp when it came to articulating issues. This commendation could not have been more accurate, seeing as it came from The Acting Dean of Students, Mr. Peter Rivan Muhereza. He reminded the Student Leaders that Makerere is a hill of endless possibilities and that the ball was in their court, to lay a solid foundation for their future.
General
From Campus to Career: Makerere Advancement Office, 91st Guild and the DFCU Foundation Equip Students with Financial and Employability Skills
On 4th December, 2025, over 200 final-year students gathered at the School of Pharmacy Auditorium for the highly engaging Career & Financial Literacy Symposium, hosted by the 91st Students’ Guild, in partnership with the Makerere Advancement Office and the DFCU Foundation.
The symposium centred on student advancement through strategic partnership, convening students, administrators and development partners for a practical conversation on career readiness, financial literacy, employability, and personal development.
Advancement Through Partnerships
Speaking on behalf of the Makerere Advancement Office, Mr Awel Uwihanganye, Chief Advancement Officer, underscored the importance of partnerships such as the one with DFCU Foundation. He highlighted their importance in equipping students with marketplace skills and opportunities vital for individual growth after University.
He reflected on the university journey as a formative period for ideas, innovation, and lifelong relationships, noting that:
“University is where impressions are made, and future networks are born. The friendships, character, and collaborations you develop here become foundations for careers, enterprises and leadership later in life.”
Mr. Uwihanganye encouraged students to embrace entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, arguing that the emerging workforce is driven by technology, multi-tasking ability and idea generation rather than traditional single-path employment. He challenged students to build businesses, use digital platforms productively, and regard employment as only one income stream, not the only one.
The Student Perspective — Discipline, Skills and Trust
Speaking on student growth and personal development, Dr. Rodney Rugyema, Deputy Dean of Students, highlighted the realities facing new graduates, especially those entering the job market for the first time. With humour and honesty, he urged students to approach growth intentionally and responsibly.
He called for delayed gratification, financial discipline and long-term decision-making, reminding students that wealth is built, not wished for. He emphasised the importance of skills beyond academic papers, stating that students must be equipped to create value, adapt, learn continuously, and gain competence relevant to modern work demands.
Dr. Rugyema underscored that trust, integrity and reliability remain the most non-negotiable pillars of professional advancement.
“Let people trust you enough to lend you an opportunity. Be a person who delivers. Your reputation is currency; it travels to rooms you are not in.” He noted
Financial Literacy for the Next Generation
The keynote training session was delivered by Mr. Simon Omara, Business Advisor representing the DFCU Foundation, who walked students through a highly practical presentation on financial planning, savings culture, credit management, record-keeping, career positioning and entrepreneurship.
With more than 10,000 graduates annually and less than 35% securing employment within the first year, Mr. Omara challenged students to practice financial and career ownership early. His presentation explored:
Key Competencies Students Must Build
- Financial management with a focus on budgeting, saving, and investing early
- Career readiness, CV development, interview skills, and personal branding
- Entrepreneurship and income diversification
- Record keeping and credit management
- Professional conduct and workplace preparation
He reminded students that the future belongs to those who are financially literate, skilled, trusted and entrepreneurial. Through relatable examples and actionable frameworks such as the 70–20–10 rule, the 7-second CV scan, and the 90-day post-graduation growth plan, Mr. Omara equipped participants with practical knowledge they could act upon immediately.
Why This Symposium Matters
This event stands as a testament to the power of partnership-driven student advancement, a core mandate of the Makerere Advancement Office. By convening industry partners like DFCU Foundation, the University continues to ensure that students graduate not only with knowledge, but with tools and readiness for opportunity.
The symposium strengthened linkages between academia and the labour market, expanded students’ perspective on financial independence, and emphasised the value of entrepreneurship, networks and character in shaping future leadership
The Makerere Advancement Office remains committed to facilitating opportunities that empower students to thrive beyond the gates of the University, through partnerships, mentorship, capacity-building, and exposure to real-world skillsets.
“ A degree alone is no longer enough. With partnership, preparation and purpose, our students can build futures anchored in knowledge, opportunity and resilience.” Mr Awel Uwihanganye noted during his remarks.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Makerere Advancement Office
Makerere University on 3rd December, 2025 hosted the Tumusiime Mutebile Annual Lecture, a tradition established to honour the life and legacy of the late Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, an outstanding alumnus and former Governor of the Bank of Uganda who passed away in 2022. The lecture not only reflects on his remarkable contribution to Uganda’s economic leadership, but also highlights how innovation, resilience, and intergenerational vision can shape Africa’s future.
This year’s edition was anchored on three key pillars—intergenerational leadership, economic resilience, and the power of innovation—themes that defined Prof. Mutebile’s career and continue to influence national development. Through this annual series, the University upholds his memory while also celebrating other African leaders whose work has left a lasting mark on the continent, using their legacies to inspire thoughtful dialogue, policy reflection, and the next generation of transformative thinkers.
Celebrating an Enduring Legacy
In her remarks, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sarah Ssali, reflected on Prof. Mutebile’s lifelong commitment to excellence, integrity, and the transformative power of education. She highlighted his journey from a student leader at Makerere to one of the country’s most influential economic thinkers, noting how his leadership in monetary policy, fiscal reform, and economic stabilization reshaped Uganda’s economic trajectory.
Prof. Ssali emphasized that this public lecture series not only honours Mutebile’s legacy but also bridges academia and practice—challenging students, scholars, and national leaders to pursue knowledge that serves the public good. She expressed gratitude to the Bank of Uganda under Dr. Michael Atingi-Ego, dfcu Bank, the GRO Foundation, the Mutebile family, and the Advancement Office for their continued support in sustaining a platform that nurtures economic thought leadership and inspires future generations.
Rt. Hon. Emeritus Amama Mbabazi, a lifelong friend and contemporary of the late Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, delivered a deeply personal reflection during the lecture. He recalled their shared beginnings as young student leaders at Makerere, their early political activism, and the historical moments that shaped both their lives and the nation. Speaking as both confidant and colleague, he emphasized Mutebile’s disciplined approach to economic policy, his unwavering belief in strong, accountable institutions, and his commitment to evidence-based, long-term decision making. Mbabazi outlined three pillars of Mutebile’s legacy—policy integrity, institutional strength, and leadership that prepares the next generation—values he affirmed are central to the work of the Tumusiime Foundation, which he now chairs.
He underscored the critical role of the private sector in Africa’s transformation, stressing the need for productivity-driven economies, skilled young people, and policy ecosystems that encourage innovation. He further called for intergenerational leadership that deliberately transfers knowledge, builds enduring institutions, and creates real opportunities for young Africans to lead. In closing, he urged academia, policymakers, and industry to work in partnership, noting that Africa’s progress depends on disciplined leadership, investment in human capital, and a shared commitment to building a future stronger than the present.
Fiscal Policies that have stood the test of time
The Governor of the Bank of Uganda, Dr. Michael Atingi-Ego, honored the late Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile with a heartfelt tribute, praising him as “a great tree whose roots ran deep beneath the soil of this nation, nourishing all who followed.” He noted that Uganda continues to benefit from the “shade” of the policies Mutebile planted during his 21-year tenure—policies that stabilized the economy, strengthened institutions, and protected the financial system through multiple crises. He highlighted Mutebile’s role in restoring price stability through cash budgeting, bringing inflation down from triple digits to single digits, guiding the country through the 2008 global financial crisis with disciplined monetary policy, and maintaining public trust during the 2011 inflation spike through clear and transparent communication.
Dr. Atingi-Ego also credited him for steering Uganda safely through the COVID-19 pandemic by introducing liquidity support for banks, credit relief for borrowers, and targeted foreign exchange interventions. Reflecting on Mutebile’s long-term impact, the Governor remarked, “These are the ideas he planted—he never lived to enjoy the shade of the tree, but today, the country rests under it.” He further celebrated Mutebile’s commitment to innovation, citing the 2016 amendments to the Financial Institutions Act that unlocked agency banking, bancassurance, and Islamic banking—reforms that today anchor Uganda’s impressive financial inclusion gains.
Intergenerational Leadership blends agility and emotional intelligence
Eng. Dr. F. F. Tusubira delivered a compelling and deeply reflective keynote, grounding the theme “Intergenerational Leadership, Economic Resilience and the Power of Innovation” in both history and lived institutional experience. He expressed serious concern that although Africa is the world’s youngest continent—with over 65% of its population below 35—its systems continue to sideline young people from leadership and national decision-making, even as they are repeatedly called “leaders of tomorrow.” He argued that this generational exclusion is not merely unfair but dangerous, warning that nations cannot secure economic resilience while locking out the very demographic best equipped to navigate a rapidly evolving, technology-driven world.
Drawing on African proverbs, global case studies, and personal anecdotes from Makerere and national institutions, he demonstrated how younger generations bring idealism, agility, innovation, and risk-taking—qualities essential for competitiveness—while older generations contribute emotional intelligence, institutional memory and a heightened sense of danger. He emphasized that progress requires blending these strengths through deliberate structures: fair representation of youth in boards and executive spaces, shared decision-making, reverse mentorship, and an institutional culture that values every generational perspective.
Dr. Tusubira also highlighted the urgent need for education reform, criticizing the continent’s entrenched “learning to pass exams” culture and calling for systems that cultivate creativity, problem-solving, and technical capability. He cautioned that without investing in human capital, digital literacy, and inclusive innovation ecosystems, Africa risks losing the very foundation of future competitiveness. His message was clear and powerful: intergenerational leadership is not optional—it is a survival strategy for institutions, businesses, and nations, especially in an era where, as he quoted, “it is not the strongest who survive, but those most responsive to change.”
The lecture was further enriched by an engaging panel discussion, which was moderated by Prof. Edward Bbaale, the Principal, College of Business and Management Sciences. He opened the discussion by deliberately centering today’s students and emerging leaders, framing the session as an intellectual reflection on the life, values and legacy of the late Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile. He positioned the lecture’s theme — Shaping Africa’s Future: Intergenerational Leadership, Economic Resilience and the Power of Innovation — as urgent and practical, and introduced a cross-disciplinary panel whose expertise mirrors that urgency: Eng. Dr. F. F. Tusubira, Mr. Charles Mudiwa the Managing Director Dfcu Bank, and Prof. Faisal Buyinza the Ag. Dean, School of Economics.
Prof. Bbaale’s moderation enabled panelists to offer guidance on structural and cultural barriers to youth inclusion, the role of institutions in building resilience, and how academia, industry and policy can work together to turn innovation into jobs and scalable solutions — all the while reserving time for direct audience engagement and practical policy takeaways. Collectively, the panelists urged dismantling age-biased barriers and credential rigidities, creating new entry points and “tables” for youth leadership, scaling finance and training for startups and agribusiness, reforming pedagogy to prioritise skills and creativity, and deepening public-private-academic partnerships so innovation becomes inclusive growth rather than isolated experimentation.
The Family’s heartfelt appreciation
Mrs. Betty Tumusiime-Mutebile delivered heartfelt closing remarks, offering gratitude on behalf of the family and the Tumusiime-Mutebile Foundation. Speaking with deep emotion, she reflected on the late Professor’s character—his honesty, humility, hard work, and unwavering commitment to service above self. She thanked Makerere University, the Bank of Uganda, the Foundation’s leadership, and the many friends and colleagues who have continued to uphold his legacy, noting that although nearly four years have passed since his departure, his memory remains vivid and powerful for the family.
She recalled his devotion to both his public duty and his home, sharing personal stories of his leadership within the family and his steadfast faith that shaped their daily lives. Mrs. Tumusiime-Mutebile also highlighted the Foundation’s ongoing work in youth skilling, ethical governance, and private-sector development—initiatives rooted in his own vision. She concluded by inviting continued partnership to sustain the legacy he built, and led the gathering in singing his favourite chorus, a tender tribute to a man whose influence, she said, endures through the lives he touched.
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