General
Shafik Senkubuge Overcomes Financial Difficulties to Become First-Class Graduate
Shafik Senkubuge, 24, is set to graduate from the Makerere University with a Degree of Bachelor of Environmental Health Science on January 29. Before becoming one of #Mak74thGrad’s stars from the College of Health Sciences (MakCHS), he faced financial constraints and personal challenges, but found the wisdom and resilience for his academic prowess to shine brightly.
He graduates with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.46 out of 5.00 (First Class Honors) qualifying him to be on the Vice Chancellor’s List. As a practice in Makerere University School of Public Health, he receives an award for the meritorious completion from the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.
Senkubuge entered MakSPH, after he missed his dream course, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery due to low points. He had obtained 15 points in Biology (03), Chemistry (04), Mathematics (o6) plus a point in ICT and General Paper (GP) at Mengo Senior School, despite having set himself a target to make 19 points.
Background
Back in time, April 24, 2000 was the time when Kasozi Mohammed, a boda boda rider in Kampala and Pamela Nambusi gave birth to a young man, they later named Shafik Senkubuge. This was in the neighborhoods of Kawanda Namalere in Nangabo, Kyadondo, Central Uganda district of Wakiso. His family later shifted to Kagoma Village, in Maganjo Parish, Nabweru Subcounty and later went to Nansana Municipality, about 9.6km from the centre of Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
It is here that he calls home. He is the first born in a family of three, with two younger sisters. Recently, [his father] informed him about having two additional sisters. Despite communication between his parents, they do not reside together, and his father has a second wife.
At the moment, his father drives a motorcycle taxi (Boda Boda) out of Nabweru, a Kampala suburb which is close to Kawempe. The mother, who is self-employed, is starting a decorating company in Nansana. She’s presently setting up a small business that specializes in decorations for parties, graduations, and introductions.
A 2022 Twaweza report showed that Up to 55% of Ugandans who opened businesses in the past five years had to close them due to coronavirus disruptions, declining demand, and heavy taxation
Despite relying on her hair designer job for nearly her adult life, Pamela, Shafik’s mother could survive the pandemic. In 2020, she was forced to close down her saloon after she failed to raise the rent.
“During the lockdown, we had a lot of demands as a family and she couldn’t accommodate the saloon rent. She had a very huge debt that accumulated, the landlord decided to request her to leave the house for another person. She left the house, took all her equipment home and after COVID-19 she failed to resume the same business due to financial constraints,” Shafik narrates.
This happened a very critical time he was joining University. Fortunately for him, his mother had ventured into brick-laying during lockdown, and this is where he concentrated his energies to look for his tuition, if he was to ever join University.
Shafik’s academic journey began in 2004 at Kawempe Junior. A dedicated teacher at Melody Junior School that he joined later in 2009 ignited his interest in Science and Mathematics. This spark set the stage for his remarkable academic journey.
After completing primary two and crossing to primary three in 2008, his father had constructed a home in Nansana, where the family had to relocate to. In 2009, Shafik joined a new school – Melody Junior School in Nansana, a new environment, getting new friends.
At P.7, he became one of the only 4 first grades the school had, scoring 12 points.
“As the firstborn, my mother rejoiced, but concerns arose about my future after primary school due to financial constraints. Despite manageable primary school fees, I graduated with a debt. Upon retrieving my certificate, we settled the debt when I was already in senior one. My mother, balancing happiness and worries, pondered on how to secure my entry into secondary school, especially with my sister in primary five and our youngest sibling born in 2011, just around a year old,” recalls Shafik.
In 2014, still puzzled at the next step, his uncle, Patrick Ssenabulya, secured him a place through his NGO at St. Kizito Katikamu Kisule in Wobulenzi, Luweero district.
Starting secondary school in Luweero with a score of 12 aggregates among classmates with 4 and 6 aggregates, Shafik aimed to excel. Forming a close bond with his friend Kayondo Joseph, the duo navigated senior one to senior four together.
Despite facing math challenges, he encouraged me to confront them, and we succeeded. In the first term, he ranked 17th out of 178 students, bringing immense joy to my mother. The following term, he secured the third position, maintaining the second position consistently until completing senior four, including in UNEB exams
“When I went back home, my mom was very happy. I remember she slaughtered a chicken for me,” recalls Shafik.
St. Kizito Katikamu Kisule, a Catholic-founded school, groomed him and exposed his potential. “We used to go to church every day, they groomed us to be humble students and be disciplined. This helped us a lot and groomed us to be competitive even in academics,” he recalls
Despite obtaining 16 aggregates at Uganda Certificate of Education from this humble school, Shafik’s quest for a better education led him to Mengo Senior School, where he faced new challenges, including a shift from boarding to day school, walking long distances. Despite the obstacles, he maintained a strong work ethic, learning valuable lessons in time management and determination.
Her mother provided a Shs3000-transport allowance daily, covering both transport and break. He would skip the break tea to save part of the money for his transport back home in the evening. As such, he only used to have lunch to last until he left school at 5:00PM. This was the routine for the two years spent at Mengo SS, and his academic performance suffered significantly during that period.
“The first points I got were seven points, and this did not change up to our Mock examinations where I got to 10 points. Being at Mengo SS, made me learn even if you are brilliant, you need to have some extra tactics and thus we used to work so hard and we did serious calculations.
I remember sometimes we used to go to some other school, Kasubi Senior School, and read up until 10:00pm, then head back home. But by that, you are cutting a traffic jam that is usually there from around 8:00pm,” he recollects.
As he completed his Form 6, fate led him to a teaching position at his former primary school. The sudden closure of schools due to the pandemic forced him to adapt, and he embraced brickmaking as a means to sustain himself. The challenges were many, but Shafik’s resourcefulness and tenacity shone through.
A few weeks into the semester, a second lockdown was announced by the president. This was according to him a blessing in disguise. He was uncertain how to clear tuition and registration.
A man named Longman Musige, a friend of my mother, promised to provide one million each semester. Although he already gave me one million, he still needed 1.8 million for semester registration.
“Upon reflection, we had crafted our bricks, but when the lockdown hit, we struggled to find funds to heat them and cover the remaining tuition. Despite burning the bricks, selling them proved challenging, leaving my mom anxious about my exam fees. Eventually, with support from Musawo Kaliro, contributions from friends, and brick sales, I managed to register for the online exams for the first semester,” he says.
Adding that; “Post-exams, my GPA stood at 4.9, providing a promising start towards achieving a first-class degree. Progressing through semester one and two, I maintained my diligence and benefited from my mom’s prayers. However, challenges arose during the exams in the second semester of year two.”
His classmates ran a campaign to raise him tuition but they could only raise Shs.1.4M from well-wishers out of the Shs.4.7million needed to clear the previous semester and the new semester.
His only hope was the Dean of MakSPH to whom he wrote a letter seeking financial assistance. “I detailed my financial situation, attached my results slip, and presented the funds I had collected. I was delighted to learn that she granted me a scholarship of 3.5 million. This not only cleared my backlog but also covered the third-year functional fees. With this support, I moved to University Hall for my third year, allowing me ample time for studies and fulfilling my leadership roles as MUEHSA president and college speaker.”
The ACMIS system at Makerere University faced a malfunction during the second semester of the first year in 2021, around the time the university was transitioning from AIMS to ACMIS. To Shafik, this was a golden chance to take exams without meeting the payment requirements.
Madvani Foundation Comes in handy
The twists and turns continued as he confronted financial obstacles, including unpaid tuition and the demands of a university education, even in his final year.
The scholarship however covered only tuition and not functional fees. This meant that he had to struggle to raise functional fees and accommodation, since he had moved to University Hall, a male student’s residence on campus.
Shafik’s involvement in student leadership, notably as the president of the Makerere University Environmental Health Students Association (MUEHSA), showcased his commitment to community engagement. Under his leadership, MUEHSA regained its lost glory, organizing conferences, community outreaches, and health education programs.
The pinnacle of his leadership journey was marked by the successful organization of the 18th Annual MUEHSA scientific conference, where stakeholders and students converged to discuss pressing environmental health issues. Shafik’s visionary leadership extended beyond MUEHSA, as he became the first College of Health Sciences speaker in the new guild system.
He sends his sincere gratitude to everyone who has been instrumental in mentoring him, especially Mrs. Ruth Mubeezi Neebye and Dr. David Musoke and his staff, whose advice has been priceless. He also extends gratitude to previous classmates. “To my colleagues, I would like to appreciate and congratulate them on this accomplishment. It has been quite a demanding task but we thank the almighty God who has enabled us to reach this far. Let’s remain with that bond, let’s remain friends, let’s not lose the connection and I know if we still work together as we have been working, the sky would be the limit,” he says.
A significant development unfolded at Makerere University during a strategic, hour-long meeting in the vice chancellor’s boardroom on 7th October 2025, marking a deepening bond with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. The primary goal was to move beyond existing collaborations and formalize a new Double Doctorate (PhD) program. Prof. Sarah Saali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, set the tone by emphasizing that institutional partnerships are crucial to Makerere University, which she proudly called the leading research and most collaborative university in the world.
The discussion promptly formed the core structure of the program: a four-year PhD (or three if the master’s was research-based), with supervision duties split 50-50% between the two institutions. A key feature is the mobility requirement, stipulating that PhD candidates would spend a total of six months in the Netherlands, potentially divided into two three-month periods. Crucially, the University of Groningen confirmed there would be no teaching requirement during this stay, allowing students full access to focus on their research. A major financial hurdle was overcome with the adoption of a fee-waiver policy; Makerere would waive tuition for incoming Groningen candidates, and Groningen would reciprocate for Makerere‘s students, significantly boosting the program’s financial viability.
However, the critical issue of the stipend remained. Dr. Anita Veltmaat explained that to meet the required living standard of approximately €1,875 per month in Groningen, the incoming candidate must secure a partial external scholarship of around €250 per month. The positive news is that if the candidate secures this minimum scholarship, the University of Groningen is prepared to top up the amount to the full living standard for the six months the student spends in the Netherlands. It was noted that this initial financial hurdle might be simplified for Makerere students, as many are already staff members receiving a salary, which could help cover the required €250.
The path forward was clear: it was to complete the agreement template guided by the setup committee from both institutions. The plan culminated in scheduling an online follow-up meeting for Tuesday, November 11th, to review the first revision of the agreement, capping a highly constructive discussion that solidified the two universities’ shared future in graduate education.
Makerere University was represented by Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academics Affairs; Dr. Ruth Nsibirano, Head of the Department of Gender Studies; Dr. Patricia Ndugga, School of Statistics; Dr. Stella Achen and Dr. Joseph Watuleke, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning; Agatha Ainemukama, School of Engineering; Racheal Nuwagaba, School of Psychology; Awel Uwihanganye, Martine Rugamba, and Hawa Ndagire from the Advancement Office; and Muhammad Kiggundu from the Institute of Gender and Development Studies.
The University of Groningen was represented by Dr. Dinie Bouwman, Senior Policy Advisor, Internationalization and Quality Assurance; Dr. Anita Veltmaat, Faculty of Social Behavior and Social Sciences, Department of International Studies, involved in mentorship programs for women; and Dr. Alette Arendshorst, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, working on graduation/collaboration for students/staff.
Makerere University on Tuesday, 7th October 2025 hosted a delegation from Nelson Mandela University (NMU), South Africa in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom in a bid to strengthen academic partnerships and operationalize their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The delegation, led by Prof. Azwinndini Muronga, Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Internationalisation, NMU, aimed to turn earlier agreements into actionable collaborations and build sustainable partnerships with various colleges.
The Acting (Ag.) Deputy Vice Chancellor; Finance and Administration, Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta, provided an overview of the institution’s structure—nine colleges, two schools, and two institutes—while acknowledging the challenges of maintaining excellence amid resource limitations and post-pandemic recovery. He emphasized that collaboration must serve the broader goal of research-driven development, calling for teamwork and resilience among African universities. “We have to work together to sustain high academic standards and contribute to the continent’s progress,” he noted.
Prof. Muronga spoke passionately about the NMU’s “African footprint agenda.” He urged both institutions to start with small, practical projects that can build confidence and momentum for larger initiatives. “We must grow partnerships within Africa first,” he stated, “before we expand globally. True collaboration begins when both sides contribute equally, share capacity, and build self-reliance.”
Prof. Muronga also expressed interest in joint research projects, doctoral supervision, and shared grant applications, noting that NMU and Makerere are strategically positioned to lead regional academic innovation.
In her remarks, Prof. Judy Peter, Senior Director in the International Office at NMU emphasized the University’s commitment to African-centered collaboration and the importance of internationalizing the curriculum and expanding research capacity.
Prof. Peter underscored the importance of student mobility, joint supervision of postgraduate students, and the recruitment of talented African scholars, noting that such exchanges enrich both institutions’ academic communities. She also emphasized the need to internationalize the curriculum, particularly through virtual learning platforms and co-teaching models, to ensure broader accessibility and shared expertise.
Contributions also came from Prof. James Wokadala, Deputy Principal, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), further amplified the need to “start small and build on existing collaborations.” He proposed developing a clear roadmap that defines short-term goals and identifies areas for mutual growth.
From the College of Health Sciences, Dr. Richard Idro, the Deputy Principal highlighted opportunities for fellowship, training and collaboration in clinical subjects, emphasizing the need for practical exchanges that benefit students and staff alike. He also addressed logistical challenges such as transportation and coordination, urging for targeted partnerships that can yield tangible results.
The meeting reaffirmed the universities’ commitment to collaboration in areas including faculty exchange for guest lectures, seminars, and sabbaticals; joint research and grant applications for regional and international funding; co-supervision of postgraduate students; virtual classroom exchanges; curriculum internationalization and exchange of academic materials; and capacity development for academic and administrative staff.
The teams also identified “quick-win” projects that could be implemented in the short term and agreed to establish a joint implementation team to monitor progress. Further discussions will explore funding mechanisms, including the possibility of leveraging programs like Erasmus+, to support student exchange and joint research initiatives.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Muronga reaffirmed Nelson Mandela University’s commitment to ensuring that the partnership yields visible outcomes. Both universities agreed that future engagements will be structured around mutual respect, accountability, and measurable results.
The meeting concluded on a note of optimism, with both institutions expressing confidence that their partnership will not only advance academic excellence but also contribute to Africa’s broader vision of educational and research self-reliance.
The meeting was attended by several officials from Makerere including; Prof. Eric Awich Ochen-Deputy Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze-Deputy Principal, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Prof. Godfrey Akileng-Dean School of Business, Dr. Geoffrey Nuwagaba-CoBAMS, Mr. Martine Rugamba-Ag. Chief Advancement Office, and Ms. Hawa Kajumba-Advancement Office.
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