Ag. Vice Chancellor-Prof. Umar Kakumba (Centre) presents Mak Souvenirs to Mufti Ismail ibn Musa Menk (2nd Left) as Right to Left: Dean of Students-Mrs. Winifred Kabumbuli, University Imaam-Dr. Sowed Juma Mayanja and MUMSA Patron-Dr. Muhammad Kiggundu Musoke witness on 8th March 2024.
Mufti Ismail ibn Musa Menk has urged youth to be productive and hardworking even under great hardships.
“Whatever the country will be, depends on the youth. When you are young, ensure that you are productive. I advise you to encourage each other with love, respect and support in order to develop your country. Pray together, play together and work together,” said Mufti Menk.
He stated: “I am here to tell the youth in Uganda to work and develop their communities. You must develop a positive attitude towards work and your country. I advise you to shun any bad habit so that you become responsible citizens. You must shun laziness, idleness and bad habits such as use of drugs, addiction to alcohol and pornography. You must develop good habits. When you disagree with someone, let it be with respect.”
This was during the Mufti Menk Public Lecture held at the Makerere University Rugby Grounds on March 8, 2024. Running under the theme, ‘Muslim Youth and Work Ethics’, the lecture was hosted by the Office of the Makerere University Imaam. He was officially welcomed by Prof. Umar Kakumba, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, in his capacity as the Acting Vice Chancellor, and Dr. Sowed Juma Mayanja, the University Imaam.
Prof. Umar Kakumba addresses the audience during the public lecture.
Mufti Menk, as he is popularly known, is the grand mufti of Zimbabwe, the head of the fatwa department of the Council of Islamic Scholars of Zimbabwe and a renowned international Muslim scholar and motivational speaker. He holds a degree in Sharia and a doctorate in Social Guidance. His lectures boast a wide audience on YouTube and other social media platforms globally. His lectures and preaching are credited with having converted millions of people to Islam.
Mufti Menk was accompanied by Sheikh Wael Ibrahim from Australia and Dr. Muhammad Salah from Egypt, each of whom was given a preaching session.
Some of the University officials who listened to the lecture include: Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi-Academic Registrar, Mrs Winifred Kabumbuli-Dean of Students, Prof. Abasi Kiyimba-Mak Department of Literature, Dr. Oria Hussein-Chairperson Makerere University Mosque Board, Dr. Muhammed Kiggundu Musoke-Patron (Makerere University Muslim Students Association) MUMSA, Ms Ritah Namisango-Principal Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmed Ssentongo (Imaam Emeritus), to mention but a few.
THE LECTURE
The Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Umar Kakumba welcomed Mufti Menk and his delegation to Makerere University-the institution that nurtured and trained great men and women who have contributed to the development of the continent. “It is a great honour to host you to speak to the youth on preaching peace, unity and development.”
Mufti Menk acknowledged Makerere University leadership, staff and students for the warm reception. He applauded Allah for the good weather, the green and trees at Makerere University, and for all the good that Allah, bestowed upon Uganda, a beautiful country with hardworking people, organic foods such as very sweet bananas as well as delicious pineapples. He affirmed that Uganda is indeed the pearl of Africa.
Prof. Umar Kakumba (Left), Mufti Menk (3rd Left) and other officials follow proceedings during the lecture.
In his youth-centred lecture, he rallied the youth to be the torch bearers including the realization that they have a great responsibility to determine the destiny of Uganda. He explained that this starts with the youth recognizing this calling, working towards developing a positive attitude, believing that they can make a positive difference, shunning bad habits, and committing to being responsible citizens.
“To the youth and everyone here, I encourage you to build yourself. No one is going to build you up, if you do not,” he remarked, before adding “You are young, the future is in your hands, if you do the right things, the future will be bright.”
He reminded the youth to avoid words of hate for they bring about destruction. “Watch your words, watch your mouth. If you do not agree with someone, disagree with respect.”
Aware of the existence of a number of religious groups, Mufti Menk acknowledged this diversity and offered a message of living in harmony with one another. “Be careful about how you disagree with people from another faith. If we disagree, it should be with respect.”
Mufti Menk delivers his lecture to part of the majority-youth audience.
To the youth from poor backgrounds, Mufti Menk provided a message of hope and encouragement pointing out that many people from such backgrounds have succeeded in life. “Even if you come from a poor background, you can achieve. I encourage you to work hard, keep trying, never give up, and you will achieve.”
Tackling leadership, Mufti Menk guided that true leadership is heavily anchored in solving problems, and not fleeing from them. “Differences between us are normal, but differences can make us or break us depending on how we handle them. Those who aim to solve the problems and conflicts in the family, the Ummah or the country are the true leaders.”
Mufti Menk said the youth should be agitated if they lose connection with Allah. He advised youth to target their efforts and love towards Allah, above anyone and anything else, and to avoid doing things that displease Allah and compromise their relationship with Allah. He called upon the youth to uphold the importance of prayer. “Whatever you do, ask for Allah’s guidance. Do not ever get prayer out of your life.”
He implored the youth to use social media constructively such as learning, doing business and job creation, instead of gossip, hate speech, pornography, addiction and general idleness. “Take the example of TikTok; the bad side of TikTok is spreading faster than the good side. So, I urge you, when you see a good and useful message on TikTok, do not just read it and flip on; instead, like it and forward it to many people so that the good messages can outnumber the bad ones.”
Mrs. Winifred Kabumbuli (Left) and Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi (Right) follow proceedings.
The Mufti cautioned the youth against disrespecting people they may not agree with. “Even in Islam, there are many sects, but they are all part of the Ummah, and should be accommodated. Everyone makes mistakes. Even married couples or siblings disagree. Therefore, you should learn to live with diverse people in the Ummah or in your country. You should emulate Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who would painstakingly speak to people in the wrong, to win them over and expand the Ummah,” he counseled.
Mufti Menk urged youth to fight bad habits, especially addictions such as pornography, substance abuse, adultery, hate speech and gossip. He advised them to be on the guard to resist temptations that arise from the various media in our hypersexual age. To achieve this, he said, youth need to develop self-confidence and self-esteem.
“Do not be shy; look for help whenever you are in problems of addiction. Be careful and selective because the media promotes a lot of bad desires and behaviours. Care for and help one another. None of you is useless, but you must realize this fact yourself. Drop the negative attitude, and adopt a positive attitude towards different situations and relationships.”
On entrepreneurship, Mufti Menk shared his belief that it provides a solution to lack of jobs and unemployment of the youth. “There is a blessing in entrepreneurship. Sometimes Allah has chosen you for business /entrepreneurship,” he highlighted.
Mufti Menk urged the youth to use social media productively and avoid hate speech.
He appealed to the youth to continue searching for jobs. “Don’t give up looking for jobs, scarce as they may be. But, in the meantime, buy something and sell it, do some entrepreneurship. Avoid complaining, and never give up! However intelligent you may be, never stop praying to and trusting in Allah! Never take prayer out of the equation! Also, help those more challenged or vulnerable than you, such as orphans, widows, persons with disabilities or the unemployed.”
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Other activities of the day included Qur’anic recitation by a male student, three preaching sessions, Jummah prayers and Asr prayers.
Being the International Women’s Day, the preaching during the Jummah prayers focused on the fact that Islam gave a lot of rights to women such as inheritance of property. However, the preacher stressed that according to Allah, obligations are more important than rights for every human being.
On March 9, the Mufti attended a religious and interactive cooperation dinner at Serena Kampala hotel for charity causes, where a ticket cost Shs 150,000 for individual person and Shs 5 million for a table.
The organizers of the Mufti’s visit to Uganda said they had invited all Imaams of the 15,000 mosques in the country and all district khadis to the activities of both days.
The Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi on Thursday 29th May, 2025 held a press conference to update members of the Media on the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Medical Drone Programme, and the Kampala Status Summary 2023 on Road Safety Risk Factors, conducted under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety, a collaborative effort between the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit and the Trauma, Injury, and Disability (TRIAD) Unit at Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH). Also presented were updates on; Digital Certification of Academic Transcripts, Digital Supervision of Graduate Students, Inclusive e-Learning and Smart Classrooms, and Launch of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Laboratory at the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).
The event held in the Senior Common Room, Main Building, was on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe presided over by the Acting (Ag.) DVC AA and substantive Academic Registrar, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi. Presentations were made by Executive Director of the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), Dr. Andrew Kambugu and Head of the Trauma, Injuries, and Disability (TRIAD) Unit, Dr. Fredrick Oporia. Dr. Jimmy Osuret and Dr. Esther Bayiga from TRIAD supplemented Dr. Oporia’s presentation. In attendance were; the Director for ICT Support (DICTS)-Mr. Samuel Mugabi, Deputy Chief – Public Relations-Ms. Betty Kyakuwa, Deputy Chief Security Officer-Mr. Musa Mulindwa and other university officials.
The proceedings of the Press Conference follow below;
Vice Chancellors’ Press Statement
Good morning colleagues, members of the press,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to this important media briefing, where we share compelling findings from two groundbreaking studies that reflect Makerere University‘s ongoing commitment to impactful research, innovation, and community transformation.
The first is a pioneering initiative led by the Infectious Diseases Institute—the IDI Medical Drone Programme. This project explores the use of drone technology to deliver lifesaving HIV medications and test samples to hard-to-reach populations, particularly in Kalangala District and the West Nile region. The study demonstrates how drones can overcome logistical barriers, reduce costs, and enhance access to critical healthcare in some of Uganda’s most underserved communities.
The second study is the Kampala Status Summary 2023 on Road Safety Risk Factors, conducted under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety. This collaborative effort between the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit and our Trauma, Injury, and Disability Unit here at Makerere University presents over two years of data on vehicle speed and helmet use in Kampala. It provides vital insights into the human behaviours and systemic gaps contributing to road traffic injuries and fatalities—particularly among vulnerable road users. The study also offers evidence-based recommendations for enforcement, planning, and public health messaging aimed at making Kampala’s roads safer for all.
We are proud to support this kind of research that not only advances knowledge but also drives tangible improvements in public health and safety.
Before I invite the researchers to present their findings, allow me to briefly highlight some transformative developments in the areas of academic registry and ICT advancement here at Makerere University:
Digital Certification of Academic Transcripts:
Alumni can now certify their transcripts digitally through the Makerere Academic Records System (Mak-ARS https://makars.mak.ac.ug/), eliminating the need for physical visits. This user-friendly platform allows access from anywhere in the world, supported by comprehensive video tutorials and public communications.
Digital Supervision of Graduate Students
We have introduced the Research Information Management System (Mak-RIMS), piloted at the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, to streamline the supervision of Master’s and PhD research. This initiative enhances accountability, timely feedback, and is now being rolled out university-wide to improve graduation rates.
Inclusive eLearning and Smart Classrooms
Through support from development partners and the Government of Uganda, we are establishing multimedia studios and smart classrooms across our colleges. These state-of-the-art facilities are designed to produce professional, accessible learning content, including tools tailored for students with visual and auditory disabilities. This aligns with our goal of equitable, globally competitive education.
Launch of the AI Laboratory at CoCIS:
The newly launched Artificial Intelligence Laboratory will spearhead the development of AI-enabled solutions tailored to Uganda’s socio-economic needs, including localized assistive eLearning tools and context-sensitive curriculum development.
These initiatives are part of our broader vision to transform Makerere University into a research-led, inclusive, and globally relevant institution.
The Senior Program Director, Higher Education and Research in Africa, International Program, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Prof. Omotade Akin Aina on 23rd May 2025 visited Makerere University during his short trip to Kampala. Prof. Aina was received on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe by Prof. Tony Oyana, Principal of the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).
During his visit, Prof. Aina met with the Project Implementation Committee, representatives from the Consolidating Early Career Academics Programme (CECAP) phase I Fellowship Cohort, and current Fellows of phase II. The meeting discussed the progress of CECAP II, which focuses on fostering academic development and research among early-career academics.
Left to Ritght: Dr. Jesca Nakavuma and Prof. Julius Kikooma alongside Prof. Omotade Akin Aina during the meeting.
CECAP II is being implemented by Makerere University in collaboration with four other Ugandan public universities, including; Busitema University, Gulu University, Kyambogo University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza, the Project Principal Investigator was represented at the meeting by the Director of Graduate Training, Prof. Julius Kikooma.
The Directorate of Graduate Training at Makerere University has equipped several Senior ranking lecturers with expert knowledge in a Training of Trainers’ workshop on “Philosophy of Methods”.
In his remarks at the opening of a 3-day training workshop at Level4 Conference Hall – Senate Building, the Director of Graduate Training Prof. Julius Kikooma said, “The teaching of Philosophy of Methods gives all participants the fundamentals to extend knowledge to other learners, hence its importance in upholding the Makerere University values.”
Kikooma urged and challenged the participants to also attend and actively participate in the follow up of learners’ training of students, stating that the PhD students need support as the directorate continues to coordinate the curriculum of PhD by-research that was approved by the senate recently.
“To holistically implement the senate approved PhD curriculum, we are coordinating capacity building trainings of all stake holders in a structured approach with the different units of the University. Many more trainings including Training of Trainers in advanced research methods course are on the way.”
He further urged the participants to be intentional in their teaching profession and in whatever they were doing, adding “Apart from focusing on practices as teachers and researchers, we can engage in wider philosophical debates in our research areas so that we are relevant in the society and in the empowerment of PhD research students.”
The participants for the Philosophy of Methods training were from College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University Business School among others.
During the same training, Dr. Dickson Kanakulya stressed the need to train senior lecturers in the Philosophy of Methods, saying, “The biggest connection is that societal problems require concrete research to find solutions. Our challenge in Africa is that we employ a short barrow approach to find solutions to problems. This cannot work. We need consistent researchers to solve problems. Lasting solutions to societal issues can only be got through training such as Philosophy of Methods, where researchers come up with new models for societal solutions.”
Prof. Julius Kikooma pose for a photo with participants and facilitators.
Dr. Kanakulya said that Makerere University remains the biggest research University in Africa and philosophy of Methods helps to come up with good research tools that produce good research outputs. “Research has shown that the higher the number of PhD researchers in any given country, the higher the levels of development of that country e.g. the USA, China etc., adding that research is not limited to only medicinal or agricultural related issues.”
He said philosophy of methods, encourages philosophical creativity in research, “It is meant to bring out philosophical generation of concepts, theories and ideas. It is meant to encourage students to question the existing philosophical assumptions and status quo in a given field of knowledge such that new philosophical concepts are created.”
For successful rollout of government programs like the National Development Plan 4, Dr. Kanakulya said that Philosophy of Methods training needs to be integrated into such systems. “Philosophy of Methods focuses on ethical thinking aspects. For example, for a better rollout of the Parish Development Model, we need implementers to be ethical.” He added.
Prof. Sulait Tumwiine, the associate Dean of Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at MUBS said, “This is a discussion where new ideas are shared to guide and gauge applicability in the current knowledge diversity coupled with lots of technological development including Artificial Intelligence and Chat GPT.”
He added, “As professors of Universities, we need to understand how we leverage on what comes up so that it does not take our space, but also appreciate how we can support growth of knowledge. The Philosophy of Methods training is the answer.”
Dr. Jim Spire Ssentongo highlighted that Philosophy uses more of the critical mind than Science. He added that philosophy is more of speculation of the mind.
“Sustainability of philosophy Education encourages us to continue training. Philosophy being the oldest discipline retained special status in the academia as a pinnacle of pursuit of knowledge. All disciplines have major elements of philosophy citing examples in the philosophy of Mathematics and Physics.
Dr. Spire added, “If you do not understand philosophy, you cannot deeply investigate anything because philosophy is the reality of understanding everything. Philosophy is the basis of understanding what knowledge is and how it is arrived at.”
Also participating in the workshop was Prof. Joseph Ntaayi from MUBS, in his remarks he said PhD students need the philosophy of methods training to understand how to best to create knowledge. He added that ontological and epistemological questions that lead to good research design methods can only be answered by this training.
Dr. Robert Kakuru, a Lecturer in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences said that the Philosophy of Methods training is needed by every graduate student as well as supervisors to critically determine the choice of methods to use in academic research. For example, “If one wants to use a questionnaire as an interview approach, one should understand, why that approach and yet without this training, the why cannot be answered.” He added.