General
Launch of Mak Attendance Management System a Moment of Truth
The launch of Staff and Student Attendance Management System presided over by the Chairperson of Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara on Friday 3rd May 2024 has been heralded as a moment of truth for the Council, Management, Staff, Students and Stakeholders of Makerere University. On Council’s part that includes improved performance management, accountability, and a transparent promotion process, while for Management it signifies a milestone in terms of achieving a professionally governed university and guaranteeing academic freedom. For staff and students it means improved monitoring and evaluation of teaching, learning and research activities, and for the Government and people of Uganda, clear accountability for the over UGX 200 billion annual wage bill.
In her remarks, Mrs. Magara took time off to allay fears that the system has been designed as a policing tool, stating that the University Council had carefully considered the multifaceted roles that staff, especially faculty, engage in both on and off-campus. The Council, she said, had therefore provided clear guidance to Management on allowances and authorisations that must be in place to enable faculty fulfil their functions.
She added that the decentralised collegiate system already caters for the direct supervision of faculty, while a similar devolved architecture applies to administrative and support staff. “So as we embrace this biometric system, I invite you to recognize the collective benefit it brings to Makerere University.”
These benefits, noted the Chairperson of Council, include; improved service delivery for faculty, students and the administration, improved institutional ratings, as well as improved visibility and credibility for the system developers. She further noted that the attendance management system is only a fraction of the more comprehensive and holistic approach that the University Council is undertaking to strengthen performance management.
“In the current and future budgeting and other resource allocation processes, the Council prioritizes the acquisition of tools that enable the staff to perform and the students to learn effectively and in a conducive manner. For example, I am aware that the procurement processes for three buses for transporting students for field practicals has already been completed.
“The renovation of Lumumba Hall is nearing completion and Mary Stuart Hall will follow in line. There is increasing emphasis on research labs, teaching materials and related equipment. As part of our infrastructure development focus, the Council also addresses the need for faculty offices, graduate student centres, IT hardware and software for teaching and research” Mrs. Magara explained, concluding by requesting all staff and students to embrace the system.
In line with embracing the system, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe noted that the advent of the system should be received with happiness by all staff and students. “We must run our university professionally and the best way to do it is by going digital in every way possible.”
He added that Makerere has in addition to attendance management digitalised other activities such as human resources management, data repository, academic records and processes, research management, and prayed all business processes would have been completed by the end of 2024. The Vice Chancellor reiterated that the attendance management system’s implementation framework had been enriched by the input from staff representatives to cater for all teaching modes, including eLearning.
Prof. Nawangwe further emphasised that the system is in no way designed to curtail academic freedom, but rather promote it through proper accountability for time spent at the workplace. “The Council as our employer ought to know whether the person that is employed is doing their job.”
He therefore thanked the Director, Directorate for ICT Support (DICTS), Mr. Samuel Mugabi and his staff for alleviating the need for Makerere to rely on expensive, externally-sourced systems. “Since we realized the resources that we have in-house, the digitalisation of the university has just gone up.”
The Director Human Resources (HR), Mr. Tayari Deus Mujuni on his part thanked the University Council for ensuring that development of the system was funded, Management for ensuring that the system is implemented, and the Director DICTS for ensuring that the system is developed and delivered on time.
One of the deliverables of the system will be human resource analytics. Mr. Mujuni commended this output as a quick way to measure whether staff are delivering according to their mandate. “If we continually generate these analytics, it becomes easy for us to know the teaching load, to follow up on requests for staff appointments in terms of how many staff you have and how many staff you need.”
The Director HR further noted that the system will come in handy in providing accountability to Government in terms of staff and students being taught. “The audit query will not arise again because we will have the evidence of all staff in attendance and account the funds that Government has contributed in terms of wage.”
Presenting the system’s architecture, Mr. Samuel Mugabi said it consists of biometric devices to enable staff clock in/out using their thumb-print or facial-image. For those who may for any reason or impairment not be able to reach the height of the biometric devices, an AI-enabled voice-recognition capability is being explored for future deployment.
He added that for teaching staff, a student attendance management system has been developed and integrated with both Academic Management Information System (ACMIS) and the electronic-Human Resource Management System (e-HRMS). This will enable students to register class attendance by selecting their time-tabled course, lecturer’s name, and submit their attendance register. The system will register GPS coordinates of teaching venues and any registration done using a mobile-based app on a device that is not within range will not be recorded.
Mr. Mugabi nevertheless appreciated that cultural transformation is very important for the system to succeed. “We cannot transform or automate a process until we appreciate why it is important,” adding that the way system users are brought on board is very important for their adoption and use.
The launch event was proudly by the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), which prides itself in conducting high-quality research and educating the next cadre of leaders, entrepreneurs, teachers, skilled labor force, digital innovators, wealth creators, and young scientists. Addressing his audience the Principal Prof. Tonny Oyana noted that CoCIS, by virtue of its mandate, will remain a very important college, especially in the next 20 – 30 years as the digital revolution unfolds. “We are at the forefront of deliberations anywhere in this university.”
He recognised the presence of the Chairperson of Council, Members of Council, Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellors, Members of Management, College Principals, Staff and Students who graced the event.
H.E. Vincent Lubega Nsamba was on 18th March 2024 sworn in as the 90th Guild President of Makerere University and effectively, leader of the Guild Cabinet and student body. Represented by his Minister for Information, Research and Computer Technology, Hon. Emojong Kisaija Harman at the launch, the Guild President welcomed the system, given the necessity of adopting of ICT in the digital era.
“We as the Students Guild are optimistic that this initiative and the system being launched today will improve service delivery to students with regard to teaching” appreciated Hon. Emojong. He reassured the University Leadership of the Students Guild’s readiness to participate in the system rollout and willingness to raise awareness among the student body of its benefits.
General
Are We Giving Enough Attention to the People Around Us Who Quietly Influence Lives Every Day?
By Marion Apio
On March 21, 2026, I felt a strong urge to reconnect with a close colleague and passionate leader, Owekitinisa Sylas Ruhweza Atwooki. We had not spoken since I moved to the United States to pursue my dream of becoming a journalist. The following day, I learned that he had been quietly undergoing treatment in and out of the hospital. True to his character, he had chosen to keep his condition private. I was shocked and saddened, wishing I had known earlier so I could offer support.
At first, reports from family and friends were encouraging. He had been diagnosed with malaria and low blood platelet counts and was receiving treatment. Respecting his wish for confidentiality, members of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community at Makerere University rallied discreetly around him.
However, on April 29, his condition worsened. He was transferred between medical facilities and underwent extensive tests, including a biopsy, as doctors searched for answers. Sadly, on May 29, Sylas passed away.
His death sparked an extraordinary outpouring of love and solidarity. Friends, colleagues, and former scholars mobilised to support his family, settle medical expenses, organise virtual vigils, and plan a dignified farewell. Hundreds gathered at St. Augustine Chapel to pay their respects. Within three days, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community raised approximately UGX 11 million, a testament to Sylas’ impact on countless lives.
In the days that followed, I found myself wrestling with difficult questions. In a world where we spend so much time following people online, are we paying enough attention to those quietly transforming lives around us? Why do we invest so much emotional energy in distant personalities while overlooking the people God has placed right in front of us?
Sylas lived with humility and served with grace. His death left more than 1,500 Mastercard Foundation scholars and alumni grieving, alongside many others around the world who knew him. Yet his passing also exposed a contradiction in modern life.
We live in an age of unprecedented connectivity. Uganda has millions of internet users and WhatsApp subscribers, while globally, people spend hours each day on social media. We have more tools than ever to stay connected, yet many of us are becoming increasingly disconnected from the people who matter most.
Sylas resisted this trend. Through mentorship, service, and community-building, he remained deeply present in others’ lives. While many people retreat into individual pursuits, he consistently chose connection.
This challenge is especially relevant for Mastercard Foundation scholars and alumni. Every year, young Africans leave home to pursue education and professional opportunities abroad. Distance, time zones, visa restrictions, and rising travel costs make it difficult to maintain relationships and remain actively involved in the communities that helped shape us.
For Sylas, the answer was simple: show up. Celebrate others. Offer support. Stay connected.
He never allowed geographical or personal barriers to become excuses for disengagement. Even while facing his own struggles, he invested in others. He embodied the values the Mastercard Foundation seeks to cultivate—ethical leadership, service, and community empowerment.
Sylas did not wait for a perfect platform to create change. He simply served where he was. He helped build bridges between education, culture, and professional development while remaining grounded in his values. He dreamed of creating a stronger alumni ecosystem and brought both passion and compassion to every initiative he touched.
Since his passing, social media has been filled with memories of his infectious smile and unwavering commitment to others. Those tributes reveal an important truth: people gave generously because Sylas had first given himself generously to them. People from different backgrounds, generations, and communities showed up because he had spent his life showing up for them. His legacy now challenges all of us.
The greatest tribute we can offer is not simply to mourn his loss but to continue his work. That means supporting the causes he cared about, helping the children whose education he championed, strengthening alumni networks, and pursuing the dreams we discussed with him.
The tragedy of modern life is not that we follow people online. It is that too often our attention to distant lives comes at the expense of meaningful relationships nearby. Yet strong relationships are as essential to our well-being as physical health.
As Ugandans, we take pride in our faith, culture, and sense of community. We contribute to fundraisers, attend ceremonies, and support family members in times of need. But increasingly, genuine connection is being replaced by passive digital interaction. Families and communities cannot thrive on likes, retweets, and emojis alone.
They require presence—phone calls, visits, conversations, and the willingness to notice when someone is struggling.
Before spending another hour immersed in the lives of strangers online, look around. Call the friend you have not spoken to in years. Check on a family member. Reach out to a colleague who seems withdrawn. Communities are not built by algorithms or celebrities. They are built by ordinary people who choose, day after day, to care for those within their reach.
Uganda needs more people like Sylas. At just 32 years old, he achieved what many spend a lifetime striving for. He served as Minister of Information in the Toro Kingdom and as President of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Alumni Association in Uganda. More importantly, he dedicated himself to serving others.
While his death is deeply painful, his life remains a powerful example of how we should live. My prayers and condolences go to his family, friends, and the entire Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni community.
Rest in perfect peace, Owek. Sylas Ruhweza Atwooki.
The author is a Mastercard Foundation Alumna from Makerere University and the University of California, Berkeley. She is a journalist based in Southern California and the CEO of the Debunk Media Initiative.
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