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Mak Financial Management System a Timely addition to Digitalisation Drive

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The Makerere University Financial Management System launched on Wednesday 10th July 2024 by the Chairperson, Finance, Planning, Administration and Investment Committee (FPAIC) of Council, Mr. Bruce Kabaasa has been heralded a timely addition to our transformation into a digitally-driven research-led University. Since the beginning of the year, the University has launched systems to digitalise Research Information Management (RIMS), Academic Records and Processes (DARP), Student and Staff Attendance Management (SAMS) and to amalgamate records from all the above, the Makerere Data Repository (MakDATA).

The system developed in-house by the Directorate for ICT Support (DICTS) is part of the University Council’s strategy to adopt a cost-effective and sustainable approach to Makerere’s business automation needs. It will enable the Finance Department to streamline budget management at cost centres and budgeting units at the University as well as automate the requisitions and generation of digital reports for decision making.

Presiding over the event held in the Council Room, Mr. Kabaasa congratulated the University Management upon taking yet another step in improving the efficiency of the University “I am very happy with your leadership Mr. Vice Chancellor. The processes of improving financial management continue to come a long with your guidance.”

Left to Right: Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Mr. Bruce Kabaasa, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, Mr. Yusuf Kiranda and Mr. Evarist Bainomugisha at the launch. Makerere University Financial Management System launch by Chairperson, Finance, Planning, Administration and Investment Committee (FPAIC) of Council, Mr. Bruce Kabaasa, 10th July 2024, Council Room, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Left to Right: Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Mr. Bruce Kabaasa, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, Mr. Yusuf Kiranda and Mr. Evarist Bainomugisha at the launch.

He equally paid tribute to the University Bursar, Director DICTS and their respective teams on a job well done in developing the system but nevertheless challenged offices directly in charge of financial management to review the line manual so as to cater for the growth in development financing and other grants. “We must have a robust framework within which all these policies that speak to finances are grounded.”

Mr. Kabaasa further called for the appreciation that timelines and deliverables are very pertinent in a Public-funded University such as Makerere and called upon the offices in charge to go beyond release funds for procurement to ensuring that the goods and services purchased meet the requisite quality and timeliness of delivery. In the spirit of ensuring transparency, he urged that the system should grant limited access to all users to view amounts and dates when releases are effected.

Adding his voice to Mr. Kabaasa’s, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe acknowledged that the launch of the system is testament to Makerere’s commitment not to be left behind in the global digitalisation drive. Furthermore, he noted that the system is a game changer in the drive to reduce the paper trail generated by business operations especially in light of inefficient search processes associated with physical documents.

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe makes his remarks.  Makerere University Financial Management System launch by Chairperson, Finance, Planning, Administration and Investment Committee (FPAIC) of Council, Mr. Bruce Kabaasa, 10th July 2024, Council Room, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe makes his remarks.

The Vice Chancellor therefore paid tribute to the Director DICTS, Mr. Samuel Mugabi and his team of young developers that have been at the helm of implementing the University Council’s in-house software development strategy. He nevertheless tasked the developers to incorporate alerts in the system that are reflective of the University Organisational Manual’s stipulation of the maximum period within which documents ought to be cleared by the concerned offices.

Prof. Nawangwe thanked the University Council for creating an environment conducive for the digialisation of business processes. “I am happy that Council put its foot down and said ‘we must digitalise’ and we can now see how many systems we have in such a short time; what remains is to integrate all these (systems) so that they speak to each other and I urge DICTS to expedite that.”

“At Makerere we want to be the best and if we want to be the best, we must make sure that we are efficient” continued the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), Prof. Henry Alinaitwe. He added that the system would greatly enhance transparency in the administration of budgets as relevant offices will be able to view real-time balances during implementation.

Part of the audience at the launch of the Mak Financial Management System.  Makerere University Financial Management System launch by Chairperson, Finance, Planning, Administration and Investment Committee (FPAIC) of Council, Mr. Bruce Kabaasa, 10th July 2024, Council Room, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Part of the audience at the launch of the Mak Financial Management System.

Pre-empting the notion that too many systems were being launched, the University Secretary Mr. Yusuf Kiranda explained that “digitalisation is only coming to translate what we have been doing on paper onto a digital platform, which improves efficiency and most importantly for Makerere, transparency.”

He therefore thanked the Vice Chancellor for leading the drive to digitalise the University and FPAIC for the strong interest taken in budget processes and enabling Makerere to achieve a stronger compliance. “Lastly, I thank the University Bursar and Director DICTS for working under pressure to deliver the system.”

The University Bursar, Mr. Evarist Bainomugisha noted that the system launch was a key milestone for the Finance Department, University Council and Makerere. He explained that whereas the University is already implementing the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS), the system consolidates all administrative units into one pool which makes managing budgets at unit level complicated. He further noted that IFMS neither processes payment vouchers for various requisitions nor has the ability to capture supporting documents.

Mr. Evarist Bainomugisha recognised the launch as a milestone. Makerere University Financial Management System launch by Chairperson, Finance, Planning, Administration and Investment Committee (FPAIC) of Council, Mr. Bruce Kabaasa, 10th July 2024, Council Room, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Mr. Evarist Bainomugisha recognised the launch as a milestone.

“I therefore thank the University Council and Management led by the Vice Chancellor for the support and DICTS for all the technical backing” acknowledged Mr. Bainomugisha.

The event attended by Members of Central Management, College Principals and staff from the Finance Department was moderated by the Principal Public Relations Officer, Ms. Ritah Namisango.

Mark Wamai

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Call for Applications: Admission to Postgraduate Programmes 2026/2027

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SoL Graduands celebrate after being conferred upon their awards. 75th Graduation Ceremony, Day 1, CoCIS, CEES, CoVAB and School of Law. 13th January 2025, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

The Academic Registrar, Makerere University invites applications for admission to Graduate Programmes (Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters and Doctoral Degree Programmes) for the 2026/2027 Academic Year. Applicants should have obtained at least a first or second class degree (or its equivalent) from a Chartered University at the time of completion. Applicants should also possess a Uganda Certificate of Education (or its equivalent) and a Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (or its equivalent).

Sponsorship:

All Graduate Programmes are PRIVATELY-SPONSORED. Therefore, applicants seeking sponsorship should have their applications endorsed by their respective sponsors where applicable. Applicants should note that the various fees payable to the University indicated for the various programmes EXCLUDE functional fees, accommodation, books, research and other expenses.

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Simon Mungudit: Mak’s Best Performing Male Science Student & Rising Star in Petroleum Geoscience

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Simon Mungudit emerged the best performing male science student this year. He is set to graduate from Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa on 24th February 2026 in the Freedom Square.

At just 24 years old, Simon Mungudit from the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS) has etched his name in the academic history of Makerere University, having emerged as the overall best male student in the Sciences, an achievement earned through perseverance, discipline, and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence.

Mungudit is set to graduate during 76th graduation ceremony scheduled for 24th to 27th February 2026, having attained a CGPA of 4.76 in the Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Geoscience and Production. His academic interests-Reservoir Engineering, Petrophysics, and Drilling-reflect a deep understanding of the subsurface sciences that power modern energy systems.

Early Life and Journey to Academic Excellence

Born to Mr. Owor Thomas, a Game Ranger with the Uganda Wildlife Authority at Murchison Falls National Park, and Ms. Lilly Obewun Grace of Akuru Bridge Village, Nyaravur Sub-County in Nebbi District, Mungudit’s journey to academic excellence began far from the lecture halls of Makerere. At Karuma Primary School, Mungudit scored 12 aggregates in the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), setting the pace for his future success. He proceeded to St. Daniel Comboni College, Nebbi, where he attained 14 aggregates in 8 subjects at O’ Level. He then joined Namilyango College, one of the best secondary schools in Uganda, where he studied Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) and scored 19 points, results that secured him government sponsorship to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Geoscience and Production at Makerere University.

Gratitude to his mentors and sponsors

Behind these milestones lies a story of humility, gratitude and opportunity. Mungudit credits his parents for supporting his primary and O’ Level education and expresses gratitude to TotalEnergies, which provided a full bursary for his A’ Level studies, covering tuition, upkeep, and medical care. He also acknowledges the Government of Uganda for sponsoring his university education, a factor he says motivated him to excel.

At Makerere, Mungudit thrived in an environment that blended rigorous academics with mentorship. He pays tribute to his lecturers, particularly Dr. Arthur Batte, Head, Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies, for their unwavering commitment to nurturing students and pushing them to excel.

“I always aimed to excel,” Mungudit says. “Together with a few colleagues, we formed a group and held discussions on a daily. This, coupled with a conducive study environment, prayer, and discipline, enabled us to attain excellent grades.”

Dr Arthur Batte describes Mungidit as a humble yet very intelligent student.

Achievements and Professional Experience

Beyond academics, Mungudit consistently demonstrated expertise in petroleum engineering. In 2024, he led a team that won the Reservoir Modelling Challenge, organized by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Makerere University Chapter, earning prize money and a sponsored field trip to the Tilenga Project courtesy of COSL. He was First Runner-Up in the Petro Bowl competitions of 2023 and 2025, a highly competitive petroleum knowledge quiz organized by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Uganda Section. He served as a Student Officer for the SPE Makerere University Chapter in 2023, and in 2024, he chaired the Organizing Committee of the SPE Annual Students’ Technical Conference and Exhibition, helping bridge the gap between academia and industry.

His learning extended beyond the classroom. During his internship, he worked with TotalEnergies, where he applied petrophysics skills to analyze gas-while-drilling data for formation evaluation, hands-on exposure that sharpened his professional competence. At Makerere University, he mastered PetroMod 2018, a critical software tool in oil and gas exploration. After completing his studies in June 2025, Mungudit trained with the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), participating in the 2D seismic acquisition in the Kasurubani Block in Buliisa and Hoima districts.

Mungudit currently works as the Special Projects Coordinator for the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Uganda Section Student Liaison Committee.

Future Plans

Mungudit hopes to work in the oil and gas industry in the upstream sector as a geoscientist. He also plans to pursue further studies in petroleum engineering.

From a village in Nebbi to the forefront of petroleum geoscience, Mungudit’s story is one of an opportunity seized and potential realized. It is a testament to what is possible when talent meets support, and when determination is guided by faith, mentorship, and service. As Uganda’s oil and gas sector continues to evolve, Mungudit stands as a symbol of the skilled, principled professionals poised to shape its future.

The CoNAS fraternity congratulates Mungudit on this noble achievement.

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Hasifa Kabejja

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Press Statement: Makerere 76th Graduation Ceremony

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Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (Centre) presents one of the printed batches of transcripts the Registrar College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS)-Ms. Ruth Iteu Eyoku (2nd Right) as Right to Left: DVCAA-Prof. Sarah Ssali, AR-Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi and Ms. Prossy Nakayiki witness on 28th January 2026. Vice Chancellor's Press Briefing on the 76th Graduation due to be held 24th-27th February 2026 at Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University’s 76th graduation ceremony will be held from February 24th – 27th, 2026, at the Makerere University Freedom Square, starting at 8.30am. During the 76th graduation ceremony, we shall confer degrees and award certificates to 185 PhDs, 2034 Masters, 6,043 bachelors, 137 postgraduate diplomas and 33 diplomas.

I am proud to announce that in comparison to the 75th graduation, we have registered a 30% growth in graduate student output. This is a result of our strategic decision to prioritize graduate education per our research-led agenda.

I also wish to announce that the transcripts have been finalized and are ready for pick up. Today, I am handing over the ready transcripts to the College principals and can be picked up from respective Colleges even before the graduation ceremony.

Important to Note:

In preparation for the graduation ceremony, the University wishes to note the following:

  1. Pre-graduation clearances
    Graduands are reminded to clear all necessary payments such as tuition and all graduation
    fees. It is also important to check with your College to ensure your name is on the graduation
    list and all mandatory clearances with university officials have been finalized. Note and
    internalize the graduation schedule (attached) to know which day you are graduating.
  2. Securing the graduation gowns
    Graduation gowns will be issued starting from 2nd February 2026 from the University Hall (Dinning Hall), Monday to Friday, from 9am to 4pm. To collect your gown, check and ensure your name appears on the Senate Graduation list, present your student number or National ID, and proof of payment for the gown.
  3. Security requirements
    • Attendance: For each day of graduation, entrance to the graduation ground will be by invitation only. Graduands will be issued with invitation cards which permits two guests per graduand. Do not come with more than two people or they will not be allowed access to the graduation venue. Graduands are encouraged to arrive to settle at the Freedom Square by 7am on graduation day to for a seamless flow of planned activities including the necessary security checks.
    • Prohibited items: Prohibited items include firearms, sharp instruments like mirrors and knives, alcohol, cell or batteries and chemicals, canned food and drinks, laptops, flashes and hard disks, radios including pocket radios, bottled drinks, cameras, large bags or any other heavy items.
    • Media: All media and journalists who wish to cover the ceremony must be pre-accredited by the Makerere University Public Relations office or they will not be allowed to access the ceremony venue. The access point for accredited media personnel will be the Senate Building.
    • Parking: There will be two designated parking areas; Rugby Grounds for those coming through the Eastern and Main Gate; and the second one is the Makerere University Main Grounds at Makerere College School. For VVIPs, VIPs and procession parking will be at CTF1, Directorate of Legal parking, St Francis and St Augustine parking, JICA and Senate Building.
    • Access Control: To ease traffic flow and management, the University has planned three access points to the graduation venue: the School of Social Sciences, Senate Building and the University Swimming Pool.
  4. For help and inquiries
    • Starting February 2, 2026, the Academic Registrar ’s Office and Graduation Committee will set up an information tent outside the Senate Building to provide guidance and handle all inquiries pertaining to graduation.


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