General
Bukedde celebrates 30 years: Archbishop Ssemogerere urges media to uphold the truth
Vision Group which consists of print and broadcast media targeting Ugandans in the different parts of the country and the diaspora is a true and reliable partner of Makerere University. Vision Group has significantly contributed to the realization of Makerere University’s institutional goals through the promotion of its teaching and learning services, research and innovations, as well as coverage of community engagement programmes undertaken by students and staff. In addition, Bukedde, New Vision and other media entities under the Vision Group employ dozens of Makerere University graduates and provides internship training placements/opportunities to many of our undergraduate students every year.
On Thursday 29th August 2024, Bukedde newspaper celebrated 30 years of existence. The three decades (1994-2024) exemplify a remarkable journey of humble beginnings, dedication, resilience and continuous growth. The first copy of Bukedde newspaper was published on 29th August 1994 under the editorship of Mr. Maurice Ssekawungu. Bukedde which started as a black and white publication later transitioned into full colour. Bukedde is a very popular newspaper with a significant circulation in the different parts of the country.
To appreciate the admirable growth of Bukedde and the Vision Group, the Archbishop of Kampala, His Grace Paul Ssemogerere toured the giant media empire accompanied by the Group Chief Executive Officer – Mr. Don Wanyama, Deputy Chief Executive Officer – Mr. Gervase Ndyanabo, the Editor-in-Chief – Mrs. Barbara Kaija, and Bukedde Editor – Mr. Michael Ssebbowa.
Over the years, Bukedde newspaper has witnessed the birth of Bukedde F.M, Bukedde TV 1 and Bukedde TV 2 as well as transformation of the livelihoods of its employees and their families.
Impressed by the tremendous work and evolution of Bukedde newspaper, the Archbishop praised God for blessing the founding team with the knowledge and wisdom to come up with such a brilliant idea. He also thanked the previous and current leadership and staff for contributing to the success and growth of Bukedde.
Celebrating the Holy Mass, Archbishop Ssemogerere informed the congregation that the founding date of Bukedde newspaper (29th August) is the feast day for St. John the Baptist in the catholic church. He urged the staff of Bukedde and the media in general to uphold the truth in the course of their work.
Focusing on the gospel reading from the book of Mark 6:17-29, the Archbishop said:
“In the catholic church, we celebrate and remember John the Baptist for standing for the truth. This day of celebration has coincided with the feast day of John the Baptist, who was beheaded because of standing for the truth. He stood for what was the truth until the very end. I pray that you will have the courage to stand for the truth even under very challenging circumstances.”
Ssemogerere highlighted that King Herod respected John the Baptist because he always stood for what was right, and as such, King Herold consulted him. Although Herod and John the Baptist were friends, when Herod took his brother’s wife, John the Baptist courageously confronted him, and informed him that adultery was wrong before God. This truth irritated the said concubine, who when presented with an opportunity tricked her little daughter to request for the head of John the Baptist on a plate. To fulfill his promise to his daughter, King Herold ordered one of his servants to satisfy the request of his little daughter, and consequently, John the Baptist was beheaded.
Archbishop Ssemogerere rallied the media and the congregation to stick to the truth so that young people and humanity in general understand the consequences of promiscuity, adultery and the quick desire for money. His Grace appealed to Bukedde to continue publishing the truth in form of stories and airing information about the dangers of HIV/AIDS. “People need to hear the truth so that they understand the consequences of their actions, which not only threaten life, but lead to loss of life,” he added.
His Grace Ssemogerere acknowledged Vision Group for involving the catholic church in the 30 years’ celebration. He also thanked Bukedde and Vision Group for helping the catholic church in evangelization. “Through your media channels, you have not only dedicated space and airtime to messages that are spiritually uplifting, but you have also enabled the church to reach out to God’s people.”
The Archbishop called upon God to bless Bukedde and Vision Group abundantly as we wait for BukeddeAt50 celebrations in the near future.
After the thanksgiving mass, Bukedde’s current Editor – Mr. Michael Ssebbowa introduced the founding Editor – Mr. Maurice Ssekawungu and the editor who took on the mantle when he retired – Mr. Geoffrey Kulubya. The wonderful gentlemen (Ssekawungu and Kulubya) waved to the Archbishop and the congregation amidst applause from Bukedde staff and friends.
Mr. Ssebbowa then set the pace for the Archbishop and the entire audience to watch a documentary with powerful messages on the evolution of Bukedde from humble beginnings to greater heights.
In this documentary, the founding editor, Mr. Maurice Ssekawungu explained how the name “Bukedde” was selected. In this beautiful journey, they had come up with an idea of a Luganda newspaper, but did not have a name. So, William Pike, the CEO and Mr. Maurice Sekawungu put out a call for proposals. According to Ssekawungu, they received 90 submissions. That William Pike desired a name that would resonate with brightness. Finally, from the 90 names submitted by different people, they selected the name “Bukedde.” Mr. Ssekawungu explained that Bukedde meant a new day or a new morning, which presented new possibilities, new opportunities and hope.
In the same documentary, the Archbishop and the congregation listened to testimonies from staff of Bukedde who with a lot of happiness and pride attributed their success in different spheres of life to Bukedde media. Some of them have been nurtured, trained and skilled to become very powerful and respected journalists. Some of them credited Bukedde for being their source of livelihood while others highlighted that Bukedde has made them very popular and also provided an opportunity to them to network with people from different spheres of life.
Building on to the story of success and hard work, the Chief Executive Officer of Vision Group, Mr. Don Wanyama stated that Bukedde has just not survived, but it has actually thrived. He recognized the Government of Uganda for the different media channels under the Vision Group, which includes Bukedde newspaper whose achievements and impact are crystal clear. “One of our biggest highlights was in 2014 when we were marking the 20th anniversary of this newspaper. On that day, Bukedde sold a record of 100,000 copies in a single day. This is an achievement that has not been registered by any newspaper in Uganda,” he said.
Noting that Bukedde remains the best-selling newspaper in Uganda, Mr. Wanyama appreciated the loyal readers, past and present staff, advertisers and distributors for their hard work, sacrifices, support as well as being the lifeblood that keeps Bukedde progressing.
Ms. Barbarah Kaija, the Editor-in-Chief of Vision Group said Bukedde is one of Uganda’s most widely newspapers because it appeals to the ordinary person. “Its content centres on the ordinary person with issues that impact him or her in society. It is a people-centered approach with coverage bringing out the human interest angle.”
In his congratulatory remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe re-affirmed the readiness of Makerere University to intensify its mutually beneficial relationship with Vision Group in order to contribute to the transformation of Uganda. Once again, the Vice Chancellor acknowledged the Vision Group for being a valuable partner during celebrations of Makerere University at 100 years (1922-2022) which lasted for a year (commencing on 9th October 2021 up to 8th October 2022). Prof. Nawangwe also thanked the Vision Group for contributing to the resounding success of Makerere University Run 2024 (MakRun2024) held on Sunday 18th August 2024.
On 20th August 2026, Makerere University welcomed another cohort of 258 recipients of the prestigious Mastercard Foundation scholarship for the 2026/2027 academic year with pomp and fanfare. The colourful Scholarship Award Ceremony was presided over by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, who was represented by Prof. Ibrahim Mike Okumu, the Dean of the School of Economics and the Chairperson of the Scholars Selection sub-committee of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.
While addressing the gathering, Prof. Nawangwe reminded the Scholars that the scholarship was both an honour and a responsibility, and that they ought to make the most of it to improve their lives and communities.
“Now that you have stepped through the gates of Makerere University, remember that a scholarship is both an award and a responsibility. You have been chosen because we believe in your potential to lead, innovate, and serve. Makerere University offers you world-class academic resources, mentorship, and networks—but the impact you make with these resources will depend on your discipline, integrity, and vision,” Prof. Nawangwe remarked.
A Call for Responsible Living
The Vice Chancellor further urged the new recruits to embrace university life responsibly and form lasting bonds that will support future networks.
“I encourage you to engage fully and responsibly in University life, build lasting bonds with your peers, and, equally important, keep your home communities close to your heart. Let the knowledge and skills you gain here become the seed for innovative solutions to the challenges facing your communities, our country, Uganda, and the African continent.” Prof Nawangwe emphasised.
Prof. Nawangwe further expressed his gratitude to the Mastercard Foundation for recognising Makerere University as a worthy partner and pledged to continue supporting all the Mastercard Foundation’s initiatives at Makerere University.
Leadership starts with self
Mr. Adrian Bukenya, the Senior Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program globally and the Country Director for Uganda, urged Scholars to embrace leadership, particularly through self-leadership. He emphasised that the Scholars Program is fundamentally a leadership development program.
“The Scholars Program offers more than just a scholarship; it is a leadership development Program. I encourage you, Scholars, to embrace leadership, and leadership starts with leading yourself, then your community, your country and the continent,” Mr. Bukenya emphasised.
Mr. Bukenya expressed his gratitude to the Management of Makerere University for partnering with the Mastercard Foundation on various initiatives. He emphasised that the Foundation is committed to continuing this partnership to educate young people and nurture the next generation of leaders on the African continent.
Selection Process Highlights
On his part, the Chairperson of the Scholars Selection Committee, represented by Mr Charles Ssentongo, the Deputy Academic Registrar responsible for Undergraduate admissions, congratulated all the Scholars who had made it through a very competitive and watertight selection process. To illustrate how tight the selection process had been, he shared compelling statistics that clearly demonstrated its competitiveness.
“We received 3,664 Applications for the Scholarship; 2,904 Undergraduates and 760 master’s students. Of these scholarship applicants, 1,440 Undergraduates and 280 Master’s students were admitted to Makerere University on private sponsorship, and they were all eligible for the Scholarship,” Mr Ssentongo pointed out.
Mr Ssentongo informed the attentive audience that one of the biggest challenges the Committee faced was the very high number of applicants, while the number of scholarships available was always very small. Mr Ssentongo then highlighted further statistics that characterised the tedious selection process.
“For the Undergraduates, 650 applicants were shortlisted for interviews, while 58 Master’s applicants were also shortlisted. Of these, 245 undergraduates and 13 Master’s students were selected for the final award,” Mr Ssentongo highlighted.
Celebrating A Diverse Cohort
The Program Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere, Prof. Justine Namaalwa, used the occasion to highlight achievements made in the years gone by.
“Today, we are overjoyed to have successfully recruited 258 Cohort 9 Scholars—bringing us to the mark of 546 Scholars, 54.6% of the target recruitment of 1,000 Scholars under Phase II of the Program. To date, a total of 1,596 Scholars have been recruited since 2013, when the Scholars Program started at Makerere University,” Prof. Namaalwa announced.
Prof. Namaalwa showcased the diversity created by the Scholars Program, highlighting the arrival of international students from across the African continent at Makerere University through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
“For Cohort 9 Scholars, it’s time to celebrate our diversity in the Program. Let me call out the nationalities represented in the room: Lesotho (1 Scholar), Malawi (1 Scholar), Ghana (1 Scholar), D.R. Congo (13 Scholars), Cameroon (7 Scholars), Burundi (3 Scholars), Rwanda (10 Scholars), South Sudan (40 Scholars) and Tanzania (1 Scholar).” Prof. Namaalwa revealed.
Scholars Speak Out
Nathan Tamba, an international student from Cameroon, conveyed his enthusiasm regarding the opportunities afforded by the scholarship, particularly the prospect of pursuing his studies at Makerere University, recognised as one of the leading institutions on the continent.
“On behalf of my fellow scholars, I would like to express our gratitude to Makerere University and the Mastercard Foundation for awarding us this scholarship. It has given me the opportunity to study at this prestigious university and to experience Uganda for the first time.” Tamba remarked.
Tamba, clearly delighted like his fellow scholars, committed to using the scholarship opportunity to gain knowledge and skills he will use to benefit himself and his community.
The function was punctuated by entertainment from the Makerere University Choir, networking, and plenty of joyous celebration.
Bernard Buteera is Principal Communications Officer for the Scholars Program at Makerere University.
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