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Celebrating Grace Wilson Igaga Mutekanga: A Gallant Alumnus and Iconic Musician

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The Makerere University Community joins family, friends and all lovers of music in celebrating the life of an iconic musician, who forever etched his name in our annals when he composed our renowned Anthem, a true masterpiece.

Composed in the Baroque idiom, the Makerere University Anthem comes complete with touches of fanfare, memorable rallying calls, inclusivity and wisdom. By achieving this feat, Mr. Igaga embodied our motto We Build for the Future by using the knowledge acquired through academic pursuit to inspire past, present and future generations to always seek the truth, remember their Alma Mater and live impactful lives.

To celebrate his legacy, a funeral service will be held at St. Francis Chapel on Thursday 22nd August 2024 starting at 10:00AM.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF GRACE WILSON MUBI IGAGA MUTEKANGA

Date of Birth: 29th June 1940
Died on: 16th August 2024
Parents: Daudi Kintu Mutekanga and Erina Babyale Mutekanga in Bubula, Kamuli, Busoga

Family

Wife: Frances Katusabe Mutekanga

Children:

  • Basalirwa Frida
  • Mutekanga Andrew
  • Igaga Isaac
  • Igaga Yonah
  • Mutekanga Erina
  • Bakibinga Jacob
  • Igaga Amos
  • Namutebi Irene
  • Igaga Matthews
  • Ibembe Patrick

Grandchildren: Numerous

Education Background

  • 1951-1956: Naminage Primary School and Mwiri Primary School (PLE)
  • 1957-1962: Busoga College Mwiri (O-Level Certificate)
  • 1963-1964: Makerere College School (A-Level Certificate)
  • 1965-1966: Makerere University College BA (Hons) 1-year Attendance
  • 1966-1969: Heidelberg University (Ohio, USA) Bachelors Degree in Music
  • 1970-1971: Northwestern University, Evanston (Illinois, USA)

Employment Record

  • Olive-Hervey College (Chicago, USA)
  • 1971-1973: Makerere College School and Part-time Lecturer, Department of Music, Dance, and Drama
  • 1973-1975: Head of Music Department, National Teachers College, Kyambogo
  • 1975-1981: Lecturer, Department of Music, Dance, and Drama & Warden, Livingstone Hall
  • 1982-1986: Lecturer, School of Education
  • 1986-1988: Lecturer, Makerere University Department of Music, Dance, and Drama
  • 1989-1995: Principal, Bishop Willis Teacher’s College, Iganga
  • 1996-1997: Principal, Kabulasoke Teacher’s Training College
  • 1997-2003: Director, National Teacher’s College Mubende

Other Professional Accomplishments

  • Composer of the Makerere University Anthem and numerous other songs
  • Authored a proposal leading to the introduction of the Grade V Diploma Programme for Primary Teachers in Uganda, working closely with Mrs. Joyce Mpanga, former Minister of Education, and Mr. Eric Karuhije, Chief Inspector of Schools
  • Honorary Award recipient: “PHI Delta Kappa,” Northwestern University Chapter (A Professional Fraternity in Education)
  • Served as Chief Examiner (Music), East African Examinations Council
  • Served at the Public Service Commission during the tenure of the late Canon-Bikangaga
  • Served on Governing Councils of various educational institutions, including Mwiri Primary School, Iganga S.S., Buckley High School, and Kamuli Girls S.S.
  • Actively involved in programs that transformed teacher education in Uganda

After his retirement in 2003, he devoted himself to community development initiatives in Bufumba, Kamuli. He was deeply involved in Church administration, primarily within the Church of Uganda, and pursued agriculture with a special focus on fruit cultivation.

As part of Makerere University‘s 90th Anniversary Grand Finale celebrations on 3rd August 2013, Mr. Grace Wilson Mutekanga Igaga was recognized for his contribution to the university through the composition of its anthem. He received a standing ovation as he was presented with an award by the Chancellor, Professor George Mondo Kagonyera. He was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Frances Mutekanga, and other members of his family.

Hobbies

  • Avid reader
  • Film enthusiast
  • Passionate about gardening and flowers
  • Deep love for music, often singing at every opportunity
  • Valued laughter and happiness in life
  • Cherished time with friends and family, always knowing how to share love generously

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Remembering the late Mutekanga who composed Makerere University‘s Anthem

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Special Exam Results -Diploma in Performing Arts 2025/26

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The results for the 2025/2026 special entry examination for the Diploma in Performing Arts held on Saturday 17th May, 2025. Candidates who scored a final mark of 50% and above passed the Examination and have been recommended to the university’s Admissions Committee for consideration.

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Mature Age Scheme Exam Results for 2025/2026

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The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released full results for the Mature Age Entry Scheme Examinations for the Academic Year 2025/2026 held on Saturday 14th December, 2024.

The Candidates who scored a final mark of 50% and above passed the examination and have been recommended by the Pre-Entry & Mature Age Committee to the University’s Admissions Board for Consideration.

The Aptitude Exam  Results for 2025/2026 Academic Year released in February 2025 can be found here.

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Call for Application: 2025 SNRM session 4 Summer School

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Participants in focused group discussions. Leiden-Delft-Erasmus East Africa Research Network (LEARN) in collaboration with the Urban Action Lab at Makerere University a workshop to deliberate strategies for mitigating the impacts of climate change in urban centres in the East African Region, Theme: “Resilient Urban Futures: Adapting Livelihoods to Climate Change”, 4th-5th September 2024, School of Public Health Auditorium, Kampala Uganda.

Context:
Natural resources in Africa are being depleted at an alarming rate due to several factors, including unsustainable human activities, climate change, and population growth. A primary condition of sustainable development is to ensure that the pressures do not exceed the environmental limits, and that demand for the resources does not exceed levels that can be sustainably provided by nature. Therefore, there is a pressing need for transformative, systems-thinking approaches and tools that can tackle the diverse challenges facing these systems. In Africa, this need is compounded by a lack of data and monitoring, which significantly hinders sustainable decision-making.

Investing in young scientists who are committed to take lead in sustainable management of Africa’s natural resources is very important. Capacity building of young scientists will enhance their knowledge and skill on sustainable natural resources and their involvement for implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDG’s) in Africa. To this effect, SNRM summer schools have been implemented in three sessions in 2019, 2020, and 2022 with support from Volkswagen Foundation; to build a critical mass of skilled and competent young natural resource scientists in Africa through training, capacity building and mentorship. Session 4 (2025) will target competent young scientists (MSc and PhD students) in Africa and Germany to further develop their knowledge and skills in systems thinking, advanced data collection and analysis, and application of emerging digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), internet of things (IoT), and embracing transdisciplinary approaches. In addition, we include an ideation workshop where students can work on real problems to come up with solutions for sustainable transformations in natural resource use.

Organizers: Leibniz Universität – Hannover (Germany), University of Antananarivo, University of Abomey Calavi (Benin), Makerere University (Uganda), University of Ghana (Ghana), University of Parakou (Benin), The Technical University of Kenya, with financial support from the Volkswagen Foundation (Germany).

Venue and dates: Nairobi, Kenya, 16-28 November 2025

Target: MSc and PhD students, early in the program of less than 35 years of age from any university/research institution in either sub-Saharan Africa or Germany with an interest in natural resources management.

Participants and Scholarships: The course is fully funded and open to 20 MSc and PhD students from Africa, and 5 from Germany. Funding will cover the costs of air ticket, accommodation, meals, visa, and transportation. However, participants will cover the cost of their travel health insurance.

Topics

SNRM Summer School Session 4: Transformative pathways in biodiversity management and conservation.
This summer school is designed to deliver four modules over a two-week period. The modules are designed to enable the students to acquire new ways of designing data collection protocols and analysis for transformative sustainable natural resources management.

Module 4.1: Data collection I
Skills in data collection for a transformative and sustainable management of natural resources (water, wildlife, forest, land, livestock, crops) monitoring and data collection techniques; remote monitoring tools, earth observation system data, e.g. satellite data sources, LIDAR, and UAV aerial images. Collect and analyse In-situ data on biotic and abiotic parameters, map and analyse data using R or Google Earth Engine, field data collection and retrieving data from online databases.

Module 4.2 Data management and processing
Introduction to tools and methods of managing large and diverse data sets of natural resources such as time series, spatial, directional, and multivariate data. Practicals will include data storage, organization and conversion into various formats using databases such as PostgreSQL and statistical programming software such as R and Python; scripts.

Module 4.3 Ecological monitoring, modelling and management
This module aims to teach participants how to anticipate and validate trends that can be observed in various ecosystems. Lectures include ecological monitoring and its design; population monitoring studies; metrics in population monitoring; methods for monitoring and assessing marine ecosystems; human ecology to socio-ecological systems; climate change impact of ecosystems; suitability assessments; overview of the principles underlying wildlife monitoring and prediction systems for climate change adaptation. Practicals will include field data collection (individual and group); ecological data analysis using R or PAST; modelling and experiencing the behaviour of complex systems using Vensim.

Module 4.4 Natural habitat restoration ideation lab
This module is designed to spur students’ innovation and creativity, and to help students comprehensively identify interdependencies across the 17 SDG goals. Participants will be trained on ideation processes for solutions and intervention for transformative natural resource management. They will work collaboratively in small groups on case studies and develop pathways of transformative sustainable natural resource management. Examples of projects include forest (mangrove) ecosystem and habitat restoration, improved technologies for agricultural production, nature-based solutions for improving water quality, and reversing land degradation.

Language: The course will be delivered in English. Participants are expected to be fluent in writing and speaking the English language.

How to apply

Applicants are kindly requested to fill in the application form available from https://snrmafrica.com/ and submit the following documents in English through the system.

  • a curriculum vitae (maximum 2 pages)
  • a letter of motivation (maximum 1 page)
  • a confirmation of university enrolment
  • a reference letter from the academic supervisor
  • project summary of MSc/ PhD project (1 page including objectives, methodology
    and key findings or expected outcomes).

Important dates
Application deadline: 30th June 2025.
Announcement of accepted applicants: 15th August 2025.
Confirmation of attendance by selected participants: 12th Sept 2025.
Summer school held: 16 – 28 Nov 2025.

Further information is available from

The secretariat info@snrmafrica.com
Dr Lydia Olaka lydiaolaka@tukenya.ac.ke
Prof. Dr. Hartmut Stuetzel stuetzel@gem.uni-hannover.de

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