Business & Management

EfD-Mak Honored as Runners-Up in Policy Impact Award at 18th EfD AGM

Published

1 year ago

October 23, 2024

Uganda Team (L-R) Eng. Domnic Mucunguzi, Mr. Jordan Ssemwanga, Dr. Florence Lwiza Nsereko, Mr. Nathan Mununuzi, Dr. John Sseruyange, Dr. Nicholas Kilimani, Dr. Susan Kavuma, Mr. Gyaviira Ssewankambo and EfD-Uganda Head Prof. Edward Bbaale. 18th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the EfD network, held from October 3 to 6, 2024, at the Argyle Grand Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. — Uganda Team (L-R) Eng. Domnic Mucunguzi, Mr. Jordan Ssemwanga, Dr. Florence Lwiza Nsereko, Mr. Nathan Mununuzi, Dr. John Sseruyange, Dr. Nicholas Kilimani, Dr. Susan Kavuma, Mr. Gyaviira Ssewankambo and EfD-Uganda Head Prof. Edward Bbaale.

The Environment for Development (EfD) Uganda team, led by Prof. Edward Bbaale, has been
recognized as Runners-Up for the prestigious EfD Policy Impact Award 2024. Their impactful
paper, titled “Policy Options for Clean Cooking and Reduced Biomass Dependency,” earned
them a Certificate of Excellence during the 18^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the EfD
network, held from October 3 to 6, 2024, at the Argyle Grand Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

Organized by the EfD Global Hub at the University of Gothenburg and hosted by EfD-Kenya
Centre at the University of Nairobi, the AGM brought together researchers and policymakers
from across the world. The event celebrated the remarkable work being done to influence global environmental policies.

Representing Uganda, Prof. Bbaale was accompanied by Mr. Gyaviira Ssewankambo, EfD-
Mak’s Office Manager, and a team of researchers and collaborators. Among those present were
Dr. Peter Babyenda, Dr. Susan Kavuma, Dr. John Sseruyange, Dr. Nicholas Kilimani, Dr.
Florence Lwiza Nsereko, Mr. Jordan Ssemwanga, Mr. Nathan Mununuzi (Ministry of Water and
Environment), and Eng. Domnic Mucunguzi (Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and
Fisheries).

Insights from the Study

The award-winning study, led by Prof. Bbaale and his research fellows—Dr. Babyenda, Dr.
Sseruyange, and Dr. Kilimani—focused on “Promoting Inclusive Clean Energy Transition in
Uganda: Evidence, Challenges, and Policy Options.” The research explored perceptions of
cooking energy systems in Uganda, with an emphasis on the over-reliance on biomass,
particularly charcoal, as the primary energy source in low-income areas.

The study revealed key barriers to the clean energy transition, including fear of electricity and
liquid petroleum gas, weak public awareness, and insufficient regulatory frameworks. These
challenges have slowed the adoption of alternative energy solutions in Ugandan households.

Prof. Bbaale emphasized the need for stronger regulatory support and awareness to foster the
country’s energy transition: “The transition to cleaner energy requires overcoming public
misconceptions and improving regulatory systems to promote sustainable cooking solutions.”

Group Photo of the participants of the EfD 18th AGM in Nairobi. 18th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the EfD network, held from October 3 to 6, 2024, at the Argyle Grand Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. — *Group Photo of the participants of the EfD 18th AGM in Nairobi.*

See video clips interview with Edward Bbaale and Peter Babyenda – Courtesy of the EfD Global
Hub

Edward Bbaale:

https://play.gu.se/media/Edward%20Bbaale%20-
%20Sustainable%20energy%20transitions%20in%20Uganda%3A%20The%20role%20of%20En
ergy%20Efficiency/0_iaiqbcmq

Peter Babyenda:

https://play.gu.se/media/Peter%20Babyenda%20-%20Embracing%20clean%20cooking%20for%20greener%20Uganda/0_lhsexaky

EfD-Mak’s Growing Impact

Prof. Bbaale highlighted the value of the 18th AGM for fostering collaboration and growth
within the EfD network. “The EfD-Mak Centre appreciates the efforts of colleagues who
submitted proposals and papers, and we congratulate Dr. Lwiza and Dr. Kavuma for their
contributions. These proposals are vital to keeping the Centre running,” Bbaale noted.

A photo of the EfD policy impact award. 18th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the EfD network, held from October 3 to 6, 2024, at the Argyle Grand Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. — *A photo of the EfD policy impact award.*

Looking ahead, he encouraged further mobilization of research fellows, recommending the
appointment of collaborative leaders and co-leaders to enhance engagement and productivity
within the Centre. A full report on EfD Uganda’s participation at the AGM is attached.

The EfD-Mak Centre’s research has continued to make waves, including a recent presentation to Parliament in May 2024, where the team advocated for regulatory frameworks to support the transition to clean energy in Uganda.
(https://news.mak.ac.ug/2024/05/efd-takes-research-findings-to-parliament-advocates-for-
regulatory-and-policy-framework-to-support-transition-to-clean-energy-for-households/)

A full report on EfD Uganda’s participation at the NAIROBI 18^th EfD AGM may be accessed below.

Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer EfD Uganda

EfD-Uganda_Nairobi-Report Download

Up Next

CoBAMS Students Gain Hands-On Experience at Kingfisher Oil Field

Don't Miss

School of Business holds 4-day Doctoral colloquium

Business & Management

Cementing the Mak-UNISA partnership: Prof. Sarah Ssali meets Dr. Sizile Makola

Published

6 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Ritah Namisango

L-R: Associate Prof. Godfrey Akileng, Dean,School of Business, Visiting Scholar-Dr. Sizile Makola, DVCAA-Prof. Sarah Ssali, Ms. Agnes Sansa-PhD Student during the meeting on 13th April 2026.

On 13^th April 2026, Prof. Sarah Ssali, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) of Makerere University, hosted Dr. Sizile Makola, a Visiting Scholar and Senior Lecturer from the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Makerere University and the University of South Africa committed to partnership and collaboration through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Consequently, Dr. Makola, a researcher and an expert in human resource and business management is scheduled to spend two weeks at Makerere University, interacting with the leadership at different levels, researchers, students, as well as staff in the Department of Marketing and Management, School of Business under the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS).

Additionally, the visit accords Dr. Makola the golden opportunity to finalise her comparative studies with members of staff from the Department of Marketing and Management on behalf of Makerere University for the Ugandan context.

The meeting between the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Dr. Sizile Makola was attended by Associate Professor Godfrey Akileng-the Dean, School of Business, and Ms. Agnes Sansa from the Department of Marketing and Management.

Welcoming the Visiting Scholar, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) urged Dr. Makola to solidify the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both universities through academic exchanges and deepening scholarship on African-centred leadership.

Prof. Ssali shared a brief trajectory that has shaped Uganda’s workspace. She mentioned the critical role of three pillars that have fundamentally influenced the human resource development landscape in Uganda namely: Cultural practices, Structural Adjustment Programs (SAP), and Spirituality/Religion. She also acknowledged the distinct historical differences between Uganda and South Africa.

Dr. Makola’s discussion with the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) also featured the ongoing comparative study that Dr. Sizile Makola and Ms. Agnes Sansa are conducting in relation to how organizational and human resource management conditions shape the recognition and conversion of women leadership resilience in Uganda and South Africa.

The study is titled: Ubuntu/Obuntu Bulamu, Emotional Capital and Women’s Leadership Resilience: A Comparative Study Across Public and Private Sectors in South Africa and Uganda.

Impressed by the ongoing study, Prof. Ssali implored the visiting faculty-Dr. Sizile Makola to share with her the findings in due course.

Prof. Ssali expressed the readiness of the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) to work with the different units within Makerere University, and the University of South Africa, to support programmes aimed at strengthening collaboration, partnership, research, and internationalization.

On 10^th April 2026, Dr. Makola delivered a captivating guest lecture titled,Re-Imagining Human Resource Management in Africa, targeting undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing human resource management courses at Makerere University.

Emphasizing the need to integrate indigenous knowledge and organizational practice, Dr. Makola argued that researchers should theorize from African contexts, treat indigenous knowledge as a source of theory, use methodologies capturing moral, communal, and context-bound dimensions of work, and build concepts from African languages, values, and institutional histories.

She stressed the need for African-centered human resource management thinking, rather than just adding local case studies to Western frameworks. Dr. Makola’s argument was informed by limitations of Western human resource management frameworks, which assume autonomous individuals, formal institutions, and technical organizations, which are separate from family and community.

Related articles:

Mak CoBAMS Hosts UNISA’s Dr. Sizile Makola

Mak CoBAMS Hosts UNISA’s Dr. Sizile Makola

African Scholarship Must Theorize from Indigenous Knowledge to Build Contextually Grounded Leadership Systems,” Dr. Sizile Makola

“African Scholarship Must Theorize from Indigenous Knowledge to Build Contextually Grounded Leadership Systems,” Dr. Sizile Makola

Business & Management

Call For Applications: Student Mobility – University of Padova, Italy (Oct 2026-Jan 2027)

Published

2 days ago

April 14, 2026

Mak Editor

Group Photo of the trainers and trainees that took part in the workshop on multivariate statistics and time series analysis, held 11th-20th June 2024 between the School of Statistics and Planning, CoBAMS and University of Padova, Italy. Makerere University School of Statistics and Planning-University of Padova, Italy dynamic workshop on multivariate statistics and time series analysis, 11th to 20th June 2024, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Arising from an existing Memorandum of Understanding (until September 2028) between University of Padova, Italy (UniPd) and Makerere University (Mak), the two institutions partnered and will jointly implement the Bilateral Agreement for the mobility for students between 2026 and 2027. At Mak, the Departmental Flow Coordinator is Symon Peter Wandiembe (PhD) and the project Principal Investigator and Contact Person is Saint Kizito Omala (PhD), both of Department of Statistical Methods and Actuarial Science (DSMAS).

In this regard, the Department of Statistical Methods and Actuarial Science wishes to announce opportunities for student mobility to the Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padova, Italy for the Winter Semester, October 2026 – January 2027.

The selection process shall entail five-steps:

Step 1: Submission of documents by candidates for nomination, with an internal deadline of April 20^th, 2026, 05.00 p.m. (EAT) to allow for time to process nomination applications;
Step 2: Meeting of the Nomination Committee to review documents received from applicants;
Step 3: Submitting the list of nominated candidates, by April 30^th, 2026, to the International Projects and Mobility Office of the University of Padua, Italy;
Step 4: Eligibility check and communication to successful candidates by the International Projects and Mobility Office of the University of Padua, Italy; and
Step 5: Application for the Mobility opportunity by successful candidates.

Please see download for detailed call.

Inquiry

S.K. Omala via +256 772 491545 before April 20^th, 2026.

Advert Bilateral UniPd_Mak_Agreement_for Student Mobility Download

Business & Management

Mak CoBAMS Hosts UNISA’s Dr. Sizile Makola

Published

1 week ago

April 8, 2026

Ritah Namisango

L-R: Dr. Zaina Nakabuye, Dr. Jude Mugarura, Dr. Agnes Sansa, Dr. Sizile Makola, Prof Edward Bbaale and Dr. Anthony Tibaingana at the 8th April 2026 meeting in the Office of the Principal. Principal of the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Prof. Edward Bbaale welcomes Dr. Sizile Makola, a Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management from the University of South Africa (UNISA), to the College and Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa, 8th April 2026.

On Wednesday 8^th April 2026 the Principal of the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Prof. Edward Bbaale received and welcomed, Dr. Sizile Makola, a Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management from the University of South Africa (UNISA), to the College and Makerere University.

The interaction meeting held in the Office of the Principal brought onboard the following members of staff from the Department of Marketing and Management, School of Business: Dr. Jude Mugarura, Dr. Zaina Nakabuye, Dr. Agnes Sansa, and Dr. Anthony Tibaingana.

Dr.Sizile Makola is visiting Makerere University for two (2) weeks to cement the MoU between Makerere University and UNISA and to finalise her comparative studies with staff from the department of marketing and management on behalf of Makerere University for the Ugandan context.

Dr. Makola is scheduled to deliver an interactive guest lecture to undergraduate and postgraduate human resource management students on Friday 10^th April 2026 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm in the School of Business, Conference Hall.