General
President Museveni Reopens Makerere’s Main Building, Installs Dr. Kiyonga as Chancellor
On 2nd October 2024, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni officially opened the re-constructed Makerere University’s iconic Main Building, and installed Dr. Crispus Kiyonga as the new Chancellor.
The event held at Makerere University’s Freedom Square, was presided over by President Museveni, the university’s Visitor, alongside First Lady, Hon Janet Kataaha Museveni, who is also the Minister of Education and Sports.
Several dignitaries attended the ceremony, including former Chancellors, Vice Chancellors, members of the University Council, administration, development partners, a delegation from the University of Bergen in Norway as well as alumni of Makerere University. The reopening of the main building comes four years after a disastrous fire that resulted from a short circuit destroyed the building in September 2020.
Speaking at the event, President Museveni congratulated the university for getting back the building which has been funded by the government of Uganda. He added that his initial concerns about the potential loss of student records, but he was relieved when he was reassured by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe that the records were safe.
“When this unfortunate incident happened, as Professor Nawangwe said, my main concern was the records of the students. For the building, we could construct a new one, and we have constructed it,” he said.
The reconstruction preserved the building’s historic exterior while modernizing the interior to enhance safety and accessibility. Traditional wooden floors were replaced with tiles and terrazzo, and pathways for persons with disabilities were added. The building also features more durable concrete walls, fire detection and fighting equipment, and a restored bell that rings every hour.
President Museveni also congratulated the university on appointing Dr. Crispus Kiyonga as Chancellor, succeeding Prof. Ezra Suruma. He praised Dr. Kiyonga as a longstanding and key figure in the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
“Secondly, I want to congratulate you on having a new chancellor, in the person of Dr. Crispus Kiyonga. He is an outstanding cadre and leader of the NRM. He is a member of the central executive committee and has been very active in our efforts since 1980 when we were involved with UPM, so I congratulate him and I congratulate the University,” The President said.
The President explained the fundamental role of some disciplines at Makerere University such as Food Science and Quantitative economics. He also underscored the relevance of science disciplines to national development.
Hon. Janet Museveni, the Minister of Education thanked President Museveni for his swift response when Makerere’s ivory tower was destroyed by the fire. She also commended the President for providing funds for the renovation of the students’ halls of residence.
“On behalf of the education sector, I thank you, Your Excellency, for your immediate directive to fund the restoration of the iconic building and other critical projects at Makerere including the students’ residences following a request from the University Council. Your timely intervention, Mr. President underscores your unwavering support for the higher education sector and Makerere University in particular,” she said.
Dr. Kiyonga expressed gratitude for his appointment and emphasized his commitment to strengthening ties between the university, government, and the broader community. He promised to work closely with Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nawangwe and other stakeholders to align Makerere University’s research with Uganda’s development agenda.
Mrs. Lorna Magara, the Chairperson of the University Council, thanked the government for funding several projects at Makerere, including the restoration of the main building, the construction of the new building for the Law School, and the renovation of halls of residence.
“The restoration of the main building strongly symbolizes the government’s commitment to investing in Makerere University and indeed the education sector. In addition to the main building, the government has generously funded several infrastructural projects including the construction of the School of Law new building, the school of dentistry, the renovation of Lumumba Hall, the wall around the university, and several others,” she said.
“We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the ministry of finance, planning and economic development for implementing the president’s directive and providing the necessary funding for these critical projects,” she said.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nawangwe, thanked the President for swiftly approving the release of funds for the restoration of the building after he had presented the case to the Cabinet.
He also highlighted that the basement of the restored building will be reserved for a museum, and the university hopes to host the Luweero War Memorial Museum in this space.
When Prof. Henry Alinaitwe and I, came to the Cabinet to explain the cause of the fire, you guided the Cabinet to immediately approve the release of the 21 billion shillings that were required to reconstruct the building. Your excellency and Mama Janet, this afternoon, we have just re-opened the reconstructed main building, and the building is entirely funded by the government of Uganda,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor also used the opportunity to request the President that the government provides Makerere University with a road maintenance unit under the National District Road Maintenance Program.
He explained that such a unit would allow engineering students to gain practical experience by maintaining university roads and those in nearby communities. This initiative, he added, would contribute to producing well-trained engineers who could strengthen the construction industry in Uganda.
“We wish to enhance the training of our engineers through advanced technical and business development skills so that they can compete with international firms. We therefore request for your support, Your Excellency to consider Makerere University in form of a district for the allocation of a road maintenance unit as part of the district road maintenance unit program,” he requested.
“With this unit we would be able to train our students by maintaining the university’s roads and the roads of the surrounding communities. The ultimate aim is to produce engineers who will build strong constructing firms for our country. I pray that this proposal is given consideration in the next financial year budget.”
In response, President Museveni welcomed the idea and offered his support, agreeing that it would provide valuable practical learning for Makerere’s students.
“Regarding the road unit, that is a very good idea, I will definitely support that so that you can have your own road unit to teach your engineers how to make roads and how to build practically. I totally agree with that,” President Museveni said.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated the Mastercard Foundation for the support extended to Makerere University when the Main Building was gutted by a fire. “I received the first international call, from Reeta Roy, President of the Mastercard Foundation, who in a very short statement said: We are going to support you with one million dollars to help you recover the student records. Indeed, the seed sown by the Mastercard Foundation has transformed Makerere into one of the most digitalised universities,” he said.
The Guild President, Lubega Vincent Nsamba acknowledged the President for providing funds for the reconstruction of the main building, but most importantly providing funds to renovate the different halls of residence.
“I thank you for the funds that have been contributed to the reconstruction of the main building, but most importantly and particularly to the renovation of halls of residence. They have completed Lumumba hall and they are now at Mary Stuart,” he said.
“We extend a vote of appreciation for recognizing that need and providing funds to cater for that. This has not only contributed to the welfare of the students, and has also improved their academic life on Campus,” he added.
By Moses Lutaaya
Makerere University has challenged its newly admitted PhD students to go beyond pursuing academic qualifications and become independent scholars capable of generating knowledge, solving societal problems and contributing to Africa’s transformation.
The call was made by the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Sarah Ssali, during the orientation of the 2026/2027 PhD cohort at Makerere University’s Main Hall in the Main Building on 10th August 2026.
Prof. Ssali told the new scholars that a PhD marks a fundamental shift from previous levels of education, requiring students to take greater responsibility for their academic progress rather than depending entirely on lecturers and supervisors.
“You will have to push yourself and also push your supervisor to move with you,” Prof. Ssali said, urging the students to take ownership of their doctoral journey.
She acknowledged that many PhD students have to balance their studies with employment, family responsibilities and community leadership, making doctoral training demanding. However, she urged them to remain focused on completing their programmes within the prescribed three, four or five years.
Prof. Ssali said Makerere expects its doctoral training to produce scholars who can create knowledge, challenge existing ideas and develop solutions to societal problems.
She encouraged the students to embrace ambiguity and become comfortable questioning what they already know, noting that doctoral education requires scholars to identify important questions, investigate them and generate answers that advance knowledge.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor also urged the students to develop interdisciplinary collaborations and scholarly networks rather than confining their research to their individual disciplines.
She said the success of doctoral education should not be measured merely by the number of dissertations completed or papers published, but by the extent to which research contributes to society.
With Africa facing complex challenges, including climate change, disease, population growth and development pressures, Prof. Ssali said PhD scholars have a responsibility to generate evidence that can influence policy, strengthen institutions and advance innovation.
She challenged each scholar to continually ask what problem their research addresses, what solution it advances and whether that solution can create sustainable value.
The Director of Graduate Training, Prof. Julius Kikooma, said the new cohort was joining Makerere at a time when the University is implementing reforms aimed at strengthening graduate education and improving completion rates.
Prof. Kikooma revealed that Makerere received close to 12,000 applications across its master’s, postgraduate and PhD programmes but admitted about 6,000 students.
He said graduate education has been placed at the centre of the University’s efforts to strengthen research capacity and prepare scholars to contribute to knowledge production and innovation.
Under the reforms, PhD students will undertake compulsory cross-cutting courses designed to provide foundational knowledge and skills for doctoral research. They will also be required to undertake teaching in either their second or third year under the guidance of their supervisors.
In addition to completing their theses, students will be required to produce at least two publications before graduation, a requirement intended to prepare them to become the next generation of researchers, innovators, inventors and creators.
Makerere has also introduced a digital system to monitor the progress of every PhD student each semester. The system is intended to enable students, supervisors and university officials to identify challenges early and intervene in real time.
Prof. Kikooma urged the scholars to write regularly, think critically, maintain open and constructive relationships with their supervisors and protect their academic integrity and professional reputation.
He also encouraged them to build scholarly networks and remain resilient, noting that rejected papers, disappointing data and unexpected challenges are normal aspects of doctoral training.
The Director of Research, Innovations and Partnerships, Prof. Robert Wamala, challenged the scholars to ensure that the knowledge they produce is trustworthy, responsible and ethically sound.
Prof. Wamala emphasized the importance of respecting the dignity, rights, safety and autonomy of research participants, particularly where studies involve individuals, communities and personal information.
He highlighted informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, justice and accountability as critical principles of ethical research and urged students to maintain transparency throughout the research process, from developing research questions and collecting data to analyzing and reporting findings.
Prof. Wamala also cautioned the students on the responsible use of artificial intelligence in research.
He said although AI can assist researchers with activities such as language improvement, it does not remove the researcher’s responsibility for the final product.
Researchers, he said, must verify AI-generated information and remain accountable for inaccurate statements, misleading interpretations and incorrect references.
He further urged students involved in international and other research collaborations to establish clear agreements on roles, authorship, data ownership, access and intellectual property before commencing their research.
The Deputy University Librarian, Dr. Kizito Ongaya, meanwhile, urged the new scholars to make full use of Makerere’s library and information resources throughout their doctoral journey.
Dr. Ongaya said the University operates a hybrid library system combining physical and electronic resources, with more than 200,000 books, 45 e-journal databases and over 16,000 archival materials available to researchers.
He encouraged the students to participate in library training to learn how to access and effectively use electronic resources and to explore specialized libraries and information centers across the University’s colleges.
These include resources covering natural sciences, agriculture, veterinary medicine, health sciences, education and humanities, as well as museums, botanical gardens, specialized collections and other research facilities.
The newly admitted doctoral students were also addressed by Mr. Henry Nsubuga, the Manager Makerere University Counselling and Guidance Centre, Mr. George Mugabi Turyamureeba, the Deputy University Bursar and members of Makerere University Convocation.
Makerere University has once again cemented its place as a regional leader in academic excellence after successfully hosting the East African Universities Debate Championships (EAUDC) 2026, welcoming the continent’s brightest young minds for a week of intellectual competition, cultural exchange, and leadership development.
Held from 26th July to 1st August 2026, the championship brought together more than 200 student debaters, adjudicators and delegates from 25 universities across Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and other invited institutions, transforming the Ivory Tower into East Africa’s premier arena for ideas, innovation and public discourse.
The week-long tournament featured rigorous British Parliamentary debate rounds, public speaking competitions, adjudication workshops and networking sessions designed to sharpen critical thinking, leadership and persuasive communication. Participants debated contemporary issues ranging from governance and economic transformation to technology, public health, climate change and Africa’s future.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Deputy Vice Chancellor welcomed delegates to Makerere University, emphasizing the institution’s enduring commitment to nurturing graduates who are not only academically accomplished but also capable of leading meaningful conversations that shape society. The championship reflected Makerere’s vision of producing graduates who are innovative, analytical and prepared to address regional and global challenges.
Beyond competition, EAUDC 2026 became a celebration of East African unity. Delegates experienced Uganda’s rich cultural heritage through social events, campus tours and cultural showcases that fostered friendships beyond national borders. The interactions reinforced the championship’s belief that dialogue remains one of the strongest foundations for regional integration and peaceful cooperation.
The tournament concluded with an electrifying Grand Finale witnessed by students, alumni, university leaders, invited guests and debate enthusiasts. The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Sports Hon. Eng. Cuthbert Abigaba represented the Speaker of Parliament as the Guest of Honour. In his remarks he congratulated Makerere University on the successful event and encouraged debate among students.
Prof Sarah Ssali the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs at Makerere University pledged continuous support from the administration towards Makerere Debate Union. Teams demonstrated exceptional research, analytical reasoning and eloquence before a distinguished panel of international adjudicators, bringing to a close one of the most competitive editions of the championship.
The successful hosting of EAUDC 2026 marks another milestone in Makerere University‘s growing reputation as a centre of excellence for debating and public speaking. The event builds on the university’s long-standing tradition of producing outstanding debaters while providing students with opportunities to engage with peers from across the region in meaningful intellectual exchange.
As the championship drew to a close, participants departed Kampala with new friendships, stronger networks and renewed inspiration to continue using debate as a tool for leadership, democratic participation and social transformation.
With the East African chapter successfully concluded, attention now turns to the Pan-African Universities Debating Championship (PAUDC) 2026, where Makerere University will once again represent East Africa on the continental stage.
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