General
JNLC Hosts Youth Leadership Training for Secondary School Student Leaders
The Julius Nyerere Leadership Center (JNLC) recently concluded a transformative three-day Youth Leadership Training program for secondary school student leaders. Held at Makerere University, the program brought together young leaders from six schools to build leadership competencies and instill core values inspired by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere’s principles.
Facilitators and Participating Schools
The program featured renowned facilitators, including Dr. Gardner Rwakiseta, Mr. David Nyaribi, Mr. Henry Kasacca, Mr. Saazi Ronald, Ms. Allen Baguma, Ivan Sabastian Ssegawa and Ms. Gloria Jombwe. The schools represented at the training included Kitante Hill School, Taibah International School, St. Mary’s College Kisubi, Luzira Secondary School, King’s College Budo, and Makerere College School. Each school sent a delegation of at least five student leaders, such as head prefects, speakers, and other prefects.
Program Highlights
Over the course of three days, participants engaged in interactive sessions on decision-making, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and servant leadership. These sessions were designed to challenge the students while cultivating a mindset centered on integrity, purpose-driven leadership, and service to others.
Widening the Scope of Leadership Training
Dr. Nansozi Muwanga, Executive Director of the JNLC, emphasized the Center’s mission to groom young leaders for societal transformation. “Since our inception, we have trained university leaders from across Uganda and received positive feedback. This success motivated us to extend our training to secondary schools,” she said. The initiative reflects the values of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, including Pan-Africanism, accountability, and transparency.
Dr. Muwanga highlighted that this program was a pilot initiative aimed at assessing its effectiveness in secondary schools. “After three years of training university student leaders and supporting Makerere University during guild leader inductions, we felt it was time to cascade these efforts to younger students,” she explained.
JNLC’s Legacy and Objectives
Founded in 2018 on the initiative of His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the JNLC aims to honor and preserve Mwalimu Julius Nyerere’s legacy. The center focuses on:
- Conducting policy-relevant research to bridge gaps between academia and practical policies.
- Fostering cross-generational dialogues on African history, Pan-Africanism, peace and security, and revolutionary movements.
- Training youth and emerging leaders.
Dr. Muwanga emphasized the importance of equipping young leaders with moral integrity and a service-oriented mindset. “Our youth program addresses leadership skill gaps while integrating emerging issues such as social media, digital literacy, mental health and well-being,” she said.
Empowering Young Leaders
With 78% of Uganda’s population under 30, the center’s programs aim to prepare young people to drive national progress. “You are not only the leaders of tomorrow but the influencers of today,” Dr. Muwanga told participants. She underscored the importance of ethical leadership, which fosters teamwork and reduces corruption.
Ms. Gloria Jombwe highlighted the inclusion of topics like financial literacy and emotional intelligence in the training to ensure holistic development. “Leadership intersects with various life spheres, and understanding these connections helps leaders to serve effectively,” she said.
Insights on Leadership and Resilience
During his session, Dr. Gardner Rwakiseta stressed resilience as a key leadership trait. The need for resilience is key regardless of the situation that you are going through. “As a leader you need to be resilient, but how do you build resilience so that you maneuver the storm? One, you need to have values that are aiming for success, and then equip yourself with the skills to accompany your values,” he guided. In sum, “resilience equips leaders to navigate challenges effectively. It stems from strong values and practical skills,” he noted, drawing inspiration from President Museveni’s steadfastness in the face of criticism and ridicule on social media.
Mr. Ssazi Ronald encouraged participants to adopt servant leadership. “True leaders focus on lifting others. Leadership is not about self-interest but about guiding people toward collective success,” he said. He also disclosed plans to expand the program to more schools in future editions, aiming to create ambassadors within participating schools.
Reflections from Participants
Tabitha Nakayenze, Head Prefect of Luzira Secondary School, expressed a renewed commitment to servant leadership. “This training has inspired me to prioritize the needs of others, just as Mwalimu Nyerere did. I hope to demonstrate unity and equality in my leadership,” she shared. She believes many leaders today are self-centered, which hinders service delivery, but, trainings like this inspire young people to emulate leaders like Mwalimu Nyerere, who prioritized the greater good.
“Before coming here, I only knew Nyerere as the first president of Tanzania, and one of the people who fought for freedom of other people. Today, I have learnt many things about Julius Nyerere including the principles of pan Africanism, equality, and unity, and I hope to demonstrate these to my fellows,” she said.
Goodluck Kia Omondi echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the significance of servant leadership. “Learning about Nyerere’s life has taught me that leadership is about service. This training has been eye-opening,” he said.
“I am delighted to be part of this training. When you get exposed to Mwalimu Nyerere’s life, you see a person who dedicated his life to impact other people’s life through servant leadership. From the training so far, I have learnt that leadership is about service to others. Many people who get to office are self-centered, but I have realized that service is key to leadership,” Omondi said.
Mwalimu Julius Nyerere: A Brief Legacy
Born on April 13, 1922, in Tanganyika (modern-day Tanzania), Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a teacher and Pan-Africanist who later became the first President of the United Republic of Tanzania. Educated at Makerere College in Uganda and the University of Edinburgh, he championed values of equality, unity, and freedom. His leadership principles continue to inspire generations across Africa.
The JNLC’s Youth Leadership Training for secondary school leaders marks a significant step in nurturing ethical and capable young leaders to shape future policies in their schools and communities and later in Uganda and beyond.
Makerere University on 1st August 2025, the eve of the first year students’ arrival on Campus, held the 2nd Prayer Breakfast aimed at reiterating that staff service at the institution is a calling to pursue excellence and purpose under God.. Hosted in the St. Francis Chapel gardens, the meeting was presided over by Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta who represented both the Chairperson of Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. The day’s message “Integrating Faith, Learning and Service” was delivered by Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi, former Vice Chancellor of Uganda Christian University who also served as Makerere staff member between 1978 and 1987.
“This is a very good initiative” remarked Prof. Ireeta as he began his remarks, noting that the University’s enjoyment of a strike-free academic year 2024/2025 could perhaps be attributed to having commenced it with prayer. He expressed the Chairperson of Council’s and Vice Chancellor’s apologies, whom he noted would have loved to attend the 2nd Prayer Breakfast as they did the 1st but were unfortunately caught up in other meetings and official travel respectively.
“As we gather today, let us reflect on our shared purpose and values in this University and may this time of prayer and fellowship inspire us to make a positive impact in our work and community” Prof. Ireeta urged, noting that it was important to exercise compassion, wisdom and kindness as staff worked with the youth who are constantly bombarded with information from social media and other sources.
Prof. Ireeta therefore urged staff to always listen to diverse perspectives and work together to achieve the institution’s goals. He reiterated the University Management’s support to the Dean of Students, Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli and the Chaplains who report to her, “We shall continue supporting you in all you do”.
“We are weak but God is strong” remarked the Chaplain St. Francis, Rev. Dr. Lydia Nsaale Kitayimbwa as a rejoinder to Prof. Ireeta’s remarks. “This is a demonstration that truly we need the strength of God – we cannot start this academic year without the divine hand of God.”
She went on to say that when we do not pray, we boldly declare that we do not need God’s divine guidance, “but in coming here today, we are boldly proclaiming that we need divine guidance, so thank you all for coming.”
Introducing the day’s speaker, Rev. Canon Dr. Senyonyi, the Chaplain admitted that she did not know any speaker who was better placed to address the topic, given his vast experience as an academician, theologian and university administrator. She added that the speaker in his exemplary style had come along with his wife, Canon Dr. Ruth Senyonyi, a lay Canon of the Diocese of Kampala, under whose jurisdiction St. Francis Chapel falls.
Commencing his address, Rev. Canon Dr. Senyonyi shared that he had an issue with the framing of the day’s topic, particularly the word “integrating” for it made it seem as if God, the author of faith and creator of heaven and earth was separate from the quest to “learn” about the very things he created and “service”, the act of people providing stewardship over the God-given talents, abilities and His creation. Referring to the theme scripture, Ephesians 4:10-12, he singled out three important conclusions to dwell on.
“And those are simply; 1) the sovereignty of the ascended Jesus Christ, 2) Jesus is the giver of every ability, talent, skill, gift, whatever you may call it, even your education, and 3) Jesus equips whosoever He calls for service to others” he remarked.
Rev. Canon. Dr. Senyonyi further broke the conclusions down by noting that 1) Jesus is placed above all things and as such is sovereign over everything as further illustrated by scriptures; Mathew 28:18 – all authority in heaven and on earth (including academia) has been given to Him, John 1:1-5 – all things were made through Him and without Him was not anything made that was made, and Colossians 1:15-19 – by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth and for Him (including education and work). “If Jesus is sovereign, then our work in the universe, our education enterprise is a mission and that mission must be submissive to the mission of our sovereign.”
Proceeding to no 2) Jesus is the giver of every ability, and citing his personal experience, Rev. Canon Dr. Senyonyi said, “I left the teaching with this University because God was calling me to be an evangelist but I cannot say God gave me the gift of evangelism, that’s a mistake; that’s not how the scripture reads.” He added that the problem facing most people today is the tendency to think that everything is about them, and not recognizing that Jesus is the giver of the very things they call their own.
Turning to scriptures, Exodus 36:1 and Exodus 28:3 he explained that the craftsmen that Moses relied on to build the tabernacle and furnishings for His Temple were only able to excel because they were equipped by God. “In other words, what they had was a talent that God Himself gave… when we focus elsewhere, we forget what God has given us to… and your training is intended to be a gift to others.”
Rev. Canon Dr. Senyonyi then concluded with no 3) Jesus equips whosoever He calls for service to others, emphasizing the latter bit, the need to use all we are and have for the benefit of others. “If students are reporting tomorrow what are we going to do?” he challenged. “Are we going to facilitate soft landing or are we going to facilitate anger in their hearts?” he further pondered.
“If all of us are giving, if all of us are taking our faith where it should be, if all of us are showing the way, if all of us are ambassadors of Christ where we are, then everybody receives” the day’s speaker encouraged. “So your work is to equip the students until they graduate” he summed up, adding that one of the greatest joys is encountering former students whose faces light up with excitement when they see you.
The 2nd Prayer Breakfast would have been incomplete without prayer sessions, some of which were led by the Heads of the Joint Staff Fellowship Dr. Eve Nabulya and Mr. Moses Oluka. The final blessing was delivered by the day’s speaker Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi.
The Chairperson and Members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Board of the Higher Education Council on Tuesday 29th July 2025 paid a courtesy visit to Makerere University following the 5th Meeting of the IGAD Universities Forum held in Kampala from 28th to 29th July. The delegation was received by the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Edward Bbaale in the presence of Dr. Muhammad Kiggundu Musoke, Makerere University’s representative to IGAD.
In his welcome remarks, Prof. Bbaale on behalf of the Vice Chancellor and the University Management thanked the delegation for including a visit to Makerere on their Kampala itinerary, “It is an honour and privilege to host you here today,” he remarked. He equally thanked Dr. Kiggundu Musoke for representing the University on IGAD and facilitating the visit.
Prof. Bbaale acknowledged that IGAD continues to play a critical role in fostering regional cooperation, peacebuilding, and sustainable development in the Greater Horn of Africa. “The inclusion of higher education in IGAD’s strategic priorities speaks volumes about the importance you attach to knowledge, skills, and research as tools for transforming societies,” he supplemented.
The Acting DVCAA reiterated that Makerere University takes great pride in her IGAD membership, as well as the collaborative research partnerships, capacity-building initiatives, and policy dialogues that seek to harmonise and strengthen higher education in the region undertaken therein. He equally lauded the participation of regional Vice Chancellors and Senior Academic Leaders in IGAD’s activities, “Your presence affirms our collective resolve to build stronger institutions and knowledge systems that respond to the developmental needs of our communities.”
He noted that Makerere in pursuit of her strategic research-led agenda takes cognizance of the importance of partnerships at regional and international levels and urged the leaders present to nurture them. “We need to build a strong academic and research network so that we have seamless flow staff and students on the African continent,” adding that “We hope this visit will further deepen the bonds between our institutions and inspire new opportunities for collaboration in teaching, research, innovation, and regional integration.”
Dr. Kebede Kassa Tsegaye, the IGAD Senior Coordinator of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Program expressed delight at visiting Makerere, noting that the University and Republic of Uganda are strategic and extremely valuable partners of the regional body.
In her remarks, Dr. Victoria Anib Majur the Head, IGAD Health and Social Development Division thanked Makerere and other regional universities for promoting mobility among learners by endorsing the implementation of the IGAD Regional Qualifications Framework (IGADQF). “It is our pleasure that your institution and all other partner institutions in the region are joining IGAD in fulfilling the mission of regional integration through skills development and through qualifications.”
She reiterated IGAD’s commitment to push for; excellence in education, inclusivity of gender and persons with disabilities, and promotion of skills that will prepare learners, especially refugees, returnees, and those from host communities in the IGAD region for the marketplace. The IGAD Secretariat is hosted by the Republic of Djibouti and region covers the host country-Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
-
General3 days agoAdmission Lists for Postgraduate Programmes 2025/26
-
Natural Sciences1 week agoBeyond Being a Dean of Science & Vice Chancellor Emeritus, Prof. Luboobi was a Friend. Just That!
-
Education1 week agoMak CEES wins Grant to Champion Competence-Based Education in Africa
-
General1 week agoNEC Hands Over Refurbished Mary Stuart Hall to Mak
-
General1 week agoIDI Launches Africa’s Largest Campus-Based 384KWp Solar System