General
Makerere University Commended for strides in Grants Management
The Audit Manager in the Office of the Auditor General, Mr. William Ezama has commended Makerere University for improving grants management and reporting processes.
“Since the Grants Administration and Management Support Unit (GAMSU) came into existence, there is a significant improvement on how grants in the University are managed,” said Mr. Ezama during the Capacity Building Workshop held at Makerere University on Tuesday 10th December 2024.
Delivering a presentation on Financial Accountability and Auditing of Grant-Funded Projects in Higher Education Institutions in Uganda, Mr. Ezama emphasized the need to account for each public fund, indicating the value for money in terms of outputs/deliverables.
“Funding received through grants becomes public money. The Office of the Auditor General by law is mandated to conduct financial, value for money audits and other audits, in respect of any project or activity involving public funds,” he said.
Recounting earlier experiences before the establishment of GAMSU at Makerere University, Mr. Ezama noted that some Project Investigators had a tendency of personalizing funding received through grants.
“In the past, we encountered some cases where some grant holders would tend to personalize these grants because they wrote the proposals. However, this attitude is changing. I believe mainly because of sensititisation and capacity building programmes like the one that we are participating in. I wish to emphasize that when you receive grants/funds, it becomes public money,” he stated.
Mr. Ezama thanked GAMSU for organizing the capacity building workshop on Legal, Financial and Managerial Frameworks for Grant-Funded Projects in Higher Education Institutions. He noted that workshops of this nature provide a platform to the different stakeholders involved in grants management to engage and understand the expectations of the government, funding agencies, other entities and partners.
Underscoring the importance of GAMSU, Prof. Sylvia Antonia Nakimera Nannyonga-Tamusuza stated the availability of substantial funding opportunities globally and revealed the need for researchers to strategize and tap into those financial resources.
“I want to assure you that there is a lot of money out there in form of grants. We need to strategize and tap into that money. Makerere University established GAMSU in 2020 with the core mandate of supporting faculty and staff throughout the grant lifecycle. This includes identifying funding sources, planning and preparing proposals, facilitating administrative review processes, ensuring compliance, managing grant funds, and successfully closing projects,” she explained.
Drawing from the experiences that grants are not free, and, also grants being legally bound, Prof. Nannyonga-Tamusuza informed the participants that the capacity building workshop bringing on board the university leadership, researchers and staff was aimed at strengthening grant administration and management skills and knowledge to manage projects of this nature.
“This capacity building program is about improving our proposal writing and understanding the rules and guidelines of the different funders. We also want to strengthen our grants administration and management skills, equip ourselves with knowledge and competencies to write winning grants and be able to manage them with compliance,” she said.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe who was represented by Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi underscored the significant contribution of grant funding to the financial sustainability of the University.
Cognizant of the strategic focus to transform Makerere University into a research-led institution, the Vice Chancellor implored leaders, researchers and staff to work hand in hand with GAMSU to continue writing winning grant proposals to support research.
“It is a timely workshop because we have strategically decided that Makerere becomes a research-led university. When you want to be research-led, it means that the intensity of research definitely has to increase. Research funding is crucial. Grants provide access to funds for research,” said Prof. Nawangwe in a speech read by Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs).
Reflecting on the ever increasing demands on the government’s resource envelope, which affects the funding remitted to universities, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi implored researchers and staff to accelerate grant application processes to win funds for research. He also appealed to the participants to exercise the highest degree of transparency in grants management and project execution.
Contributing to the discussion, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), Prof. Henry Alinaitwe encouraged the participants to read the Grants Administration and Management Policy, as uploaded on the Makerere University policies website, in order to understand and appreciate the roles and expectations.
With specific reference to Section 9 (7, viii) of the Policy, Prof. Alinaitwe commended GAMSU for developing the database of all grants in the University.
On his part, the University Secretary Mr. Yusuf Kiranda, acknowledged the substantial contribution of research grants to Makerere University’s funding portfolio, which is supplemented by approximately $8 million annually.
Mr. Kiranda applauded the Government of Uganda for being the primary funder of Makerere University. He credited the government for the timely payment of staff salaries, utilities such as water and electricity, teaching and learning expenses, as well as supporting research through the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (MakRIF).
He called upon staff entrusted with financial resources to always be in position to provide value for money. “The government has changed to programme-specific budgeting, which necessitates the need for staff to provide value for money in the implementation of different university activities,” he said.
The University Secretary, who is also the Secretary to Council, stressed the need for compliance as stated in the different sections of the Grants Administration and Management Policy. He pointed out that the University Council will not approve remittance of funds to any project, that is not registered or reflected in the Grants Management system of the University.
Delivering a keynote speech, Ms Nana Oye Akuffo, a Grants Administrator at the University of Ghana, with over 22 years of experience in managing grants, shared that research is dynamic and not static, and encouraged researchers and grant writers to study the research environment and adapt to emerging trends while applying for grants as well as focusing on conducting research that creates a meaningful impact on society.
Ms Akuffo emphasized the need for capacity building trainings in research and grants application and management. “Let us train our faculty members because they are key people. These are the people who will go and look out for the funding and we will manage it for them,” she said.
She urged researchers applying for grants to prioritize attention to the do’s and don’ts, noting that ignoring these details often leads to unsuccessful applications.
She underlined the need for integrity, professionalism, transparency and proper accountability in the management of grants. To expound this point, she reminded the participants that the donor community is interlinked, and the news of mismanagement of funds from a particular funding agency/body, will be relayed to other funding agencies/bodies.
Noting that different funders have different financial requirements and guidelines, she advised the participants to always study the needs of each funder in detail.
Pointing out that during the grant application process, funders request for specific policies available at the University and/or in the country, she requested the participants to always take note of the list of the policies required, and submit them as per the guidelines.
At the university level, the keynote speaker advocated for regular stakeholder engagements to ensure that every staff involved in the grant process is on board, developing policies for research development, and undertaking monitoring and evaluation of policies for learning outcomes to guide the next course of action.
During the question and answer session moderated by Dr. Venny Nakazibwe, the participants gained a deeper understanding on the need for the Project Principal Investigators, faculty and support staff to work together in all the processes of grant management and execution. In addition, participants reached a consensus that the existing structures at Makerere University namely the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), GAMSU, and the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training should consolidate the efforts towards grants management, reporting and compliance.
Closing the half day workshop, Prof. Nannyonga-Tamusuza explained that GAMSU is working with the different units within the University to integrate the grants management system with the financial domain in order to track the entire process.
She stressed that compliance starts when the Principal Investigator or researcher reads the call for a grant, and decides to apply. She reported that during the grant application processes, a number of issues and documents are requested for, including mentioning the structures in place to assist in the execution of the grant, as well as staff or offices, and available university policies, among others.
Prof. Nannyonga-Tamusuza thanked the participants for dedicating valuable time to listen to the different presenters and the keynote speaker, and for actively participating in the discussions. She also thanked Ms Ritah Namisango for moderating the workshop.
General
Makerere Marks 2026 International Day of Persons with Disability – Lord Mayor Balimwezo Delivers Keynote
Makerere University celebrated the 2026 International Day of Persons with Disability, with a message mobilising stakeholders to transition from policy formulation to implementation under the theme, “From Legislation to Action: Strengthening Disability Inclusion through Effective Policy Implementation in Higher Education.”
Held on November 05 2026 at Makerere University – Main Hall, the event evaluated current legal frameworks on inclusivity, identified persistent enforcement gaps, and accelerated concrete measures that can safeguard the rights and accessibility of persons with disability across Uganda.
Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli the Dean of Students at Makerere University explained the reason for the event is to create increased awareness about the rights and needs of both students and staff with disabilities on campus.
She expressed that Makerere is intentional and decisive to the implementation of inclusive policies and practices.
“We have established a disability support center. This is a one-stop center for resources and services for both students and staff with disabilities, equipped with state-of-the-art assistive devices, to assist our students and staff with disability to integrate ably into the academic and social environment.”
She also noted that the University has provided caretakers, helpers, and sign language interpreters to students with disability. These are paid a salary, accommodated, and fed, and as well access university health services.
This shows effort that Makerere University is building for all abilities.
Lord Mayor Balimwezo’s Keynote Address
Delivering the keynote, His Worship Eng. Hon. Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo, the Lord Mayor for Kampala Capital City Authority started with a personal encounter of an accident that left him disabled. He appealed to fellow persons with disability, particularly the young people gathered at the event, to never consider themselves a burden to society. He added, “you are not a charity case. You are not less valuable because of your physical appearance. You are leaders, engineers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, artists, and public servants in the making.”
He encouraged them never to allow circumstances of birth or challenges encountered during life to determine the boundaries of their dreams. Confessing from his own situation he has had the privilege of standing on different platforms in Uganda and beyond, and his message has consistently been that persons with disability are equal, and capable of contributing to society.
To the University, Lord Mayor advised that every new building should be designed with universal accessibility in mind from the initial architectural drawings. He insisted that accessibility should never be an afterthought, requiring expensive modification.
Eng. Hon. Balimwezo encouraged management to continue strengthening partnership with development organisations and institutions committed to inclusive education. He commended partners like UNESCO, MasterCard Foundation and other partners and sincerely appreciated their contribution towards advancing inclusive education and expanding opportunities for young people with disabilities.
The Lord Mayor concluded by applauding all those that have benefited a person with a disability for he believes legacy is not how much money you have but rather how many lives you have changed. He made a call to action to each and everyone to make sure that we leave a legacy.
Chairperson of Makerere University Council represented by Rt. Hon. Daniel Fred Kidega, observed that the commemoration of this day by all persons present resonates well with Makerere’s enduring motto, ‘We build for the future.’
Building for the future means creating an inclusive university where everyone, regardless of disability, has equal opportunity to access education, participate and realise their full potential. He said we cannot genuinely claim to build for the future if members of our university community continue to encounter barriers to their full participation and learning ability.
He shared that as a globally recognised institution, Makerere will remain aligned with international commitments, particularly the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 4 which emphasises quality of education, SDG 10 which emphasises reduction in inequalities and SDG 16 inclusive and accountability institutions.
Hon. Kidega, appreciated university management for its continued support and the commitment to advancing disability inclusion at this great University.
Checking National Progress with Inclusion
Prof. Zahara Nampewo, Deputy Dean School of Law moderated discussions on the theme. She highlighted Uganda’s efforts in legislating for persons with Disability, she said in 2008, we took a step by ratifying the UN Convention on Persons with Disabilities. That was 18 years ago. And Uganda had also earlier, two years before in 2006, enacted a law, a statute on persons with disabilities. That says a lot about us as a country, that we are committed to inclusion.
Hon. Laura Kanushu, a legislator, representing persons with disabilities in the parliament of Uganda commented that as a country, if we were to rate where we are in terms of inclusion of persons with disability, we might be at 15%, and that’s because we have not fully implemented those laws and policies.
She held tight on this opinion saying Uganda is one of those countries that is very quick to ratify international treaties and later domesticate them. Hon. Kanushu clarified that domestication requires, domesticating in the laws, domestication in terms of policies and also representation at all levels. “However, as a country, we do ratify very fast, but we never plan for implementation.”
Choose and Spread Inclusion not Sympathy
Mr. Daniel Elaju, a master’s student, shared his perspective on what true inclusion requires, emphasising that the foundation of progress lies in shared experience. He stated that, “lessons come from living with a disability, but not just living with people with disability. Because once you live with a disability, even when you are not disabled, you can be able to understand what state of life we people with disability are in.”
Daniel challenged the audience to look beyond the basics of entry because access alone is not enough they are also looking at participation. He said, “you have given me access, am I able to participate?” He questioned the adequacy of current support, asking, “Even when you have given me access to participate, is there reasonable accommodation for me to do whatever I have been given as a role.
In agreement, Ryan Hopper, Head of Physiotherapy at Hope Speaks, said when it comes to disability inclusion, especially in higher education, it is more than just putting a ramp here and making a change there. It’s more than that. It’s a change in mindset that starts with everyone.”
“So instead of being reactive to these students that are coming in and they have a disability that is calling for extra support, let us become proactive.” For someone with a disability is still deserving of love and still a human being that needs to be cared for.
Hon. Shakirah Akello, the Minister of Students with Disabilities in the Student Guild alluded to a story of the late Mr. Kapere to challenge the audience’s perception of disability and inclusion. She said, “recently, we lost a prominent comedian, Mr. Kapere.”
Kapere (real name Yokana Mbuuse) was a prominent Ugandan Comedian and Actor, born with distinctive facial features and a hearing impairment.
Hon. Akello highlighted his ability to live a full, integrated life, stating, “this gentleman got married,” and adding that he was “able to be so friendly, social, and interacted with lots of people.”
She concluded the story by emphasising his legacy: “Late Kapere was a man that was known, married with three children, and yet he had disability.” This served as a prompt for the audience to consider the broader question, “do you think without us including and supporting persons with disabilities, there can be development?” The question remains.
Makerere’s Commitment to Creating a Safer Environment for Persons with Disability
The Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sarah Ssali revealed this day provides an opportunity not only to celebrate the achievements and contributions of persons with disability, but also to reflect on institutional responsibilities.
She shared a commitment on behalf of University management to support the shift from sympathy to structured transformation, and from charity to active agents in the life of persons with Disability. Dissecting the theme, Prof. Ssali encouraged us all to move beyond the mere existence of policies and legislation and demonstrate action that transforms the experiences of persons with disabilities at Makerere University, and beyond, as we have heard from the panel discussions.
Prof. Ssali concretised the Vice Chancellor’s message by highlighting that the call to make institutions and systems to work is not a call for persons with disabilities. It is a call for all of us. “As a University we reflect inclusion in the way, we teach, in the way we learn, conduct research, provide services, allocate resources, and govern the university.”
“Makerere University , remains dedicated to building an institution where excellence and inclusion reinforce each other on campus and also ensuring whatever – positive has happened in Makerere University happens in the world outside for inclusive settings,” Vice Chancellor pledged.
The commemoration ended with awards to stakeholders who have sacrificed to make a contribution to the welcome stay for persons with Disability at Makerere University and beyond.
General
Institutionalizing ORCID at Makerere University: Strengthening Researcher Identification, Visibility and Research Output Tracking
The Unit-Based ORCID Sensitization and System Capture of Researcher Identification Workshop was held on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, commencing at 9:00 a.m. at the Telepresence Centre, Senate Building, Makerere University. The workshop was facilitated by the Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU).
The workshop was opened by Prof. Robert Wamala – Director of the Directorate of Research, Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP). In his remarks, Prof. Wamala emphasised the importance of ORCID in strengthening researcher identification, improving the visibility and discoverability of Makerere University‘s research outputs, and ensuring accurate attribution of scholarly contributions.
Prof. Wamala highlighted the need to move beyond individual ORCID registration towards systematic institutional adoption, including the accurate capture and validation of researchers’ ORCID identifiers in relevant University information systems. He underscored the importance of coordinated implementation at unit level, recognising the critical roles of College Librarians, Library staff and the Directorate of Graduate Training in supporting ORCID adoption among academic staff, researchers and graduate students.
Prof. Wamala appreciated RENU for facilitating the engagement and encouraged participants to translate the knowledge gained into practical action within their respective units. The workshop marked an important step in Makerere University‘s efforts to strengthen researcher identification, improve research visibility and enhance the institutional management and tracking of scholarly outputs.
The opening session also featured remarks from the University Librarian Prof. Ruth Nalumaga and Dr. Cyprian Misinde, the Director of Quality Assurance, who underscored the importance of ORCID in strengthening research visibility, scholarly communication and institutional research information management. Their contributions highlighted the need for collaboration across the Library, Quality Assurance, Graduate Training and DRIP to support effective ORCID adoption and integration into University processes.
The workshop provided an opportunity to sensitise participants on ORCID and strengthen their capacity to support its adoption and system capture within their respective units. The participation of College Librarians, Library staff and the Directorate of Graduate Training was particularly strategic in supporting researchers and graduate students to establish and maintain their ORCID profiles.
The workshop was attended by College Librarians and Library Staff; Representatives from the Directorate of Graduate Training; Directorate of Quality Assurance and the Directorate of Research, Innovations and Partnerships. Their participation was intended to strengthen awareness, institutional coordination and practical support for ORCID adoption across the University.
The engagement, marked a collaborative step towards institutionalizing ORCID at Makerere University and strengthening the University’s capacity to identify, track and showcase its research contributions globally.
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