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.
During the afternoon of September 21, 2026, Makerere University played host to regional discussions as students, academics, and government officials gathered to commemorate the International Day of Peace under the theme “Investing in Regional Peace and Trade for Shared Prosperity”.
The event organised by the Makerere University 92nd Guild Security Ministry in partnership with the Global Peace Guild, served as the official launch of the East African Peace and Trade Law Moot Court Competition. The idea was conceived as an annual event where the youth across East Africa will gather to deliberate on the nexus between regional peace and trade in fostering regional integration.
Acting Vice Chancellor (VC) of Makerere University Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga graced the event, welcomed the distinguished guests and set a reflective tone for the day.
Reminiscing about his old days the VC noted, “lecturers were the ones who used to come and talk about politics, economics, and law but somehow, somewhere, things never went well”. He appreciated the Students’ Guild, and all who were involved in organising the celebration and launch for a good job done.
Prof. Mugagga further encouraged students to look beyond the classroom, urging them to engage in critical debates in different sectors while emphasising that peace is a prerequisite for all development.
People anchor Trade – Keynote address
Representing the guest of honor who was the Minister of State for East African Community Affairs Hon. James Magode Ikuya, Dr. Andrew Musiime – Commissioner for Political Affairs, delivered a keynote address.
His entry was that you cannot talk about trade and not talk about people. Trade is done by people, and therefore as a Ministry, they facilitate free movement of people.
Dr. Musiime provided a comprehensive breakdown of the East African Community (EAC) as an intergovernmental organisation.
“So it is an intergovernmental organisation. Therefore, the governments remain with their constitution, the governments remain with their sovereignty, the governments remain with their national boundaries, the governments remain with their national laws, Musiime explained.”
He mentioned that the East African Community is anchored on the four pillars for integration that is the Customs Union, the Common Market, the Political Federation and Monetary Union.
Dr. Musiime equally challenged the students to move beyond theory, urging them to research the EAC treaty and actively participate in regional integration.
In a gesture of togetherness, he told the distinguished guests that the Ministry operates an open door policy for students and those interested in engaging can apply for opportunities across the Ministry’s various departments.
From UPE to the Halls of Parliament
The event also featured inspiring remarks from the National Female Youth Member of Parliament, Hon. Mercy Kanyesigye. Reflecting on her own journey from Universal Primary Education (UPE) to the halls of Parliament, she delivered a powerful message on peace and security.
In agreement with Prof. Muggaga, she linked the day’s theme to the practical realities of trade, noting that sustainable trade can not exist without peace.
“This moot competition is therefore not just academic exercise. It’s a training ground for the next generation of East African traders, lawyers, negotiators, judges, policy makers who will defend the spirit of our East African common market and our custom union”, Kanyesigye told the attendees.
92nd Guild Calls for Embracing Dialogue
Hon. Denis Mabirizi, the Minister of Security for the Makerere University 92nd Guild, underscored the event’s purpose by highlighting that peace is the foundation for justice, opportunity, and cooperation. He then called upon the student community to reject violence and intolerance, urging them to use dialogue and established leadership structures to address their concerns.
Mabirizi also emphasized that universities are not just centers of academic excellence, but places where the leaders of tomorrow are shaped.
“Universities are not only centers of academic excellence, they are also places where future leaders are shaped. The conversations we have, the values we promote, and the decisions we make today will influence the kind of society we create tomorrow. Peace begins with each one of us, Mabirizi noted.”
The Global Peace Guild Initiative
Mr. Joseph Micheal Tenywa, the founder and President of the Global Peace Guild, shared the vision behind the organization. He explained that the Global Peace Guild was born out of a desire to involve young people in the promotion of peace, trade, and regional integration.
“Global Peace Guild is an initiative born out of a desire to have young people get involved into the promotion of peace, trade, and regional integration.”
He reminded the audience that regional integration would only become a reality when young people actively participate in the market and hold policy makers accountable.
“As we commemorate the International Day of Peace, it’s an invitation for young people to get involved, not only in ensuring that there is no violence, but that we also put in place the conditions that take our strength, and these are our economic provisions, we call it trade.”
The launch of the East African Peace and Trade Law Moot Court Competition marks a significant milestone for the student community as it brings together academic rigor with a focus on regional policy.
International Day of Peace is observed globally on September 21, 2026, under the unified United Nations theme: “Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day”. The day emphasizes that achieving lasting peace requires continuous local action, shared civic responsibility, and strategic conflict mitigation to ensure long-term regional development.
Makerere University has urged female students admitted under the Makerere University Council Tuition and Functional Fees Waiver Scholarship for the 2026/27 academic year to take the opportunity seriously, focus on their academic performance, and stay alert about their personal safety.
The message was delivered during an orientation for the scholarship beneficiaries at the Senate Conference Hall, where officials from the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate welcomed the students and shared guidance on academic success, security, mentorship, and responsible social conduct.
The Chief Gender Mainstreaming Officer cautions students on safety and self-reliance
Dr. Euzobia Mugisha Baine, Chief Gender Mainstreaming Officer, congratulated the students on receiving the scholarship and urged them not to take it for granted.
She advised them to seek information from the relevant university offices instead of relying on assumptions or what fellow students tell them, and to keep records of official communication whenever they raise concerns or follow up on university matters.
Dr. Baine said students should take responsibility for their own security, warning them not to trust strangers easily and urging them to be careful about where they go and who they interact with.
She also reminded them that strong academic performance is required to keep the scholarship, and encouraged them to ask for help early whenever they face academic, social, or other challenges instead of waiting until the situation becomes harder to manage.
Students urged to aim for first-class results
The officers welcomed the students and encouraged them to put their studies first, urging them to aim for first-class academic results during their time at Makerere.
They advised them to use the academic support available to them, including help from course mates and any tutorials or mentoring offered within their colleges, and not to hesitate to seek assistance when they have concerns about their results or coursework.
The GMD team also spoke to scholars about personal safety, cautioning students against accepting help from strangers, including with luggage or transport, and referred to a recent incident in which a student’s belongings were stolen. She urged them to stay alert as they settled into university life.
Focus on academic foundations and safe social conduct
Other speakers, including Ms. Susan Mbabazi, who is the Principal Gender Officer, Ms. Abilat Lozirah, and Cynthia Ayaa Kamaketch emphasised the need to build a strong academic foundation from the start of the semester. They encouraged students to attend lectures regularly, read beyond classroom notes, use university resources such as internet access and the library, and develop steady study habits instead of waiting until exams are near.
They also warned students to be careful when meeting people they do not know well, advising them to hold academic discussions and social meetings in open, public spaces such as Freedom Square rather than in private rooms.
The students were also encouraged to seek mentorship from university staff and others who could guide them in their academic and career development, and to identify a mentor before leaving the orientation.
The orientation also pointed students to key university services and locations they should know, including the university health facilities, the Makerere Police Post, the Counselling and Guidance Centre, and places of worship on campus.
Speakers reminded the students that the scholarship gives them a chance to pursue their education at Makerere University, and that keeping it depends on their discipline, academic performance, and willingness to seek support when needed.
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