The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet K. Museveni (C) with the Chair Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara (3rd R), Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (2nd R), University Secretary, Mr. Yusuf Kiranda (R), Principal SoL, Prof. Christopher Mbazira (3rd L), Dep. Principal SoL, Dr. Ronald Naluwairo (L) and Dr. Maria Nassali (2nd L) after she laid the foundation stone for the construction of the School of Law New Building on 17th May 2022.
HON. JANET KATAAHA MUSEVENI TO OFFICIALLY OPEN THE SCHOOL OF LAW NEW BUILDING, THE RENOVATED LUMUMBA HALL, AND LAY THE FOUNDATION STONE FOR THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES BUILDING, 18TH DECEMBER 2024, 2:00P.M.
In line with her bid to improve the quality of education and student life, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni toured Makerere University on 29th January 2021 to gain first-hand information and experience on the state of teaching and learning facilities, student halls of residence including Lumumba Hall, Mary Stuart Hall, and Africa Hall and other critical infrastructure.
After the visit, The Minister of Education and Sports presented a paper to the Cabinet and rallied the Government of Uganda and the Parliament of Uganda to prioritize the renovation of student halls of residence at Makerere University.
Consequently, the infrastructural development plan, which is being implemented in a phased approach, has yielded positive results, with some of the construction and renovation works completed to-date.
Official Opening of the School of Law new building and the renovated Lumumba Hall:
On Wednesday 18th December 2024, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports is scheduled to officially open the new building for School of Law and the renovated Lumumba Hall, both generously funded by the Government of Uganda. Hon. Janet Museveni is expected to arrive at Makerere University at 2:00pm.
School of Law new building: We are delighted that Hon. Janet Museveni who officially laid the Foundation Stone on 17th May 2022 is returning to the Main Campus on 18th December 2024, to officially open the completed School of Law building. The construction works funded by the Government of Uganda to the tune of UGX 7.3 billion, have led to a magnificent three storeyed building, housing Lecture, tutorial and seminar rooms, a library, a moot court, offices, cafeteria, lactation room and other teaching and learning spaces. The works were undertaken by M/S CK Associates as the Contractor and Symbion as the Consultants.
Lumumba Hall: On 27th June 2023, the renovation works commenced, with the site being handed over to the Contractor-National Enterprise Corporation (NEC). The Government of Uganda funded the renovation work to the tune of UGX 9billion. The renovation works involved an overhaul aimed at restoring Lumumba Hall to its original beauty. It is important to note that Lumumba Hall has capacity to accommodate about 725 students.
“Lumumba Hall, which was built in the 1960s and officially opened in 1971 was the biggest Hall of Residence, but there had been no major renovation since the time it was constructed,” explained the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe while handing over the site to the Contractor on 27th June 2023.
Subsequently, on 26th July 2024, the Contractor (NEC) handed over the renovated Lumumba Hall to the Vice Chancellor. “Lumumba Hall has been restored. I thank NEC for the quality of work and high level of professionalism in the execution of the entire project,” said Prof. Nawangwe.
Mary Stuart Hall: In line with the schedule following the Government of Uganda’s commitment to funding the renovation of student halls of residence at Makerere University, on completion of the renovation works at Lumumba Hall, the Contractor-NEC, proceeded to Mary Stuart Hall. The Government of Uganda is funding the renovation of Mary Stuart Hall to the tune of UGX 10.5billion. The renovation works, which commenced on 31st May 2024 are on course.
Laying of the Foundation Stone for the proposed School of Graduate Studies building
Makerere University Strategic Plan highlights the transformation of the University into a research-led institution. This strategic direction re-affirms the commitment to graduate training as well as providing facilities and support services for graduate training.
To walk the talk, the University had to shift from the existing fragmented spaces for the graduate students for instance in the Main Library, Senate Building and in some Colleges, to finding a centralized home for graduate students, graduate training and support services.
We are pleased to report that through the advocacy and leadership of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, today, 18th December 2024, we are scheduled to witness the Laying of the Foundation Stone for the School of Graduate Studies building.
This building is a donation (in-kind) from the late Hasmukh Patel, who was an industrialist and Chairman of Tororo Cement. The Minister of Education and Sports and the University leadership held several strategic meetings regarding this donation with Mr. Hasmukh Patel before he passed away on 29th August 2024 after a short illness.
The family of the late Hasmukh Patel and Tororo Cement are implementing his wishes to construct the building that will house the School of Graduate Studies at Makerere University. May the good Lord continue to grant Patel’s soul eternal rest as his legacy lives on through the School of Graduate Studies building.
For details, please contact: Ms Ritah Namisango, Principal Public Relations Officer, Makerere University, on Email: pro@mak.ac.ug, and telephone number: +256 702944224.
The Board of the Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) led by the Chairperson, Prof. Mundia Muya on 14th October 2025 paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, Makerere University. The Board which is on a two-day exposure visit to the Research and Education Network of Uganda (RENU) was received by the Acting (Ag.) Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Prof. Sarah Ssali in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom.
The Chairperson was accompanied by Mr. Ronald Hatoongo and Mr. Stein Mkandawire, the Board Secretary and CEO of ZAMREN respectively, as well as RENU’s CEO-Mr. Nicholas Mbonimpa and RENUMESH Technologies CEO-Mr. Brian Masiga. In attendance were Mr. Samuel Mugabi-Director DICTS, Prof. Robert Wamala-Director Research, Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP), and Prof. Tonny Oyana-Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS).
Also present were; Prof. Paul Birevu Muyinda-Director Institute of Open, Distance and eLearning (IODeL), Dr. Godfrey Mayende-Deputy Director IODeL, Dr. Michael Walimbwa- College of Education and External Studies (CEES), Dr. Cathy Mbidde- Ag. Manager. Makerere University Innovation Pod, Ms. Eunice Rukundo-Deputy Chief-Public Relations and staff from the Office of the Vice Chancellor.
In her welcome remarks, Prof. Ssali thanked the ZAMREN Board for including the courtesy call on their Kampala itinerary and extended warm greetings from the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. She noted that Makerere as a founding member of RENU has enjoyed a mutually beneficial collaboration, that has benefited both staff and students in the form of supporting growing connectivity needs, as well as training, mentorship, and development of technical skills for both continuing students and graduates.
Prof. Sarah Ssali (R) presents an assortment of Mak Souvenirs to Prof. Mundia Muya (L).
Turning to the gist of the courtesy call, the Acting Vice Chancellor noted that the Makerere University through the Centre for Artificial Intelligence (MAK-AI) seeks to harness the transformative power of AI to address society’s most pressing challenges. “Projects undertaken by our Centre tackle real-world challenges in health, agriculture, languages, and beyond.”
Prof. Ssali nevertheless underscored the importance of upholding ethics in all AI undertakings “Mindful of global trends elsewhere, the work of the Makerere AI Centre is guided by the principles of Responsible AI, ensuring that systems are transparent, accountable, fair, and designed to benefit society.”
She therefore called upon the delegation to thoughtfully engage with the ideas presented during their visit with the aim of collectively exploring both institution can better equip staff and students to meaningfully make the most of this fast-evolving trend.
On behalf of the Board, Prof. Muya who is substantively the Vice Chancellor of the University of Zambia thanked Prof. Ssali and Members of Management present for according his delegation a warm reception to Makerere University, “one of Africa’s most distinguished centres of higher learning.
“Makerere University is not only a symbol of academic excellence but also a beacon of leadership in higher education on the African continent”, remarked Prof. Muya.
The Chairperson equally expressed the delegation’s keenness to understand how AI is being adopted, and how the academia is embracing the technology as an enabler of teaching and research. “At ZAMREN, we view digital transformation and AI integration as critical enablers of academic excellence, efficiency, and competitiveness across higher education institutions,” he remarked, adding that “We therefore look to Makerere University’s experience to draw practical lessons that can inform and inspire our efforts back home.”
Prof. Mundia Muya headed the ZAMREN delegation.
Turning to the lessons from Makerere in line with digital transformation and ICT, the Director DICTS shared that owing to the partnership with RENU, internet bandwidth, a vital enabler of AI transformation currently stands at 5 Gbps of monthly consumption, with plans to scale-up to 8 Gbps. He added that RENU has also facilitated Makerere’s access to Open Libraries, and Eduroam – a secure, encrypted Wi-Fi network across to staff and students freely access the internet across partner institutions in Uganda using their University emails.
Furthermore on the enablers of AI integration, Mr. Mugabi noted that in line with digitalization of institutional business process, the University Council took a bold step to develop all information systems in-house, a move that has reduced costs spent on offshore solutions, and hemorrhage of skills. He pointed to the introduction of open source solutions, and AI policy and global collaborations with corporations such as Google as additional enablers.
Addressing AI readiness, Prof. Tonny Oyana pointed out the need for the University of Zambia to start early, citing Makerere efforts which began as far back as 2007, when Dr. John Quinn joined the institution after his PhD. He added that Dr. Quinn together with other former staff from Makerere formed Sunbird AI, a thriving initiative creating practical systems for the benefit of community.
Prof. Oyana also pointed to AI initiatives that have attracted up to USD 5million from Google Awards, staff with specialized skills in the creation and development of sensor technologies, top notch students that win continental and global awards from companies such as Huawei, and active engagements with partners to produce solutions to enhance diagnosis of malaria, tuberculosis and cancer as some of areas that demonstrate Makerere’s AI readiness.
The meeting in session.
Addressing academic and research innovation, Prof. Robert Wamala pointed out that Makerere, in recognition that the institution cannot achieve its vision alone is intentional about seeking and nurturing mutually beneficial partnerships. Furthermore, he shared that Vice Chancellor’s Annual Research Excellence Awards reward and recognize the efforts of staff who have excelled in publication, teaching and winning grants.
The Director DRIP equally underscored the need for dissemination of research produced by staff and students, pointing out the annual research and innovation week as a flagship event for not only showcasing research but also forging meaningful partnerships with stakeholders. In line with technology transfer, Prof. Wamala said that the University through the Intellectual Property Management Office ensures that innovations developed by staff and students packaged for adoption by other individuals or organisations.
Addressing the use of technologies in academic work, Prof. Birevu noted that IODeL conducts capacity building in instructional design, online facilitation, use of AI in teaching and digital assessments. “We have also advised the University on ODeL and Distance Education strategies, for instance, we have developed a ten-year masterplan for distance education with support from the Korean Government to outline how Makerere University is going to integrate distance education within its offering” he added.
At the close of the deliberations the ZAMREN expressed sincere appreciation to the Ag. Vice Chancellor and Members of Management for the free sharing that pointed out a number of priorities.
The Academic Registrar, Makerere University informs all Head Teachers of Advanced Level (UACE) Schools with UNEB Centre Numbers that applications for admission to Public Universities and other Tertiary Institutions for 2026/2027 Academic Year for government sponsorship will be done electronically/online using the Academic Management Information System (ACMIS) from 15th October, 2025 to 31st December, 2025. The Public Universities include: (a) Makerere University (b) Makerere University Business School (c) Mbarara University of Science and Technology (d)Kyambogo University (e) Gulu University (f) Busitema University (g) Muni University (h) Kabale University (i) Lira University (j) Soroti University (k) Mountains ofthe Moon University
NB: The list of Other Tertiary Institutions is provided on the online application portal.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Getrude Basiima, who represented Mr. Hannington Ashaba, Director Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Ms. Basiima commended the Centre for its continued commitment to strengthening public investment management capacity across government institutions.
In her remarks, Ms. Basiima applauded the Centre for successfully hosting the Public Investment Management Conference held in August at Makerere University. The conference attracted key policymakers, development partners, and academics who deliberated on how to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and impact of public investments in Uganda.
She further shared exciting news that the Government of Uganda has secured funding from the World Bank to support the public investment management function. The PIM Centre, she announced, will be among the key beneficiaries of these funds — receiving support for the construction and acquisition of a permanent home to enhance its institutional sustainability and training capacity.
Reviewing the Centre’s quarterly performance, Ms. Basiima congratulated the team for successfully conducting three specialized trainings in the first quarter, reaching officials from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. These trainings continue to strengthen the technical competencies required for effective project preparation, appraisal, and implementation in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan.
The PIM Steering Committee in a meeting held at Emin Pasha Hotel
She encouraged the Centre to integrate climate change considerations into its future training programmes, noting that sustainable public investment must now account for environmental resilience and climate adaptation.
The centre team presented the proposed structure/ organogram, the financial performance of 2024/2025, research areas for 2025/2026 and the strategic plan for 2025 – 2030.
The Steering Committee reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the PIM Centre’s vision of becoming a regional leader in building capacity for efficient, transparent, and sustainable public investment management.