Natural Sciences
75th Graduation Ceremony: CoNAS Presents Best Performing Student in the Sciences
Published
7 months agoon

Makerere University Convocation has honored Mubiru Enock Joel with an award in recognition of his outstanding academic performance. Mubiru, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics, scored a CGPA of 4.91, making him the best student in the sciences at Makerere University this year. The award, which included a plaque and a cheque of UGX1 million, was presented to him by the Chair of the Convocation on January 14, 2025, the second day of the 75th graduation ceremony.

Overall, the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS) presented 310 students for the award of degrees of Makerere University at the 75th graduation ceremony. Of these, 14 graduated with PhD (5 female 9 male), 36 MSc (10 female and 26 male) and 260 BSc (113 female and 147 male).
In the course of the 75th graduation ceremony that started on 13th January and will end on 17th January 2025, a total of 13,662 graduands will receive degrees and diplomas of Makerere University.
Of these, 143 will graduate with PhDs, 1,813 with Masters degrees, 11,454 with Bachelor’s degrees and 243 with postgraduate diplomas. 53 % of the graduands are female and 47% are male. 44% of the PhD graduands are female. A total of 491 graduands will receive first class degrees. 16% of the students will be graduating with post-graduate degrees and diplomas.

Chancellor’s Address
In his address, Makerere University Chancellor Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga congratulated the graduands on their success and expressed appreciation for the support provided by the lecturers, administrators, parents, and guardians. He emphasized that the success of the university is a collective effort, appreciating the faculty and University Council for their critical roles in delivering quality education.
Dr. Kiyonga also extended his gratitude to the President of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni, and the NRM government for their invaluable financial support to Makerere University. The Government has so far allocated UGX30 billion to Makerere University through the Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF).

Looking to the future, Dr. Kiyonga encouraged the University to increase its outreach programmes, particularly in the agricultural sector. He proposed collaborations with medium- to large-scale farmers, where students could gain hands-on experience while also assisting farmers in local communities. He also advocated for stronger partnerships with the private sector to support the commercialization of innovations emerging from Makerere University.
Furthermore, the Chancellor highlighted the President’s directive to teach Political Economy to all university students. He stressed the importance of transforming Africa through the strategic utilization of its resources and emphasized the value of political economy knowledge in this process.

Vice Chancellor’s Address
In his remarks, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe congratulated the graduands and expressed deep appreciation for the unwavering commitment of the teaching staff, administrators, parents, and guardians. He also welcomed the Chancellor, Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga, emphasizing that his vast experience would be an asset to the institution.
Prof. Nawangwe acknowledged the College of Natural Sciences for providing foundational training for all the other science-based disciplines at the University. He also commended the College for its ground-breaking research and contribution to the development of mathematics in the region. “The College of Natural Sciences is unique because it handles all the foundation disciplines for all the other science-based disciplines. But apart from the basic sciences, the College provides training and conducts research in critical applied science disciplines, including geology and petroleum studies, industrial chemistry, and others. The College is central in the development of mathematics in the East and Central Africa region and it has also taken the initiative to investigate the problem of poor performance in biology by secondary school students,” the Vice Chancellor noted.
He encouraged the graduands to seize every opportunity and to consider starting their own enterprises, using the knowledge and skills they have acquired during their studies. “Do not despair if you cannot find employment. Instead, reflect on the immense opportunities around you and consider entrepreneurship as a path to success,” he urged.


Message from the Minister of Education and Sports
On behalf of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, the Minister of State for Primary Education, Hon. Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, congratulated the graduates and thanked the university for its commitment to excellence in education and research. She emphasized the transformative power of higher education and praised Makerere University for its contribution to the nation’s development.
She also expressed gratitude to the parents and guardians, acknowledging their critical role in the success of the students. “Your support has played an integral part in making this achievement possible,” she said.

Commencement lecture by Prof. Puleng LenkaBula
In her commencement lecture, Prof. Puleng LenkaBula, Vice Chancellor of the University of South Africa, expressed gratitude for the support that Makerere University and Uganda provided in the fight against apartheid. She encouraged the graduands to use the knowledge acquired to address the continent’s challenges, particularly in the transformation of Africa and the empowerment of women. Prof. LenkaBula called for greater collaboration among African intellectuals to create a better future for the continent, particularly through research that directly benefits communities.



Research Excellence and Teacher Recognition
At the ceremony, Makerere University recognized outstanding researchers and educators from CoNAS. The Senior Researcher Award was presented to Assoc. Prof. Juma Kasozi (Department of Mathematics), Assoc. Prof. Charles Masembe (Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences), and Dr. Jamilu Ssenku (Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology). The Mid-Career Researcher Award went to Dr. Julius Mulindwa (Department of Biochemistry), Dr. Patience Tugume (Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology), and Dr. Patrick Ssebugere (Department of Chemistry), while Dr. Omara Timothy (Department of Chemistry), Dr. Mukiibi Ssewannyaga Ivan (Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies), and Dr. Sadik Mustafa Abubakar (Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology) were recognized as the best Early Career Researchers. In addition, Prof. Ann Akol (Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences), Dr. Sadik Mustafa Abubakar, and Dr. Kalega Peggy (Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies) were honoured as the best teachers of the year from CoNAS.









Transcripts and Certificates
Graduates who participated in today’s ceremony can collect their transcripts from their respective colleges.
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Natural Sciences
Makerere Researchers Call for Urgent Conservation of Medicinal Plants in Eastern Uganda
Published
6 days agoon
July 29, 2025
Researchers from the Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology, and Biotechnology at the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University have highlighted the urgent need to conserve medicinal plants in the face of increasing threats from climate change, over-harvesting, and habitat destruction.
Despite Namutumba District’s rich diversity of medicinal plants, conservation efforts are limited, and several species are already classified as globally and nationally threatened. This highlights the urgent need for focused conservation strategies to safeguard these vulnerable medicinal plants.

Under a project titled “Knowledge, Attitudes, and Conservation of Commonly Traded Medicinal Plants in a Climate-Changing Environment in Eastern Uganda,” a team of researchers led by Dr Patience Tugume documented 174 medicinal plant species. The goal was to assess the existential threats facing these plants due to unsustainable harvesting practices and the lack of effective conservation measures. These species are widely used to treat various health conditions, including malaria, syphilis, diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers. The findings of the study are intended to guide the development of species-specific, evidence-based interventions to curb possible extinction and loss of medicinal plant resources. The research revealed troubling trends in the availability of key medicinal plants, including:
- The herbalists mostly collected their medicinal plants from bushlands (92.0%), markets (82.3%) and wetlands (74.7%) and were rarely cultivated. This is of great concern regarding the conservation and future availability of these resources.
- It was noted that 36% of the herbal products were made from roots, which presents a conservation threat since the heavy utilization of roots affects the regeneration of the medicinal plants.
- Common plants used were: Kigelia africana (Naibere), Erythrina abyssinica (Ekiyirikiti) and Geranium sauveolens (Lokowe). Kigelia africana was the most cited species by the herbalists, indicating heavy utilization and a high conservation threat if deliberate measures are not taken to ensure its future availability.
- Almost all respondents (289, 96.3%) acknowledged a considerable decline in the availability of 13 medicinal plants species including Aloe wollastonii (Ekigagi), Commiphora africana (Nkulidho), Myrica kandtiana (Mukikimbo) and Acacia sieberiana (Mufundawuzi).
- Four plant species i.e. Tamarindus indica (Enkoge), Warburgia ugandensis (Balwegira), Mitragyna rubrastipulata (Mutamatama) and Mondia whitei (Mulondo) appear on the Red List of Globally and Nationally Threatened Species and were mentioned among the plants whose population has greatly declined.
- The causes of decline in availability of medicinal plants included climate change, overharvesting, agricultural expansion, habitat destruction, land use change and inadequate regulations.
- There were no medicinal plant conservation efforts by herbalists.


The study recommended the following practices to ensure conservation of the medicinal plants:
- Promote the use of sustainable harvesting techniques to ensure conservation of medicinal plants.
- Conduct capacity building for stakeholders in the medicinal plants sector on conservation, value addition and standardization.
- Establish community botanical gardens raw plant collection and sensitization programmes.
- Advocate for agroforestry among herbalists to reduce the dependence on natural habitats.
- Develop and enforce regulations on accessing natural areas for medicinal plants.
- Promote conservation awareness campaigns.

Research Dissemination in Namutumba District
At the research dissemination workshop held in Namutumba District on 23rd July 2025, and attended by district leaders, researchers, and local herbalists, the project team led by Dr Patience Tugume expressed hope that the insights gained from the project, particularly in medicinal plants conservation approaches, will be invaluable for minimising the decline in medicinal plants.

In her remarks, Dr Tugume, thanked the Government of Uganda through the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (MakRIF) for funding the project. She expressed gratitude to the research team composed of Dr Abubakar Sadik Mustafa, Dr Jamilu E. Ssenku, Dr Savina Asiimwe, and Dr Abdul Walusansa who have worked with her closely from project inception in February 2024. She further thanked the research assistants and all respondents, mainly the herbalists that participated in the study.
In a special way, she appreciated Mr. Fred Aggrey Bangu (Resident District Commissioner), Mr. Ofwono Emmanuel (Chief Administrative Officer), Mr. Kiire Noah (Communication Officer), Mr. Mugunywa Enock (District Community Development Officer), Mr. Kirya Moses (District Environmental Officer), Mr. Bamusubire William (District Forest Officer) and the leaders of herbalist associations for providing support throughout the study and sparing time to attend the dissemination workshop.

Addressing the participants, the Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Fred Aggrey Bangu urged all stakeholders to engage in a collaborative discussion on how the study findings can be translated into practical solutions to promote sustainable use and conservation of commonly used medicinal plants in Namutumba District amidst adverse effects of climate change.

Mr. Ofwono Emmanuel, the Chief Administrative Officer, praised the Makerere research team for selecting Namutumba as the study area. He said the research served as an eye-opener to the district officials and community, especially regarding the pressure exerted on natural medicinal resources.

Report compiled by Dr Patience Tugume and Dr Abubakar Sadik Mustafa – Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, CoNAS, Makerere University
Natural Sciences
Beyond Being a Dean of Science & Vice Chancellor Emeritus, Prof. Luboobi was a Friend. Just That!
Published
2 weeks agoon
July 24, 2025

Prof. Livingstone Sserwadda Luboobi, Africa’s Icon of Mathematics is gone. The continent has lost a true giant in the field of mathematics, specifically biomathematics. This dynamic and evolving discipline, which applies mathematical principles to the study of biological systems and phenomena, has been deeply shaped by Prof. Luboobi’s legacy. At Makerere University and across Africa, his influence is etched into the fabric of research, mentorship, and innovation. Prof. Luboobi’s contributions have left lasting marks, on the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of lives he touched directly and indirectly. Each of us carries a unique memory, a lesson, or an inspiration drawn from his life and work. We will dearly miss Prof. Luboobi, a brilliant mind, a generous mentor, and a true icon of African science.
To me and my peers, he was our Dean, Faculty of Science in 1995, and he read-out our names at our graduation in January 1999. Later in 2004 as Vice Chancellor, he signed off my official 4-year PhD study leave in Scandinavia. When the 4 years elapsed before I could complete, we returned to the table and successfully negotiated for extra 2 years of grace which enabled me to complete in excellence in January 2010.

Lately, after his retirement, we found ourselves closely intimate, sharing deeper thoughts on a number of social, development, strategic leadership and governance, and academic matters. As a plant biologist, spending time with a retired Professor of Mathematics, one could wonder what we would possibly have to talk about. And yet, our discussions were rich and thought-provoking. One moment that left a lasting impression on me was his quiet humility. Despite the respect and priority I extended to him, he never assumed entitlement. If he sensed I was busy, he would simply wait outside my office, whether at the Botany Building or my current Dean’s office at CONAS, without interrupting. That gesture spoke volumes.
We often talked about science, and I had much to learn from him. I asked how he had managed to start and sustain the Uganda Mathematical Society (UMS), since we were in the process of setting up the Biology Society of Uganda (BioSU) at the time. I also wanted to hear about his journey – from his undergraduate days to becoming a retired professor. As he shared his story, pausing to catch his breath after long sentences, I sensed he was deeply concerned about something. His concern was that, as of 2017, nearly all senior academics at Makerere University had begun their careers humbly as teaching assistants and risen through the ranks in various disciplines, but that opportunity had since been lost.
He believed that trying to establish a sustainable staffing system without a pool of junior staff, selected directly from the best-performing undergraduate students, was a risky path for the university’s future. With a troubled tone, he said: “I wonder how you people will manage university staffing in the long term when you have removed the foundation…” There were many lessons in that conversation for me.
In October 2023, I started assembling a grant application together with my European and American colleagues (5 Universities) for submission to National Science Foundation (NSF, USA), addressing a certain plant disease conundrum in East Africa. I realized Prof. Luboobi’s expertise in Biomathematics could be relevant. I co-opted him along with another colleague from the Department of Mathematics. I was fascinated at the express knowledge he displayed in modelling biological systems, and in our case, plant disease modelling. Much as his physical strength was less, the intellect was razor-sharp. Even though we didn’t succeed on that attempt, I had numerous other lessons to learn from his seniority.
We shared personal stories. I re-learnt that living simple as much as possible helps a lot. Although this was not new, hearing it from one you respect takes on a whole new meaning. If I died today, I wonder what my peers or junior colleagues would say about me? I would not hear it, though. I am happy I had chance to tell Prof. Luboobi what he meant to me when he was still alive.
I regret his death. We usually say it is untimely, but will death of a loved one ever be timely? Holy Scripture says, “Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.” – Job 14:5. This is an emphasis of God’s sovereignty over life and death, highlighting that He determines the length of a person’s life and sets unchangeable limits, just as He does in setting boundaries and limits for all His creation. Prof. Luboobi could not cross the boundary set by the creator.
I am grateful that the Principal, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University and his team did their best to mobilize support at the most critical moment of need. I am grateful to God for gifting Makerere University with Prof. Luboobi, and for allowing me in particular a chance to walk a little close with him in his evening days of his life between 2023-2025.
Good bye Prof. Livingstone S. Luboobi! Go and serve God with the angels. We will also join you, in the course of time! See you later when that time comes!
Natural Sciences
CoNAS Participates in the 2025 National Science Week Exhibition
Published
2 months agoon
June 17, 2025
*****15 students from different departments at CoNAS are showcasing their projects.
Over 300 Ugandan innovators, among them students from the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS) and other science-based colleges at Makerere University are participating in the 2025 National Science Week exhibition, currently underway at the Kololo Independence Grounds.
Launched in 2021, the National Science Week is an annual event organized by the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Secretariat under the Office of the President. The exhibition serves as a strategic platform for showcasing Uganda’s advancements in science, technology, and innovation, both at the national level and on the global stage.
Held under the theme “Made in Uganda: Innovation to Market”, the 2025 edition (running from 15th-20th June) aims to highlight the country’s growing capacity to transform home-grown scientific ideas and research into viable, market-ready products and technologies.

Key highlights from the official launch of the National Science Week
During the official launch held on 13th May 2025, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, outlined several milestones Uganda has achieved over the past year, including:
- The commencement of clinical trials for locally developed therapeutics, marking a significant step in Uganda’s biopharmaceutical sector.
- Notable growth in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, including the deployment of over 5,000 electric motorcycles and 27 electric buses across the country.
- Establishment of critical green infrastructure, including 140 battery swapping stations and more than 30 direct current (DC) fast chargers nationwide.
According to the Minister, these developments demonstrate Uganda’s advancing capabilities in green technology and sustainable mobility solutions.
The Minister also highlighted additional achievements by the STI Secretariat, including the revitalization of Sukulu Phosphates, the launch of both the Deep Tech and Climate Tech summits, and the operationalization of vaccine production lines for both human and animal health. Dr. Musenero expressed gratitude to the Government of Uganda for its continued support, emphasizing its strategic vision of leveraging science, technology, and innovation as a transformative vehicle to position Uganda as a continental leader in deep tech innovation.

The 2025 National Science Week Activities
The National Science Week is designed to be an interactive experience for all attendees. According to Ms. Cathy Muhumuza from the STI, the exhibition will feature various activities including the official opening by the President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni, expected to take place on Thursday, 19th June 2025. Other activities will include policy dialogues, the Academia Day dedicated to young innovators, and the Investor Day providing a platform for innovators to connect with potential investors.
Additionally, the event will host a “Made in Uganda Supermarket,” allowing visitors to purchase products directly from exhibitors.


CoNAS Students’ projects
Among the many innovators featured at the exhibition are several talented student teams from CoNAS, presenting a diverse array of projects across scientific disciplines, including biotechnology and green energy. Guided by their lecturers and coordinated by Prof. Juma Kasozi, Deputy Principal of CoNAS, the students are showcasing the following projects:
- Anti-fungal and Anti-bacterial Gel Research Project
Team Leader: Mwebaze Bruce
Team Members: Atim Martha, Sebastian Jordan
This project explores the development of a topical gel with both anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, aimed at improving public health outcomes in communities with limited access to conventional treatments. - Minoxidil Production for Hair Regrowth
Team Leader: Keinembabazi Melissa
Team Members: Hashima Nanyiri, Nkamusiima Andrew
Focused on producing affordable, locally made Minoxidil, this project aims to provide a cost-effective solution for treating hair loss. - Infrared Biosensor for Aflatoxin Detection
Team Leader: Rubeihayo Randolp
Team Members: Namuleme Martha, Wabitereza Teddy
This innovation utilizes spectrophotometry to develop an infrared biosensor capable of detecting harmful aflatoxins in food, contributing to food safety and public health. - Biofuel Production from Water Hyacinth
Team Leader: Bill Garvin
Team Members: Kalanguka Patience Pearl, Nuwagaba Victor
The project converts invasive water hyacinth into sustainable biofuels using hydrothermal liquefaction, offering an environmentally friendly alternative energy source. - Automobile Fuel Gauge Detector
Team Leader: Ayebare Sam
Team Members: Achieng Rosemary, Nakirinda Winnie
This project involves the development of a reliable fuel gauge detector to improve vehicle fuel management and efficiency.







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