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.
Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta represented the Chairperson of Council and the Vice Chancellor at the Prayer Breakfast.
“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.”
Rev. Canon Dr. Lydia Nsaale Kitayimbwa makes her remarks.
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.
Rev. Canon Dr. John Senyonyi delivered the day’s message.
“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.”
The fullhouse at the 2nd Prayer Breakfast in the St. Francis Chapel Gardens.
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.”
The choir made up of staff and students led the prayer breakfast in praise and worship.
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.
Dr. Eve Nabulya (Right) and Mr. Moses Oluka prepare to lead one of the prayer sessions.
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.
Makerere University, through the Institute of Gender and Development Studies in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on 20th August 2025 commenced a training program focusing on procurement and business development for women in business. The two sessions, which brought together women from diverse business sectors, were held at the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility. The training covered critical areas such as business requirements and strategic positioning, access to credit—particularly the Women in Business initiative by Stanbic Bank—and navigating procurement processes in the public service, among other vital aspects.
In his remarks, Mr. Paul Agaba, Director of the Procurement and Disposal Unit (PDU) at Makerere University, outlined relevant laws and shed light on reservation schemes for women-owned businesses. He detailed the requirements for companies to participate in procurement reserved for women, the necessary qualifying documents, and the benefits associated with such schemes. Mr. Agaba referred to the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Act of 2003, a law aimed at regulating procurement processes while enhancing service delivery and ensuring value for money. He noted that the Act has undergone several amendments to address emerging issues and reinforce principles of fairness and inclusivity, including measures to integrate previously marginalized groups—women, youth, and persons with disabilities—into business opportunities.
He further emphasized that reservation schemes are designed to provide incentives for women-owned businesses. To qualify, a business must be registered with the appropriate authorities, with at least 51% of its shares owned by one or more Ugandan women. On specific requirements, he highlighted the need for registration with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), annual registration with the PPDA to be listed among providers, and documentation proving 51% female shareholding. However, Mr. Agaba noted that more effort is needed to actualize some provisions, such as ensuring that 15% of every procurement plan in public institutions and all procurements below UGX 30 million are reserved for women.
Representing UNDP, Ms. Beatrice Nabagya Mugambe, whose organization funded the training, underscored the importance of the program, describing it as a response to critical gaps identified through organizational assessments and surveys. She observed that despite ongoing efforts in gender-responsive procurement, women’s participation in procurement processes remains limited—a challenge not unique to Makerere but also evident across other agencies. She pointed to barriers such as lack of capital, insufficient information about bid opportunities and procedures, perceptions that bid amounts are beyond their reach, and limited business networks that could otherwise facilitate collective bidding. She stressed that such limitations can be overcome through collective action.
Addressing the topic of access to credit, Mr. Joel Mukasa, Relationship Manager at Stanbic Bank, highlighted opportunities available to women-owned businesses through the bank. Drawing from over seven years of experience, he noted that women tend to be better business managers, with 90% of loans disbursed to women being repaid, compared to less than 50% among men, attributing the gap to men often diverting business funds for personal use. Mr. Mukasa explained that Stanbic Bank has established several initiatives tailored for women, including the ‘Grow Project’ in partnership with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and the government, and the ‘Stanbic for Her’ program. He clarified that the ‘Grow Project’ does not provide free money but rather credit facilities designed for active women entrepreneurs. To qualify, businesses must be registered as sole proprietorships headed by women, companies with at least 51% female shareholding, partnerships led by women, or formal/informal savings groups composed entirely of women. Applicants are also required to have an operational account with Stanbic Bank for at least six months, which eases qualification without the need for audited books.
Prof. Sarah Ssali, Head of the Institute of Gender and Development Studies, reaffirmed Makerere University’s commitment to gender equity and justice as central pillars of its operations. She noted that Makerere is the first public institution globally to apply for the UNDP’s Gender Equality Seal, with the process beginning in 2022. As part of this commitment, the university is evaluated on gender parity in student enrollment. Since 1991, initiatives such as the 1.5 scheme, the establishment of a gender institute, and other affirmative action programs, including those addressing disability and inclusion, have been implemented to promote gender balance among students.
She added that as a gender-responsive employer, the university emphasizes women’s representation in its workforce, particularly in leadership and staffing. Makerere has a comprehensive Gender Equality Policy and Framework supported by affirmative action, which has significantly increased women’s representation in both employment and leadership roles. However, Prof. Ssali acknowledged that challenges persist in the area of procurement. Bound by the PPDA Act, the university cannot impose gender quotas since bidding is based on merit and fair competition. Low participation of women in bids is often due to their operation at a micro-level, lack of familiarity with the PPDA Act, and insufficient capital to handle large contracts.
To address these challenges, Prof. Ssali said Makerere is exploring lawful strategies to promote gender parity in procurement. The main focus is to strengthen women-owned businesses so they can compete effectively for large contracts, while also supporting small and medium women entrepreneurs as they scale up. She explained that the current workshop was deliberately designed for women in business, with participation restricted to women-owned companies. Its primary goal was to build competitiveness by equipping participants with knowledge of pre-qualification, bid submission, assessment, appraisal, and selection processes—ensuring women-owned businesses are fully integrated into Makerere’s procurement activities as part of the university’s broader gender inclusivity agenda.
Ms. Sara Nakibuuka, a practicing procurement professional at Makerere University, stressed the importance of such initiatives in supporting women entrepreneurs. She encouraged women to take full advantage of provisions under the existing Acts of Parliament to expand their business opportunities and strengthen their market presence.
The Women in Business Training 2025 was moderated by Donna Keirungi, a member of the Makerere University Gender Equality Seal implementation team.
The Makerere University Innovation Pod is thrilled to announce the launch of the E-Mobility Skilling Programme: Cohort 2, in partnership with Kiira Motors Corporation and UNDP Uganda! This immersive one-year program offers exceptional Bachelor of Science and related discipline students (2nd-3rd year) the opportunity to gain cutting-edge skills in electric vehicle technology.
We are seeking motivated individuals from Physics, various Engineering fields, Industrial Art, Architecture, and Business (Marketing) with a strong academic record. Participants will engage in hands-on training, industrial immersion at Kiira Motors, and contribute to the development of the “Moonshot Project.”
Apply by September 1, 2025, to be part of this transformative skilling initiative. Female students are strongly encouraged to apply.
Invitation to bid for Consultancy Services for Midterm Review of The Embassy of The Kingdom of Netherlands Funded Project; Securing Refugee-Host Relations Through Enhanced Protection, under Refugee Law Project, School of Law, Makerere University. Proc. Ref. No. MAK/SRVCS/2025-26/00013
The Makerere University under Refugee Law Project has allocated funds to be used for the acquisition of Consultancy Services for Midterm Review of The Embassy of The Kingdom of Netherlands Funded Project; Securing Refugee-Host Relations Through Enhanced Protection, under Refugee Law Project, School of Law, Makerere University.
The Entity invites sealed bids from eligible bidders for the provision of the above consultancy services.
Bidding will be conducted in accordance with the open domestic bidding procedures contained in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act, 2003, and is open to all bidders.
Interested eligible bidders may obtain further information and inspect the bidding documents at the address given below at 8(a) from 8:00am to 5:00pm.
The Bidding Documents in English may be purchased by interested bidders on the submission of a written application to the address at 2 above and upon payment of a non-refundable fee of UGX. 100,000/= (One Hundred Thousand), only. The method of payment shall be cash payment after downloading Application Advice Slip from https://payments.mak.ac.ug/ and thereafter obtain a receipt from the bank before picking the document.
Proposals must be delivered to the address below at 8(c) at or before 10:00am on Wednesday 20th August 2025. All proposals must be accompanied by a proposal securing declaration which must be valid until 28th February 2026. Late proposals shall be rejected. Proposals will be opened in the presence of the consultants’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below at 8(a) at 10:15am on 20th August 2025.