Business & Management
Makerere University CoBAMS Staff celebrate 2025 achievements
December 18, 2025 – Coming after the successful completion of the examination season, and as the year comes to an end, the afternoon, evening and night hours of 18th December 2025, presented the best opportunity, to staff to reflect on the 2025 College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) achievements in a relaxed environment.
The ever-green Makerere University Guest House gardens provided comfort as staff continued to enjoy this lovely space situated on the Makerere University Main Campus.
The event brought together the Principal, Deputy Principal, Deans of the respective Schools, Heads of Department, academic, administrative, technical and support staff, as well as guests, in a mix of celebration, networking, and recognition.
The end of year staff get-together provided a platform to strengthen collegial relationships, and reflect on the College’s future direction. In the true sense of networking, the event also featured dance competitions amongst staff.
Recognition of CoBAMS staff who received the Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Awards 2025
A key highlight of the event featured recognition of the ten (10) members of staff from CoBAMS who received the Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Award 2025. These included: Early Career Scholar Category-Namugenyi Christabellah and Dr. Richard Ssempala, Mid-Career Scholar Category-Dr. Peter Kisaakye, Dr. Anthony Tibaingana, Dr. John A. Mushomi, and Dr. Kasimu Ssendawula, Senior Career Scholar Category-Dr. Stephen O. Wandera, and the Best Teachers Category-Dr. Patricia Ndugga, Dr. Faisal Buyinza and Mr. Fred Kasalirwe.
Presenting the CoBAMS Awards amidst applause from members of staff, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs)-Prof.Sarah Ssali flanked by the Deputy Principal of the College, Associate Professor James Wokadala read a special message: “Your dedication elevates the standards of the College of Business and Management Sciences and brings distinction to Makerere University.”
Collective Achievements and Strategic Priorities
Professor Edward Bbaale, Principal of CoBAMS, in his end-of-year message, acknowledged the dedication of all staff and their contributions to the college’s success. “I sincerely thank all colleagues across our academic, research, administrative, and support units for your relentless dedication to advancing the mandate of the College. Your collective efforts remain the backbone of our success and institutional resilience,” he said.
Prof. Bbaale highlighted notable achievements in research and publications, congratulating staff who received the Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Awards and Best Teacher Awards. “These achievements reflect individual distinction and collective pride for our College. I encourage you to sustain this excellent performance,” he said. He further recognised faculty who secured research grants from Mak-RIF, international development partners including the Gates Foundation, UN-PAGE, GGGI, the World Bank, and Erasmus+, noting that such successes reflect growing global trust in CoBAMS scholarship.
The Principal underscored the college’s role in fostering institutional growth and partnerships. “I appreciate colleagues who have initiated and advanced Memoranda of Understanding with domestic and international partners. These platforms strengthen relevant academic training, impactful research, and policy engagement,” he said.
He highlighted new academic programs responsive to Uganda’s economic and societal needs, emphasising the college’s forward-looking and development-oriented approach.
Prof. Bbaale praised initiatives promoting staff welfare and cohesion, including the CoBAMS Physical Fitness Programme and the Mak-CoBAMS SACCO.
On infrastructure development, the Principal noted, “Government has allocated resources to commence the CoBAMS Infrastructure Expansion Project, and the University Council has approved two strategically located plots of land for its implementation. We shall actively engage the design consultant to ensure the buildings meet our teaching, research, innovation, and policy-engagement needs.”
He concluded his remarks by acknowledging life’s challenges alongside successes, extending condolences to staff who lost loved ones in 2025 and seasonal greetings: “As we step into 2026, I wish you and your families a year filled with God’s abundant blessings, good health, professional fulfilment, and personal joy. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.”
DVC Academic Affairs praises Research, Innovation, and Integrity
The Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Professor Sarah Ssali, praised CoBAMS for its contribution to Makerere University’s strategic goals.
She extended warm greetings from the university management, including the Vice Chancellor, and underscored the importance of every staff member’s role. “Whatever role you play, you are adding a brick to this institution, just as those before us did,” she said.
Prof. Ssali highlighted the college’s research-led initiatives, emphasizing the importance of postgraduate and doctoral programs as a pipeline for academic excellence. “I commend CoBAMS for taking this seriously. Your work reflects the university’s strategic direction and internationalisation,” she said.
She noted the recent launch of the CoBAMS Working Paper Series and encouraged its development into four journals in economics, business, statistics, and planning in the near future. “This will allow graduate students to actively contribute, mentoring the next generation of scholars while strengthening Africa’s knowledge production and decolonising knowledge,” she explained.
The DVC Academic Affairs acknowledged CoBAMS for innovative approaches to research and value addition. “During the Entrepreneurship Expo, your work with coffee demonstrated how one thematic area can generate multiple products—from coffee oil to bath scrubs—showing creativity and value addition. Similarly, demography and population studies contribute crucial expertise, from census data to electoral processes,” she said.
Prof. Ssali encouraged the college to document and develop indigenous knowledge systems. “Your role as a college is to study local economic models, explore African-informed business and economic practices, and produce scholarship that reflects local realities,” she said.
She congratulated faculty members who secured research grants, published in peer-reviewed journals, or served as editors, noting that these achievements reflect both individual excellence and the academic culture of CoBAMS.
Reflecting on the Professor Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile Centre of Excellence at Makerere University and the research promoted by the Tumusiime Mutebile Foundation, Prof. Ssali called for rigorous development of the initiative. “While research chairs focus on individual scholarship, Centres of Excellence build pipelines of knowledge for future generations, preserving the legacy of scholars namely Dr Mutebile in monetary policy, finance, and banking,” she said.
Networking and Teamwork
In his address, Associate Professor James Wokadala, the Deputy Principal of CoBAMS, emphasized the importance of networking and teamwork. “Today is a day for networking. This is a time to connect socially, celebrate, and reaffirm our commitment to serve Makerere University and, specifically, our College.”
He applauded staff for supporting the college’s teaching, learning, research, and student mentorship activities. He highlighted CoBAMS’ innovative initiatives, including the CoBAMS SACCO and the CoBAMS fitness club, which promote teamwork, wellness, and collegiality.
He thanked the event organisers for their efforts and acknowledged those who have supported administrative processes, such as fast-tracking promotion applications. He called upon staff to continue collaborating to serve Makerere University, the nation, and humanity.
Staff Appreciate the get-together moments
Charmed by the spirit of celebration, dance competitions amongst staff, and the choice of trending music, a significant number of staff stayed at the venue until the party came to a complete stop at 10:00p.m.
The following day (19th December 2025), the rejuvenated staff took to the College WhatsApp platform, and wrote messages, acknowledging being refreshed, feeling nice and young again. They requested the College leadership to plan for more of such engagements that promote teamwork, collegiality and good health.
Business & Management
Public Lecture on Research Collaboration across borders presents enormous opportunities to researchers, faculty and students
Delivering the public lecture, titled: Research Collaboration across borders, Prof. Ken Kamoche from Nottingham University, urged researchers at Makerere University, to undertake research that will strengthen and empower Africa, including fields that are ignored.
“My research has focused on those pertinent issues and fields that are always ignored. I call upon you to re-consider undertaking research in the fields of knowledge management, innovations, indigenous knowledge, identity, artificial intelligence (AI) and Africa at large,” said Prof. Kamoche.
Acknowledging that he had undertaken tremendous research and publication in human resource management and organizational studies, Prof. Kamoche testified that he took a paradigm shift to focus on the values that underpin the organizational behaviour.
Held at Makerere University Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium on 3rd March 2026, the public lecture attracted faculty from Makerere University, Kyambogo University, Uganda Christian University, administrators, researchers, and students. Before heading to the public lecture, Prof. Kamoche held a discipline-specific meeting with academic staff at the School of Business under the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) at Makerere University.
The Africa Research Group: Fostering Global Scholarly Engagement and Capacity Building
Prof. Kamoche highlighted the establishment of the Africa Research Group to address the gap in engagement between scholars in Africa and their counterparts in Europe, Asia, and North America.
Established in 2012, the Africa Research Group at Nottingham University Business School provides a platform to spur knowledge transfer across disciplines and continents.
“I am here to inspire you to do research. If you are looking for a platform, I invite you to utilize the Africa Research Group. We have been able to give researchers from Africa a voice. We welcome research students at all levels,” Prof. Kamoche said.
He pointed out that the Africa Research Group provides mentorship to postgraduate and early-career researchers, supports doctoral supervision, joint publications, and funding applications. Prof. Kamoche encouraged students and faculty members to participate in future activities and pursue collaborative research opportunities.
What inspires Prof. Kamoche?
Responding to a question from the students who admired his commitment to research, publication, authorship, Prof. Kamoche said: “The desire to make a difference and share knowledge with others, and make an impact.”
Research collaboration
During the public lecture, Dr. Christopher Muganga, Dr. Seperia Wanyama, and Dr. Anthony Tibaingana from the School of Business, and Dr. John Mushomi from the School of Statistics and Planning, emphasized the importance of research and collaboration in the transformation of countries and societies in general. The members of faculty stressed the importance of knowledge sharing and exchange of ideas, authorship and publication, mentorship, joint research undertakings and networking.
Global academic collaboration
Dr. Seperia Wanyama highlighted the significance of the public lecture in creating opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the collective advancement of academic and societal understanding.
“The event serves as a platform for fostering diversity in academia, bringing together researchers, students, and administrators to engage in shared learning,” he said.
He applauded Prof. Ken Kamoche for his distinguished contributions global academic collaboration and research. He credited Prof. Kamoche for his willingness to share valuable insights on research collaboration across borders. He urged participants to remain active and engaged throughout the session.
Talent Management and Cross-Continental Collaboration
Prof. Kamoche commended Makerere University for hosting him, reflecting on the golden opportunity to engage with students, faculty, and researchers. He shared insights from his extensive academic journey, research contributions, and initiatives to strengthen collaboration across Africa, Asia, and the West.
Reflecting on talent management and organizational leadership, Prof. Kamoche noted that he has maintained a strong focus on leveraging his international experiences to foster cross-continental academic collaborations and address challenges relevant to both African and global contexts.
Focusing on talent management, Prof. Kamoche shared insights from his extensive research, explaining how organizations often take an “exclusive” approach, concentrating resources on a small group of high-performing individuals seen as the main drivers of value. He also highlighted a different perspective: the “inclusive” approach, which recognizes that every employee has unique skills that can contribute to the organization’s success.
Using recent research in Kenya’s banking sector, published in the South African Journal of Human Resource Management, Prof. Kamoche illustrated how talent management connects closely with innovation, employee engagement, and confidence. His findings indicated that while high performers are essential, sustainable success comes from balancing focus on star performers with developing the wider workforce.
Prof. Kamoche reflected on earlier studies conducted in Hong Kong, which examined the experiences of employees identified as “high potential.” He noted that being labeled talented can be a double-edged sword, creating pressure, high expectations, and sometimes causing employees to rethink their career priorities over time.
Comparative Insights on Asian Management and Strategic African Partnerships
Prof. Kamoche shared insights from his comparative research on Asian management practices, tracing his academic interest in Asia back to his graduate studies at Oxford. There, he examined Japanese management systems at a time when Japan’s economic model was admired worldwide. Through interviews with senior human resource executives in major Japanese corporations, he sought to understand the foundations of their organizational success.
Prof. Kamoche observed that while African countries are familiar with Western business systems, their understanding of Asian management philosophies remains limited. His research highlighted key differences in operational practices, particularly in areas such as time management and efficiency.
“Some Chinese infrastructure projects run continuously, reflecting a highly results-driven approach,” he noted. He acknowledged challenges raised by local employees regarding cultural differences, labor practices, and the need for more equitable engagement.
Prof. Kamoche emphasized that Chinese investment in Africa is far from uniform, encompassing state-owned enterprises, private firms, and long-term individual entrepreneurs. “African countries must strategically leverage these partnerships to maximize both economic and social benefits while protecting local interests,” he argued.
Dr. Anthony Tibaingana commends Prof. Kamoche’s Scholarly Impact
The Acting Dean of the School of Business, Dr. Anthony Tibaingana, lauded Prof. Kamoche for delivering an insightful lecture at Makerere University, describing the presentation as an exceptional exposition of knowledge and scholarship.
Dr. Tibaingana highlighted the significance of Prof. Kamoche’s return to Africa, describing it as a meaningful reconnection with his roots and a contribution to the continent’s intellectual growth.
The Acting Dean commended the depth of the presentation, particularly its insights into human resource management, leadership, and talent development. He emphasized that Africa, with its youthful population, presents both opportunity and responsibility for scholars to generate research-based solutions to the continent’s challenges.
He underscored the need for academia to address pressing issues such as leadership gaps, institutional weaknesses, and talent retention within universities and organizations.
Dr. Tibaingana encouraged faculty and students to continue engaging through research networks and ongoing conversations facilitated by the Africa Research Group at Nottingham University Business School.
He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to teaching, research, and community outreach, noting that such engagements contribute to long-term academic partnerships and future institutional growth.
Moderated by Dr. Christopher Muganga from the School of Business, the public lecture concluded with the presentation of Makerere University Souvenirs to Prof. Kamoche and networking engagements with students.
Monica Meeme contributed to this story as a Guest Writer
Business & Management
Thirty Public Officers Certified in Integrated Regulatory Cost-Benefit Analysis
Thirty public officers from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have successfully completed a two-week intensive training in Integrated Regulatory Cost-Benefit Analysis (IRCBA), culminating in the award of certificates at a closing ceremony held on 27th February 2026 at the Pearl on the Nile Hotel in Jinja.
The training was jointly organized by the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence at Makerere University and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), in collaboration with the Infrastructure and Social Services Department (ISSD) and the National Planning Authority (NPA). It focused on operationalizing the Revised Guidelines for the Issuance of Certificates of Financial Implication (CFIs), which came into effect on 1st July 2025.
A Strategic Reform for Fiscal Credibility
In closing remarks delivered on by Commissioner Paul Patrick Mwanja behalf of the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury, participants were commended for undertaking the training during a demanding budget cycle, when many MDAs are simultaneously preparing the FY 2026/27 Budget, executing the FY 2025/26 Budget, and implementing the National Development Plan IV and the Tenfold Growth Strategy.
The PS/ST emphasized that the revised Guidelines mark a significant shift toward a more transparent, data-driven, consultative, and analytically rigorous approach to evaluating policy and legislative proposals. Participants were equipped to assess fiscal implications, evaluate economic and socio-economic impacts, analyze distributional effects, and address uncertainty using structured analytical tools.
They were reminded that training alone is not sufficient, the real test lies in consistent application. As members of the third cohort, they were challenged to serve as reform ambassadors, championing evidence-based policymaking and strengthening analytical standards across government.
Bridging Academia and Public Service
Delivering the official closing remarks, the Director of the PIM Centre of Excellence, Prof. Edward Bbaale, commended participants for their active engagement and unwavering commitment throughout the training.
He described the programme as both timely and strategic, designed to equip officers with practical tools to prepare robust Statements of Financial Implication (SFIs) that support credible issuance of CFIs. He noted that strong financial analysis enhances fiscal discipline, policy coherence, and the overall quality of legislation and public policy in Uganda.
Prof. Bbaale underscored the longstanding partnership between Makerere University and the Ministry of Finance, highlighting how it continues to bridge academia and public service by combining analytical rigor with practical policy experience. He emphasized that the collaborative model — bringing together faculty from the College of Business and Management Sciences and practitioners from Government, reflects the core vision of the PIM Centre of Excellence: strengthening national systems through evidence-based policymaking.
During the two weeks, participants gained hands-on experience in applying cost-benefit analysis across four critical dimensions: budgetary analysis, socio-economic analysis, distributive impacts, and risk assessment. Prof. Bbaale encouraged them to return to their institutions as agents of transformation, improving evaluation frameworks, strengthening regulatory decisions, and ensuring that public interventions deliver value for money and long-term development impact.
He also reaffirmed the Centre’s broader mandate beyond training, noting its recent support to the revision of Development Committee Guidelines, assessment of public investment performance since NDP I, and hosting of the Second Public Investment Management Conference in August 2025.”
Building from “Zero Kilometre”
Earlier, the Manager of the PIM Centre of Excellence highlighted the practical approach adopted during the training. Participants began with blank Excel sheets and built analytical models from scratch, likened to the engineering concept of starting at “zero kilometre,” where construction begins from the very starting point and progresses step by step.
The interactive sessions enabled participants from diverse disciplines, including policy analysts, planners and statisticians, to interrogate assumptions, refine costing approaches, and debate implementation and enforcement frameworks. Their sector-specific insights enriched the learning process and strengthened the analytical models developed.
The Manager noted that excellence is not about knowing everything, but about bringing together the right expertise. Facilitators from MoFPED, NPA, the Office of the President, and Makerere University ensured that theory remained grounded in practical government realities.
Participants Applaud Practical and Engaging Sessions
Speaking on behalf of the cohort, a participant described the training as highly engaging and transformative. The combination of theory and practical application, coupled with patient facilitation, allowed officers from varied professional backgrounds to learn from one another.
The participant highlighted the final day’s discussions as the most impactful, expressing confidence that the knowledge gained would enhance policy analysis and improve the quality of programmes and projects across MDAs.
Certificates Awarded
The ceremony concluded with the award of certificates to all 30 participants in recognition of their successful completion of the IRCBA training. The certification marks another milestone in Government’s effort to build a critical mass of experts capable of institutionalizing rigorous financial and economic analysis in public policy processes.
As the workshop was formally declared closed, participants were encouraged to apply their newly acquired skills consistently, mentor colleagues, and contribute to strengthening fiscal governance across Government.
The PIM Centre of Excellence reaffirmed its commitment to continuous research, policy advisory support, and capacity building as Uganda advances toward more credible, transparent, and sustainable public decision-making.
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