General
Leading with Purpose: Guild President Ssentamu Churchill James Reflects on His Term
By Betty Kyakuwa and Carol Kasujja
In this exclusive quick chat, we spoke to the 91st Guild President, Ssentamu Churchill James, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Social Sciences. He shares insights into his leadership journey, key achievements, challenges, and his vision for the student community.
What inspired you to run for Guild President?
My background and personal leadership journey played a big role. Growing up, I saw my father and uncle actively involved in politics, which shaped my interest in leadership.
I also held leadership roles in high school—serving as Sports Minister at O-Level and later as Head Prefect at St. Juliana High School, Gayaza, during my A-Level. These experiences built my confidence and passion for representing others.
Seeing former Guild President Vincent Lubega Nsamba win also motivated me. We come from the same high school, and I succeeded him as Head Prefect. That gave me the belief that I, too, could lead at that level.
What was your vision when you assumed office, and how much of it did you achieve?
My vision was to amplify students’ voices and ensure their needs were prioritized. While it wasn’t easy due to bureaucracy, we made progress.
We improved students’ social welfare by engaging management, which led to greater flexibility in organizing events like the Bazaar and Freshers’ Ball. We also addressed the issue of missing marks. Previously, it could take semesters to resolve, but now, through the Office of the Academic Registrar, such issues can be handled much faster.
What is your biggest achievement?
One of the biggest milestones was allowing students to sit for examinations after paying at least 60% of tuition. This has reduced the number of students dropping out due to financial constraints.
We also saw the lifting of the ban on social events, which has gradually revived campus life. Additionally, leadership roles such as ministers and Guild Representative Councillors (GRCs) have become more functional, with clearer responsibilities and greater impact.
What key lessons have you learned?
One key lesson is the importance of daring to take action. Things may seem impossible, but once you step out and try, you realize they are achievable.
I also learned that leadership begins with influence. For example, when class representatives raised concerns about not being paid, I had to engage and influence them to understand the situation while working toward solutions.
Leadership also requires teamwork. You cannot lead alone—you need a support system. When you delegate, trust people and avoid micromanaging.
Another lesson is the importance of effective communication with management. Building strong relationships increases your chances of influencing decisions.
On a personal level, I have learned discipline—keeping time, improving how I present myself, and becoming more mindful in how I engage with others.
What do you attribute your success to?
First and foremost, God, who gave me the wisdom and understanding to lead.
I also attribute it to the strong working relationships I built with University leadership, especially the Vice Chancellor and the Dean of Students. Without that collaboration, it would have been difficult to achieve much.
How did you balance academics and leadership?
It required intentional planning and prioritization. When meetings clashed with tests, I delegated to the Vice President or Prime Minister. This ensured continuity while giving them an opportunity to grow.
However, I made it a point to attend critical engagements, such as Council meetings, because I was entrusted with representing students’ voices. I was also selective about external engagements to remain focused on my academics.
What challenges did you encounter?
Managing high expectations from students was a major challenge. Even small delays could attract criticism. For example, when students’ upkeep delayed by a week, some assumed I was not advocating for them.
I learned to remain calm and not react emotionally, instead using feedback as motivation to improve.
Another challenge was handling sensitive cases, such as advocating for students who had been suspended. Even when I did not agree with their actions, it was my duty to seek fair consideration on their behalf.
Was there a difficult decision you had to make?
Yes. Just a month into office, I made the decision to relieve a minister of their duties because they did not align with the cabinet’s vision and values. Leadership requires making tough decisions to maintain unity and integrity.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
I feel I could have engaged more with the administration. At times, I was occupied with activities outside the University, which limited my interaction with management. With more engagement, I believe I could have achieved even more.
What will you miss most?
I will not necessarily miss the office itself. Leadership is about service, and it is now time for others to take on that responsibility as I move on to the next chapter of my life.
How would you like to be remembered?
As a selfless leader who went the extra mile to serve others and always put students’ interests first—even when it required personal sacrifice.
For instance, during the Freshers’ Ball, we wanted to host a musician whose fee was UGX 4 million, yet we only had UGX 2 million. I personally covered the balance to make it happen for the students.
Makerere University has officially launched its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, marking a major milestone in its commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and human capital development in line with Uganda’s national development priorities.
The launch brought together senior government officials, university leadership, and development planners, including the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, and a representative from the National Planning Authority (NPA), alongside the University Vice Chancellor.
A Vision Anchored in National Transformation
Speaking at the launch, the Vice Chancellor underscored the University’s ambition to significantly expand graduate training and strengthen its contribution to national development. He noted that the institution is targeting a return to pre-COVID enrolment levels and a substantial increase in postgraduate numbers by 2030, with a focus on producing highly skilled graduates, innovators, and researchers.
He emphasized that the Strategic Plan positions the University as a key driver of Uganda’s transformation through knowledge generation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, aligned with national priorities.
“The staffing distribution is shown here. Under the approved establishment, we intended to have 419 Professors, but we currently have only 75. We planned for 473 Associate Professors, but currently have only 144. This clearly demonstrates that we still have considerable room for growth in strengthening our academic staff profile,” the VC said.
The VC appreciated researchers and research centres, that continue to attract substantial research funding. He highlighted the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and the Makerere University Walter Reed Project which attracted approximately US$70 million in international research funding into Uganda.
“When you combine the grants won by all our researchers through competitive international funding, the total exceeds US$200 million,” he said.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the University Council, Dr. Lorna Magara, described the Strategic Plan as more than an institutional roadmap, calling it “a public covenant with the people of Uganda.”
She noted that the Plan marks “the launch of Makerere University’s next chapter,” adding that decisions taken over the next five years will shape not only the future of the institution, but also Uganda’s development trajectory through graduates, research, innovations, and leadership.
Dr. Magara emphasized Makerere’s unique national role as Uganda’s premier public university, entrusted with public resources and public confidence.
“Every investment made in Makerere must produce measurable value for the people of Uganda,” she said, underscoring the need for accountability, integrity, and impact.
Ambitious Targets for Transformation
The Council Chairperson and the Vice chancellor outlined bold performance targets under the Strategic Plan, including doubling postgraduate enrolment, increasing STEM enrolment from 30% to 55%, improving PhD completion rates from 10% to 35%, and more than doubling peer-reviewed research output, alongside a significant rise in patents and innovations.
Dr. Magara stressed that these targets are not aspirations alone but binding commitments against which institutional performance will be measured.
“Ambition is precisely what this moment demands. A strategic plan is not measured by the elegance of its language, but by the lives it transforms,” she said.
Call for Stronger Governance and Legal Reform
Dr. Magara also highlighted the need for reform of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, Cap. 262, noting that the current legal framework has not kept pace with the evolving realities of university governance and innovation.
She called on Government and Parliament to support a timely review of the Act to enable universities to better optimise knowledge systems, productive assets, and innovation capacity in support of national development.
Government Endorsement and Strategic Alignment
Hon. Henry Musasizi commended the University for developing a forward-looking Strategic Plan aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), which serves as the foundation for the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
He explained that Uganda’s ambition to grow its economy from about USD 50 billion to USD 500 billion requires accelerated growth driven by productivity gains, innovation, and strong human capital development.
“Universities are central actors in national transformation. They are engines of knowledge creation, innovation, and human capital development,” he said.
The Minister stressed that government priorities include strengthening research, promoting industrialization, and ensuring that knowledge generated in universities is translated into practical solutions that support economic growth. He further highlighted the importance of accountability, efficiency, and value for money in public investments in higher education.
Universities as Drivers of the Tenfold Growth Strategy
In his presentation, the Senior Planner at the National Planning Authority, Samuel Kasule, emphasized that the Strategic Plan is firmly anchored in Uganda’s comprehensive development framework under Vision 2040 and NDP IV.
He noted that the Tenfold Growth Strategy seeks to accelerate Uganda’s economic growth into double-digit territory, enabling the country to achieve structural transformation and reach upper middle-income status.
Kasule underscored that universities play a critical role in this transformation through labour productivity, research, and innovation. He pointed out that priority sectors such as agriculture, tourism, minerals, oil and gas, and ICT depend heavily on skilled graduates and strong research ecosystems.
He also highlighted the importance of competency-based education, alignment of academic programmes with national human resource needs, and strengthening postgraduate training and research outputs.
A Shared Commitment to Transformation
Across all speeches, a strong message emerged: universities are central to Uganda’s development agenda and must evolve into research-intensive institutions that directly contribute to economic transformation.
The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 was widely commended for its focus on innovation, industry collaboration, digital transformation, and the commercialization of research outputs.
Government leaders reaffirmed continued support for higher education institutions through research funding, innovation ecosystems, and strengthened university–industry partnerships.
Conclusion
The launch of the Strategic Plan 2030 signals a renewed commitment to positioning the University as a key partner in Uganda’s development journey. With strong alignment to national priorities, the Plan is expected to accelerate research, innovation, and skills development necessary for achieving Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions. The Strategic Plan may be accessed at: https://mak.ac.ug/about/strategic-plan
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