President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Makerere University Chancellor Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga as Uganda’s Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament.
The appointment was announced on May 26, 2026, as part of the cabinet reshuffle for the 2026–2031 government term. Dr. Kiyonga now assumes one of the senior leadership positions in government while continuing to serve as Chancellor of Makerere University.
Dr. Kiyonga is both Chancellor and alumnus of Makerere University. He studied at Makerere University School of Medicine from 1973 to 1978, graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB). He later obtained a Master of Health Science in Population Dynamics from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in 2004.
Born on September 19, 1952, in Kasese District, Dr. Kiyonga attended Bwera Primary School, Nyakasura School, and Kings College Budo before joining Makerere University.
He was appointed Chancellor of Makerere University in August 2024 and formally installed in October 2024, succeeding Professor Ezra Suruma.
Political and Public Service Career
Dr. Kiyonga entered national politics during Uganda’s 1980 elections, where he won a parliamentary seat on the Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM) ticket. He later joined the National Resistance Movement during the liberation struggle and subsequently served in several senior government positions after 1986.
He represented Bukonjo County West in Parliament from 1980 to 2016 and was also a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1995 Constitution.
Over the years, Dr. Kiyonga has held several ministerial portfolios, including:
Minister for Cooperatives and Marketing
Minister of Finance
Minister of Internal Affairs
Minister of Health
Minister without Portfolio
Minister of Defence
During his tenure as Minister of Health, he played a key role in Uganda’s response to the Ebola outbreak in Gulu in 2000.
From 2016, he served as Uganda’s Ambassador to China, where he represented Uganda during a significant period of Uganda-China relations.
Dr. Kiyonga’s appointment marks a return to frontline government leadership after several years in diplomatic service and university leadership.
Significance for Makerere
As Chancellor, Dr. Kiyonga serves as the titular head of Makerere University and presides over major ceremonial functions, including graduation ceremonies.
University Chancellor Dr. Crispus Kiyonga confers a Doctorate Degree upon one of the graduands during the 76th Graduation Ceremony.
His appointment reflects the longstanding contribution of Makerere University alumni to public service and national leadership in Uganda and across the region.
Speaking during his installation as Chancellor in 2024, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet K. Museveni, noted that Dr. Kiyonga’s experience and networks would support the advancement of the university.
Makerere University congratulates Chancellor Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga upon his appointment and wishes him success in his new role.
The Writer is a Volunteer in the Public Relations Office, Makerere University and the Mak Sharks PRO | Est. 2014
72 undergraduate students of Makerere University have successfully been admitted to the Millennium Fellowship Class of 2026, an initiative of the Millennium Campus Network (MCN) and United Nations Academic Impact. Makerere’s Fellows were selected from a record-breaking 76,000 applicants from over 6,000 campuses across 174 countries to participate in the ambitious programme.
According to the Fellowship website, the programme aims to make the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN Academic Impact Principles a reality on campuses, in classrooms and throughout communities. Millennium Fellows are university undergraduates selected for their leadership on sustainable development projects in their communities. As Fellows, they complete a semester-long leadership development programme that strengthens their student organizing, partnership-building and community-impact skills.
In his congratulatory message to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Sam Vaghar the Executive Director, MCN shared that Over 330 campuses across 60 nations have been selected to host 2026 Millenium Fellows. “Congratulations to you and Makerere University for having a cohort of Millennium Fellows from your student body again this year!”
Below is a sample of the work of the Class of 2026.
At Harvard University, a UN Academic Impact member institution in the United States of America, Millennium Fellows are expanding OpenDoor, an AI-powered platform that helps people navigate retraining, job opportunities and pathways into high-demand careers. The project grew from their work with people experiencing homelessness and from seeing how difficult workforce programmes can be to navigate even when support exists. Advancing SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, it expects to reach about 7,500 people during the Fellowship.
At the University of Ilorin, a UN Academic Impact member institution in Nigeria, Millennium Fellows are building what they describe as Africa’s first green AI policy framework, helping policymakers and developers understand how artificial intelligence can advance while reducing energy use, pollution and material waste. Aligned with SDG 13: Climate Action, it expects to reach about 75 people during the Fellowship.
At BRAC University, a UN Academic Impact member institution in Bangladesh, a Millennium Fellow is advancing SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production through a start-up replacing single-use products with environmentally friendly alternatives. Its current focus is a paper pen that uses roughly 90 per cent less plastic than a conventional pen, with a seed built in so it can grow into a plant when properly disposed of. The project expects to reach about 450 people.
At Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, a UN Academic Impact member institution in Moldova, a Millennium Fellow is advancing SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being by studying how environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity may affect recovery after brain surgery. By bringing simple digital monitoring tools into postoperative care, the project aims to help doctors make timelier decisions.
We wish our Millennium Fellows an impactful fellowship.
The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released admission lists of candidates admitted under the Talented Sports Men & Women, Disability and District Quota Schemes with Government sponsorship 2026/27 Academic Year including appeals and remarked cases.
Other admission lists released include A-Level Applicants with Ugandan and those with Foreign Qualifications, Diploma in Performing Arts, Mature-Age Entry and Bachelor of Education (EXTERNAL Batch 2) for the Academic Year 2026/2027 under self sponsorship.
Makerere University‘s position in the July 2026 edition of the Webometrics Rankings has improved from 925th to 776th globally and from 13th to 11th on the Continent, compared to the January 2026 edition. Makerere remains the top-ranked University in Uganda and East Africa.
The new rankings are as a result of improved performance in the Impact Rank, which measures the number of external domains referring/linking to Makerere (from 1,593 to 1,185) and the Excellence Rank, which measures Research papers in the top 10% most cited between 2019 and 2023 (from 1,095 to 715).
Please see the attached screenshots for details or view Makerere‘s rankings online using the link below:
The Webometrics Ranking of World Universities aims to recognize and promote the digital transformation of higher education institutions by evaluating how effectively they reflect their academic, research, and societal contributions online.
We remain committed to ensuring that all our good work in teaching and learning, research, knowledge transfer, and partnerships continues to be reflected online through various journals and other platforms.