Category Archives: UCU School of Social Sciences

UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi waters a tree planted at the UCU Arua campus during a visit in July

UCU Arua campus hits 20-year milestone

Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, News, Students, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Education, UCU School of Social Sciences


UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi waters a tree planted at the UCU Arua campus during a visit in July
UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi waters a tree planted at the UCU Arua campus during a visit in July

By Pauline Luba
From a trade school to a lay readers training college and now part of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) family, the Arua campus has shown a marked growth in both enrollment and importance to the community in the northwestern part of Uganda. 

This year, the UCU Arua Campus marks 20 years of being part of the UCU family and 64 years of being a training institute. Before the campus was made a theological college and part of UCU in 2003, it was offering diploma and certificate courses in theology and also training Lay Readers in the region. However, in 1959 when it was established by the African Inland Mission under the leadership of its first principal, the Rev. Robert Booth, the institution was named the Rural Trade School.

When UCU took over the facility, it had four departments — Theology, Business Administration, Social Sciences and Education — all offering bachelor’s degrees. The facility also had 80 students and 27 staff. However, 20 years down the road, the four departments have still been maintained, but with an increase in student enrolment to over 650 and about 100 staff members.

UCU has since constructed a multipurpose hall, which also doubles as the University Chapel. Another building is the library and a block for lecture rooms to accommodate the increasing number of students. University education at the facility has been decentralized to train the much-needed human resource in the districts at more affordable rates.

In July, UCU Chancellor, who is the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Uganda, the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu visited the facility, located in northwestern part of Uganda, for the first time as its chancellor, during one of the campus’ activities to mark 20 years. 

UCU leadership, led by the Chancellor, His Grace Kaziimba Mugalu (center), at the celebrations in July
UCU leadership, led by the Chancellor, His Grace Kaziimba Mugalu (center), at the celebrations in July

UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Assoc. Prof. John Kitayimbwa and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) David Mugawe, were among the team that went with Kaziimba to Arua. While welcoming Kaziimba, the UCU Arua Campus Director, the Rev. Julius Tabbi Izza, said that he was optimistic for future opportunities of development for the campus. 

He said the campus had become a home to a number of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic due to their huge presence in the region. Last year, the campus won a regional award as the best higher institution of learning in West Nile for 2022. The criteria for selecting the awardees involved assessing their economic sustainability, operational effectiveness, level of technology adoption, progressive leadership and culture, as well as social and community contribution, commitment and perseverance. 

The campus, however, still faces a major challenge of threats on its land. Izza said that the about 100 acres that the facility sits on are under threat from some individuals in the community. Izza, therefore, asked for the process of transferring the land title from the particulars of the African Inland Mission to the trustees of the Church of Uganda or UCU to be expedited.

Among the plans in the pipeline is elevating the campus into a constituent college, a massive student recruitment strategy expected to garner 1,000 learners by next year, beautification of the environment and infrastructure, implementation of the multi-billion masters plan project, development of an endowment project and a staff recruitment plan as well. To achieve the intended plans, Izza argued that unity among the key stakeholders will be crucial.  

Jimmy Siyasa, the UCU Public Relations Officer, said there was hope that the Arua campus would morph into a fully-fledged college sooner than later. “In short, there is much to hope for,” Siyasa said. 

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Kefa Senoga during his internship at New Vision

Out-of-class experiences help prepare students for careers

UCU School of Business, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication, UCU School of Social Sciences


Kefa Senoga during his internship at New Vision
Kefa Senoga during his internship at New Vision

By Irene Best Nyapendi
The 11 undergraduate faculties and schools at Uganda Christian University (UCU) have classroom and hands-on learning opportunities. Students are especially encouraged to apply for internships that may be paid or unpaid and year-round or during the one of three semesters each year that students do not have classroom lectures.  These experiences reinforce the meaning of studies and make graduates more employable.   

Merick Wandera, a UCU Bachelor of Business Administration student interning with the Uganda Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development, is among students reaping the advantages of applying his education in the context of the work world. He also recently was named the best intern among student workers at this government site.

“I am so glad that my internship was fruitful because after I emerged as the best intern student,” he said. “They advised me to consider going back there after graduation so that I can join their team.”

Wandera said he had a great internship experience and got new knowledge about governance and finance. He learned that the first role of the government is to provide services to the citizens and not to make profits.

“I used to wonder why the government continues to fund projects that didn’t produce any profit, but during my internship, I learnt that the government is after offering services and not making profits,” Wandera said.

As a result of the internship, he is  more conversant with the process of formulating sound economic policies and accountability for public resources aimed at achieving a sustained economic growth and development for the country.

Kefa Senoga, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Journalism in Media and Communication, applauded one UCU lecturer for preparing him for his two internships – one with the New Vision newspaper and one with Uganda Partners. 

“I am so grateful to Mr. John Semakula, the lecturer, who taught us how to shape and write an article with a capturing introduction, good middle and end, which made me stand out amidst other intern students at New Vision,” Senoga said, adding that his writing skill was reinforced during an Economics and Business Journalism class.

At New Vision, Uganda’s biggest media house, Senoga learned more than honing his writing skill. His biggest lesson was in time management. He discovered that at school, students are given ample time to write an article, yet in the newsroom, completion deadlines were shorter.

“At campus, we were given three weeks to submit our work, but at New Vision, I was given the same article and asked to hand it in in two hours. I had to be at New Vision at 8:00 a.m. every morning, dressed professionally and ready to take on assignments,” Senoga said.

Both for Uganda Partners and New Vision, Senoga learned to apply the rules of accuracy, balance, truth and objectivity. He discovered that not all stories written are published, but was fortunate and inspired that all of his did appear in the New Vision print newspaper during his internship.

Sarah Thon Nyanachiek, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration who interned at Smile Again Africa Development Organization in Juba, South Sudan
Sarah Thon Nyanachiek, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration who interned at Smile Again Africa Development Organization in Juba, South Sudan

To Sarah Thon Nyanachiek, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration, a paid internship at Smile Again Africa Development Organization in Juba, South Sudan, gave her an added opportunity to build her career skills. She said she frequently applied the theoretical knowledge she learned from class, gained a clearer view of what it meant to be in the professional world and realized the importance of teamwork. 

“I improved my communication skills by engaging with people from different walks of life since my profession is all about working with different communities,” Nyanachiek said. “During my internship,  students and staff members from the agency worked together in the implementation of the project, and this increased our productivity,” she said. Where there was no cooperation, she suffered with heavy workloads as a result of others not delivering the tasks in time as required by the supervisor. 

Doreen Nyakato, a finalist pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration, who had an internship at Ahumuza Child Development Center
Doreen Nyakato, a finalist pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration, who had an internship at Ahumuza Child Development Center

Doreen Nyakato, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration, gained more skills on strategic planning and managing an organization’s finances during her internship with Ahumuza Child Development Center. Among her applied skills were putting vouchers in the system and paying fees using checks for this organization under the Bunyoro Kitara Diocese that looks after the vulnerable members of the community such as orphans and widows.

“Every day was a learning experience for me,” she said. “However, my major take away was the lessons I got from my office supervisor who taught me to better align an organization’s financial status to their goals and objectives.”

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities, and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Some of the nearly 4,000 new and continuing students getting registered for the Trinity intake at the main campus in Mukono.

New students applaud UCU’s curriculum, technology, values, safety

UCU School of Education, UCU School of Law, UCU School of Medicine, UCU School of Social Sciences


Some of the nearly 4,000 new and continuing students getting registered for the Trinity intake at the main campus in Mukono.
Some of the nearly 4,000 new and continuing students getting registered for the Trinity intake at the main campus in Mukono.

By Irene Best Nyapendi
Roughly 2,165 first-year students were enrolled at Uganda Christian University (UCU) at the start of the Trinity semester that kicked off on May 2. The freshmen, who were visibly thrilled to be accepted, joined over 1,761 continuing students at the Centre of Excellence in the heart of Africa. 

New students starting their university education at UCU and continuing students who went for holidays in April (short holiday) and January (long holiday) appeared glad to resume their academic journey. Freshmen and their parents expressed appreciation for security and safe water, among other aspects of UCU.

The programs at UCU are offered in three intakes: Easter (students report in January), Trinity (May intake) and Advent (starts September). More than 11 undergraduate programs wee available for the Trinity intake. These included schools of law, education, medicine and social sciences. Seven of these Trinity 2023 intake students provided comments. 

  • Majorine Narwambala, pursuing Bachelors of Law, hails from Kasubi-Makerere in Kampala. She selected UCU over universities closer to her home.

“I am very excited to be admitted to UCU, one of the most prestigious universities in Uganda,” she said. “I was inspired by my brother who studied from here. I am also pleased with the way UCU kept us updated online – they always updated us on Twitter.”

  • Lucky Opwonya, a first-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and environmental engineering, is likewise following in the footsteps of his elder brother, who assured him that he would never regret studying at UCU.

“I heard a lot about UCU from my brother who was here for a bachelor of procurement and logistics in 2022, and I hope to see the good things he told me about,” said Opwonya, who is looking forward to living on campus, as is expected of

all first-year students.

  • Martina Mary Mugabi, who was admitted for a diploma in business administration, was impressed by the warm hospitality during registration. She said the staff were very helpful and friendly in ensuring her
    Martina Mary Mugabi, a first-year student admitted for a School of Business diploma in business administration.
    Martina Mary Mugabi, a first-year student admitted for a School of Business diploma in business administration.

    documents were in order. 

“I was so happy to receive calls and emails from UCU as a follow-up on my application process.,” Mugabi said.

  • Dorcus Kwagala Natabo, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, was inspired by her parents who work at UCU as well as by the university’s focus on Christian values. 

I hope to join the choir,” she said.

  • Walter Bwambale heard about how good UCU was when a lecturer visited his high school (St. Mark Senior Secondary School). He spent over six hours on the road to reach UCU to study a Bachelor of Law.

“I traveled from Kasese, western Uganda, to come to UCU, and I am glad I don’t have to suffer looking for where to sleep because I will be staying in the university hall of residents,” he said.

  • Esther Twikirize, a second-year student (Bachelor of Law) is happy to be back for Trinity semester after breaking off in November last year. “I was missing my friends and WiFi while I was at home,” she said. 

UCU’s main campus has 75 percent WiFi coverage in addition to its 10 computer laboratories mainly for teaching and research purposes. Twikirize also is happy about the opportunity to worship during Tuesday and Thursday services. 

  • Emmanuel Gerald Abura, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration, from Lira, northern Uganda, praised the green and beautiful environment. “Some of us joined UCU because of its appearance,” he said.

Abura, who still stays in the university hall on campus, said the residency has made it easy for him to attend classes and save him from spending time and money on transport.

 “Unlike outside the university, where sometimes there’s no power, at campus, we always have power which helps us read even when there is a blackout,” he said.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities, and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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The University of Pretoria has offered Jonathan Tumwebaze a placement for post-doctoral research

Janitor plays role in UCU alum’s academic success

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Social Sciences, USP


The University of Pretoria has offered Jonathan Tumwebaze a placement for post-doctoral research
The University of Pretoria has offered Jonathan Tumwebaze a placement for post-doctoral research

By Pauline Luba
Janitorial work increased the chances of a university getting at least one student. That’s part of the story of Dr. Jonathan Tumwebaze, who shared the role of a building custodian in his enrollment at Uganda Christian University (UCU).

Tumwebaze’s father, Kaganda Bbala, was looking for a university where his son could pursue undergraduate studies, and UCU was among those on the list. During the university tour with his father in 2011, Tumwebaze said that as his dad walked into the bathrooms in the Mukono campus Nsibambi Hall, he remarked that if custodians could do their job so diligently without close supervision, then there was something special about UCU.

The university journey that Tumwebaze started 12 years ago has seen him recently earning a PhD in a record two-and-a-half years. The course usually takes up to five years. The 31-year-old received his doctorate in public policy from the University of Pretoria in South Africa on March 21, 2023. 

Titled “A Framework for Child Participation in Child-focused Policy Design in Uganda,” Tumwebaze’s research focused on inclusion of children’s voices in child-focused, policy decision-making processes. He describes a developing paradigm of thought in Uganda’s child-focused research literature. 

Tumwebaze with Patty Huston-Holm, Uganda Partners communications director, when they worked together to conduct post-graduate writing and research clinics.
Tumwebaze with Patty Huston-Holm, Uganda Partners communications director, when they worked together to conduct post-graduate writing and research clinics.

Tumwebaze has a unique passion for cross-disciplinary learning and knowledge systems, and has a breadth of experience working with students. Serving as the Interim Global Health Coordinator for Uganda Studies Program and Christian University Partnerships Manager, Tumwebaze’s doctorate meant he was the first student to graduate under the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research. The partnership is a collaborative venture in public policy and is currently offered in three universities in Africa – the University of Pretoria, University of Nairobi in Kenya and the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. In 2015, Tumwebaze worked as an intern for a new UCU postgraduate thesis-assistance program.

Tumwebaze and four others enrolled for the program as full-time PhD resident fellows in February 2020 at the University of Pretoria. Even though Covid-19 affected many education systems, Tumwebaze’s PhD journey was never interrupted, which is something he attributed to the robust nature of the University of Pretoria’s academic programs. He benefited from the financial support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the University of Pretoria Doctoral Research Scholarship. The university has offered Tumwebaze a placement for post-doctoral research, an academic mentorship journey he will be embarking on soon.

Initially, he did not want to pursue a B.A. in Development Studies at UCU. He also had been accepted for the Bachelor of Laws degree, which is where his heart was. However, upon the advice of his father that the tuition fee for the law course was too expensive, Tumwebaze switched to Development Studies. 

“The first month at university was hard,” Tumwebaze recalled. “I saw myself as a lawyer and kept wondering what I was doing in another class.”

Agatha Ninsiima, a friend and an honors student, noticed Tumwebaze’s lack of ambition and encouraged him to avoid wasting three undergraduate years – to put zeal and energy into his development study. And Tumwebaze did just that.

Soon, his attitude shifted to positive and, since then, he topped his class until he completed the course. He was not just a member, but also the chairperson of the UCU Honors College, which is an interdisciplinary Christian leadership and mentorship program that empowers highly motivated and talented students to think critically and creatively about how their Christian faith influences their academic and professional goals. 

Tumwebaze is the third born of Bbala and Adyeeri Kaganda. He attended St. Jude Primary School Kyegobe in Fort Portal, western Uganda and Mengo Senior Secondary in central Uganda for his secondary school education. While at Mengo, Tumwebaze got an opportunity to spend some time in Norway as part of an exchange student program.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Daniel Kunya is a student, a banking officer and a farmer

New Mbale Guild President overcomes handicapped stigma

News, Students, UCU School of Social Sciences


Daniel Kunya is a student, a banking officer and a farmer
Daniel Kunya is a student, a banking officer and a farmer

By Kefa Senoga
Daniel Kunya has no power to change the perception people may have about his abilities because of a disfigured right leg. His power is in his reaction to that judgment. 

Kunya, born with a significantly shorter right leg,  says his parents prepared him well for a world of ridicule, where some people cast doubt on ability for those with disabilities. He says he has been mocked by contemporaries throughout his life. In November last year, as he campaigned to be the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mbale Campus Guild President, a competitor took jabs at Kunya’s uncommon gait.

Kunya with UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyenzi
Kunya with UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyenzi

“One of the candidates in the race told students not to allow a man with a disability to lead them,” Kunya says, adding: “However, the students chose me.” 

According to the 30-year-old, the counseling and support he got from his parents enabled him to develop a thicker skin to persevere through bullying to become a student leader throughout his education. He is the second of four children of Kunya Fred and Mukimba Rose of Namutumba district in eastern Uganda.

He attended St Henry’s School Wakiso for his primary education, where he served as the pupils’ leader in charge of sanitation. At Kawala College School, where he attended O’level, Kunya was the student leader in charge of the dining hall. 

While he had no official, documented leadership role at Apass Secondary School in Kampala, where he attended A’level, he jumped back into leadership when running  for the apex student position of Guild President, which he got.

At the same time, Kunya, a UCU year-two student of Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration, is leading and working in finance and farming. 

Kunya in his onion farm
Kunya in his onion farm

Through his work as a Social Banking Officer with Opportunity Bank, a financial institution in Uganda, Kunya has been responsible for formal banking clients. As a community-based trainer, he has been able to train more than 1,000 youths in Village Savings and Loans Association, as well as in financial literacy.

He also is actively engaged in farming, dispelling perceptions that this physical work is beyond the grasp of a person with special needs.  

“This season, I harvested five acres of rice in Namutumba and last season, I had an onion farm in Namisindwa,” Kunya says. Both Namutumba and Namisindwa are districts in eastern Uganda. 

Seeing the challenges that people living with disabilities often face in communities, Kunya appeals for a society that is more tolerant and appreciative of their unique physical challenges.

On many buildings in Uganda, including in schools, there are neither ramps or lifts, meaning Kunya and many people like him will find a challenge in accessing such places. 

Despite his accomplishments and the brave face that Kunya usually has, at the end of the day, he has human emotions. He says although he stays purpose-focused, especially when he is mocked, there are days when the psychological torture that he encounters overwhelms him, sometimes reducing him to tears.

He has a message to those who invoke psychological torture to those living with disabilities. 

“All of us are candidates for disability because you can be moving around and you get involved in an accident,” said Kunya.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Tabura (foreground) and one of his taxis

Taxi business keeps UCU student in school

News, Students, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Social Sciences


Tabura (foreground) and one of his taxis
Tabura (foreground) and one of his taxis

By Vanessa Kyalimpa
When one listens to the story of Jonan Tabura, a student of Uganda Chrsitian University (UCU), the most likely conclusion is that he is a living testimony of someone who has been pushed by fate to achieve success.

Tabura, a UCU graduate with a Bachelor of Human Resource Management working on a UCU Master of Development Monitoring and Evaluation, has a taxi business more about destiny than desire. It started small – with one cab – and has grown to two 14-seater passenger vans, or taxis. 

When many people his age and education level would shun the job of being a cab driver, Tabura readily welcomed the offer. He had no source of income to continue with his undergraduate studies. So, when his sister presented to him the opportunity to drive her car as a cab, Tabura welcomed it with open arms.

The taxis
The taxis

From the cab business, he was able to save money which he topped up with a loan to purchase a commuter passenger service van. At the time, Tabura says he would make anywhere between sh60,000 and sh70,000 (about $15.6-$18.3) per day as a cab driver.

“While growing up, I was always told that it’s better to start small,” Tabura said. “Because that mantra had been ingrained in me, I opted to save some money that my sister was paying me as a cab driver and, with the additional money from the loan, I bought a van for public transport.” 

The proceeds from the passenger service van business were enough to enable him to pay back the loan and save more money from which he acquired a second van. From the two vans, Tabura said he would earn a daily income of sh240,000 (about $63), which he used to enroll for an undergraduate course in the UCU School of Business.  

Tabura’s might sound like a story of a man without any challenges in the business until you listen to it in full.  One obstacle that reinforces fate over plan is that with no deliberate mastery, he had to develop the skill of fixing minor mechanical vehicle problems while employing skilled mechanics for major issues. 

Although his business is growing faster than he had anticipated, like any other enterprise, he continues to face obstacles, namely financial. One such obstacle for people in the transport business is high fuel prices, which have nearly doubled in the last year. Unfortunately, he says, they cannot increase the transport fare at the same rate. 

He admitted that there have been times when he considered giving up, particularly when his cars were involved in accidents and he had to pay for the damage caused and, at times, the medical expenses of people injured in accidents. 

He encourages students who want to start their own businesses to do so, but to keep in mind the balance of entrepreneur gratification and challenges. 

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Gloria Clinton Kani says she looks forward to helping her family when she completes her course

South Sudan war breaks Kani’s family, but hardens her resolve

COVID-19, Scholarship, Students, UCU School of Social Sciences


Gloria Clinton Kani says she looks forward to helping her family when she completes her course
Gloria Clinton Kani says she looks forward to helping her family when she completes her course

By Kefa Senoga
In 21 years, South Sudanese refugee Gloria Clinton Kani has witnessed miracles countless times. Each time that she feels she has reached the end of the road, God gives her a new path. The latest revitalization was winning a scholarship for her degree program at Uganda Christian University (UCU). 

This, then, is part of her story.

When she completed Senior Six, Kani lobbied organizations, including the Ugandan government, for scholarship opportunities.

Gloria Clinton Kani, a South Sudan refugee student at UCU, narrating her story.

“After bringing my plight to light, I started getting calls from people, informing me of the available scholarship opportunities,” Kani said. One such opportunity that seemed promising was the scholarship offered by Finn Church Aid Uganda. However, Kani’s hope was crushed in January this year when she learned that her first application was not successful. When she re-applied, she was. 

Finn Church Aid Uganda is now paying Kani’s fees for the university accommodation and tuition for her Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration course at UCU. 

Citing her frequent visits to the chapel at UCU, Kani says that the institution has enabled her to rebuild a relationship with God, because of its deep-rooted Christian values.

Life in a refugee camp

Kani, a daughter of two South Sudan nationals, was born in 2001, in Koboko, northern Uganda. Kani’s parents were among escapees of the southern Sudan civil war between the central government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. That war eventually led to a cessation of South Sudan from Sudan, and the former’s eventual independence in 2011. However, despite the closure, peace has eluded South Sudan.

In 2007, when temporary normalcy returned to southern Sudan, there was repatriation of the Sudanese refugees like Kani’s family that was in a Ugandan camp. Kani and her family were among the people who returned to their country. Kani’s home area is in Yei state, in the southern part of South Sudan.

However, the war has kept Kani from fully feeling the warmth of her cradle land. In 2013, Kani and some of her family members were again back in Uganda after fresh fighting erupted in her home country. 

“When our father abandoned us, our maternal uncle relocated us to Uganda so we could continue with our studies,” she said. Her mother, however, was not part of the people who came to Uganda at that time. 

In 2016, Kani’s uncle died in South Sudan, prompting the rest of the family members who had stayed behind to relocate to Uganda. Among them was Kani’s mother.

“We moved into Bidi Bidi refugee settlement in northern Uganda, but I spent two terms at home because my benefactor had been killed, so I had no other source of money for tuition,” Kani narrates. She was in Senior Three at the time. Her cousin who had completed Senior Six was designated to help some of the family members. He took up the responsibility of paying Kani’s school fees using proceeds from his job as a shopkeeper for a Ugandan family. 

However, there were instances when the tuition fees were beyond what Kani’s cousin could afford. In Senior Four third term, for instance, Kani got financial assistance from the mother of a friend while for two terms in Senior Six, Kani’s friend in the camp came to her rescue. By that time, her cousin had lost his job at the shop. The shop was one of the businesses closed due to a Covid-induced lockdown in Uganda.

Kani has been able to build for her mother a house in the settlement. She built using proceeds from a short term job she got during her Senior Six holidays, working as a translator for a Non-Governmental Organization. 

As she embarks on her degree course, Kani is fully aware of the financial challenges – taking care of her siblings – ahead of her after the studies. But for now, she focuses on the course, to get the best possible grades, which can boost her abilities to get a  job after school and meet those obligations.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook.

Mwogereze with one of their elderly beneficiaries in Kamuli. Courtesy photo

‘Community that gives hope and a smile to vulnerable’

News, Students, UCU School of Social Sciences


Mwogereze with one of their elderly beneficiaries in Kamuli. Courtesy photo
Mwogereze with one of their elderly beneficiaries in Kamuli. Courtesy photo

By Vanessa Kyalimpa
Richard Mwogereze’s parents dropped out of school early in life, and so did his siblings. Those two incidents served as learning points for the young Mwogereze. As he grew up, he witnessed first-hand how his parents struggled to meet the basic needs of the family. Seeing them struggle, Mwogereze believed life would have been a little bit better if his parents had completed school. With education, he believed, they would have been able to afford formal employment, and, therefore, fend for the family.

He, therefore, struggled against all odds to keep in school.

“I would make bricks and offer manual labor in sugarcane plantations to earn money for school fees,” says Mwogereze, currently pursuing Masters of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Management at Uganda Christian University (UCU). He says he started paying his tuition and buying his school requirements in Primary Six. 

Richard Mwogereze talks about the activities of Vine Uganda

Perhaps, Mwogereze would not have broken all the sweat to look for money for his tuition, had it not been for the life his aunt and her children led, which he says, was an inspiration to him. His cousins were going to school and, to him, the family could afford all the basic necessities they needed in life. 

“Plus, they owned cars and houses,” he notes.

He kept his eye on the prize until he graduated with a Bachelor’s in Social Work and Social Administration. Finally, Mwogereze thought he was done. However, he soon learned that it was one thing to get a degree and another to get a job.

After failed attempts to secure himself a job, Mwogereze settled for establishing an organisation, through which he hoped, he would earn a living, as well as helping the less privileged. That is how Butansi Youth Forum, a community-based organisation in Kamuli district, eastern Uganda, was born. Through the organisation, Mwogereze hoped he would empower the youth with life skills. The organization suffered stillbirth as it did not take off. Mwogereze believes he paid the price of inexperience. 

“I did not give up,” he says. “I soon got an opportunity to volunteer at a children’s home. Through that work, I got an opportunity to attend a conference, which opened the door of opportunities for me.”

Mwogereze and a colleague with whom he partners in preaching the Gospel.
Mwogereze and a colleague with whom he partners in preaching the Gospel.

Two women at the conference got interested in his work, and eventually employed him at their organization, Vine Uganda. The organisation is a non-profit evangelism program that conducts prison ministry and charity simultaneously. It serves up to nine villages in Kamuli district, offering child sponsorship, medical outreach, women’s projects and spiritual outreach. It also runs a pre-school and a babies’ home. Currently, Mwogereze serves as the organisation’s executive director.

Oftentimes, many women are left in dire poverty, struggling to provide food and shelter for their families. Vine Uganda is channeling energies to making life better for such women. It provides training for use of sewing machines, as well as employment. Through a six-month training course by a master seamstress, the women are expected to be able to make shirts, skirts, aprons, and school uniforms by the end of the training. Some of the products are sold in the community, and others like aprons sell in the United States.. 

“We envision a community that gives hope and a smile to the vulnerable and to those who have lost hope, with Jesus Christ being the centre of joy,” Mwogereze said. “It is an answer to the prayers of many vulnerable people.”

“We have also secured a large water project, an electric borehole.” The project, supported by Water Mission, is meant to help supply water to all units that house the organization’s projects, according to Mwogereze.

The organisation also sponsors up to 500 learners in primary, secondary and vocational levels, as well as community economic empowerment initiatives, where people are trained and given start-up capital to set up businesses that can provide them with income to support their families.

One of the biggest challenges they face, Mwogereze said, is limited funds, which grossly limits the number of people they impact in their programs. He is, nevertheless, hopeful that better days lie ahead.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Around two dozen in-person participants listen and ask questions about the Covid study.

UCU team releases report on Covid conspiracy theory link to vaccination

COVID-19, News, SRPGS, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication, UCU School of Social Sciences


Around two dozen in-person participants listen and ask questions about the Covid study.
Around two dozen in-person participants listen and ask questions about the Covid study.

By Patty Huston-Holm with audio-visual by Conrad Okello
Covid-19 – a pandemic waning worldwide – was the topic of discussion for two hours on a Thursday morning in a far corner of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) main campus in Mukono.  More specifically, the talk surrounded how false information contributes to health crises overall and how communication of legitimate facts and figures could alleviate sickness and death. 

Dr. Geoffrey Rwabaingi Mulindwa, the director of medical services through Allan Galpin Health Center at UCU/Mukono, was among 40 of the combined in-person and on-line participants on Sept. 8, 2022. He listened as collaborators of public health, social science, journalism and business faculty presented their phase one research entitled “Conspiracy Beliefs and Covid-19 Vaccination Hesitancy in Uganda” and shared his perspective over a tea break. 

Dr. Bacwayo expresses appreciation for report questions and comments.

“Covid is real,” he stated without hesitancy. “Vaccination should be as annual as a flu shot.”

The medical doctor, age 60 and seeing first-hand cases of coronavirus, notes that the worldometer estimate of 169,396 cases and 3,628 deaths in Uganda is lower than for most countries in the rest of the world.  The Uganda data are derived mostly from heavily populated areas in a country that is 75% rural.  Residents in the rural areas have been mostly spared from the virus because they are not as close in contact with other people as city dwellers. He estimated at least half of the Uganda adult population has received at least one dose of a vaccination to combat Covid.

Regardless, Mulindwa said vaccination is a means of overall improvement of public health, especially as other diseases – such as polio – are coming back. Numerous credible sources, including the Yale School of Medicine, in August 2022, report the re-emergence of this once-eradicated, crippling polio disease. 

Professor Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo, director, Postgraduate Studies, speaks as the chief investigator of the study of conspiracy theory impact on Covid vaccinations.
Professor Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo, director, Postgraduate Studies, speaks as the chief investigator of the study of conspiracy theory impact on Covid vaccinations.

Prof. Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo, an Associate Prof. of Governance and Development in the School of Social Sciences and UCU Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, was the Covid-focused study lead investigator with a multi-disciplinary team of colleagues from UCU. Others on the team are Emilly Comfort Maractho, Richard Sebaggala, Solomon Mwije, Mercy Amaniyo, Clare Cheremoi, Evas Kemigisha and Jacqueline Kobusingye.

The team was awarded a UCU research grant to study how conspiracy beliefs affected Covid-19 vaccination hesitancy in Uganda. In a three-year project with an online and physical survey of over 1,000 respondents, the team is examining conspiracy beliefs and their implications for Covid vaccination in Uganda. 

Among the Covid conspiracy beliefs are: 

  • The G5 cellular network is responsible for causing COVID-19. 
  • Bill Gates used Covid as a plan to depopulate the world.
  • High-powered people released Covid on purpose.
  • Vaccinations having microchips that can be used to monitor behavior.  

The study’s main objectives are designed to measure such conspiracy beliefs and establish how they impact vaccination decisions for adults and their children. 

Assoc. Prof. Elizabeth Balyejusa Kizito, director, Research, Partnership and Innovation, applauds the UCU team for the Covid-related research.
Assoc. Prof. Elizabeth Balyejusa Kizito, director, Research, Partnership and Innovation, applauds the UCU team for the Covid-related research.

The population engaged in the study is 47% male and 53% female from the Uganda areas of Mukono, Arua, Gulu, Sheema, Mbarara, Kapchorwa, Kabale and Wakiso. According to the study, inaccurate information is largely obtained through radio and social media via smart phones that are increasingly in the hands of both educated and less-educated persons.  

“A lot of this false information was coming through WhatsApp,” Bacwayo said. 

Conspiracy theories aside, among the data collected as of early September 2022 are:

  • Information is more trusted from health care workers than government officials.
  • Protecting other people is the main reason people get vaccinated. 
  • Lack of safe and effectiveness proof about the vaccine are the main reasons people don’t get vaccinated.

Bacwayo reported that worldwide, the percentage of the population threshold that needs to be immune to achieve herd immunity for any disease should be in the 60% to 70% range. The World Health Organization lists lack of vaccination as one of the top 10 threats to global health.

“Vaccine hesitancy is as high as 70% in developing countries,” Bacwayo said. “Conspiracy theories are the biggest driver to no vaccination.”

Among the questions and feedback from the roughly 24 in-person participants on September 8 was a question about the term “conspiracy,” the actual origin of Covid, why people believe false information, how Ugandan tribal traditions impact beliefs and the reality of a need to get vaccinated more than once.  

“We are using this feedback to inform our next phase of the research,” said Dr. Maractho, who is part of the research team. 

“We believe this study is relevant and that it will bear fruits in other areas,” Dr. Bacwayo said. 

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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The School of Social Sciences lecturers pose with the team of Promise International at the ICMI building

Social Sciences joins forces with USA Nonprofit to help disabled children

UCU School of Social Sciences


The School of Social Sciences lecturers pose with the team of Promise International at the ICMI building
The School of Social Sciences lecturers pose with the team of Promise International at the ICMI building

By Israel Kisakye
In a move to boost Ugandan special needs persons awareness, the School of Social Sciences at Uganda Christian University (UCU) has joined with Promise International, a USA, Non-Governmental Organization focused on advocating for basic human rights in communities. 

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics Data indicate that around 12%, or 4.5 million, Ugandans have some form of disability. Individuals with such disabilities as deafness and blindness face economic, social  and educational disadvantages. Focusing first on the World Bank estimate of 16% of Ugandan special needs children and even narrower on those children in schools, the School of Social Sciences has developed a concept around issues of special needs in the country and possible intervention to be undertaken by UCU and Promise International to improve the group’s rights.

Participants at the School of Social Sciences training
Participants at the School of Social Sciences training

“We all know issues concerning special needs people in Uganda, so we are trying to see how we can play a part in sensitizing the community more about this subject,” said Dr. Jeremy Waiswa, head of the department of research and postgraduate in the School. “This is the first step towards the bigger things in our collaboration in the areas of special needs children. We want to start the collaborations and see the activities we can work on with Promise International.” 

Sarah Benevides, an official with the Texas-based Promise International, said that she was excited to be part of the collaboration that is aligned with her organization’s faith-driven mission to advocate and take action related to basic human rights needs for Uganda’s vulnerable. 

“We want to increase the awareness of special needs as well as provide some roots and support on how we can move on with the children with various disabilities,” Benevides said. “We can strengthen courage in this university by telling people how God has created all of us.”

Sarah Benevides of Promise International talks about purpose of the collaboration

Daniel Tulibagenyi, a UCU alum and lecturer who is a founder and president working with Promise International, said it was “humbling” to be part of the group establishing a partnership with his former university. 

Sarah Benevides, one of the Promise International presenters, talks to the group
Sarah Benevides, one of the Promise International presenters, talks to the group

“We want to establish the collaboration and start training and engaging students to be able to enhance the community outreach of UCU in areas of special needs children,” Tulibagenyi said. He added that the partnership engages the non-profit and the university in research and community action.

According to the Ministry of Education and Sports (2017) some 9,597 pupils enrolled in pre-primary schools (1.6%) have impairments. The majority were children with mental impairments (28%), followed by hearing impairments (25%), visual impairments (16%), autism (5%) and multiple handicaps-deaf and blind (4%). There are 172,864 children with special needs in primary schools which is 2% of total primary enrollment and 9% of the overall children with special needs.

The UCU School of Social Sciences students believe that the training exposed them to more knowledge about the neglect of special needs children 

“This training has given me more highlights on people living with disabilities, and I have gotten to know that they are left out in their societies and their rights are usually trampled on,” said Calvin Amanya, member of parliament, School of Social Sciences. 

Other students thanked the school for the initiative.

 “The training has shed more light on what social science is about and what I’m supposed to do in my community,” Kevin Dusebe, a year-one student pursuing Social works and Social Administration, said.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter, and Facebook.

Molly Nantongo and Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo, former dean of UCU’s School of Social Sciences and now Director for Postgraduate Studies, in August 2022. “You were my dean, and read my name,” Nantongo recalled of her connection to Kukunda at the 2015 UCU graduation day on the Mukono campus.

UCU alum dances way to success with goal of helping vulnerable

News, Students, UCU School of Social Sciences


Molly Nantongo and Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo, former dean of UCU’s School of Social Sciences and now Director for Postgraduate Studies, in August 2022. “You were my dean, and read my name,” Nantongo recalled of her connection to Kukunda at the 2015 UCU graduation day on the Mukono campus.
Molly Nantongo and Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo, former dean of UCU’s School of Social Sciences and now Director for Postgraduate Studies, in August 2022. “You were my dean, and read my name,” Nantongo recalled of her connection to Kukunda at the 2015 UCU graduation day on the Mukono campus.

By Patty Huston-Holm
When I think of Molly Nantongo, I think of dancing. The tiny gap in her front teeth is one way I pick her out from hundreds of Ugandans I’ve met. Both of those things – dance and space evident when Nantongo smiles – have played an important role in her still unfolding achievement. 

On a Saturday morning in August 2022, from a couch in my Uganda Christian University (UCU) Tech Park apartment, Nantongo explained the role. A 2015 UCU alum with a Bachelor of Social Work  and Social Administration, she sandwiched in time to talk just five days before her flight to California, USA. Our conversation was punctuated with laughter, hope from despair and bites of chocolate brownies.

Laughter
I met Nantongo in 2016. In addition to the meager salary that she got from performances with a troupe at Uganda’s Ndere Cultural Arts Center, she got some shillings from me for private dance lessons between shrubs and hanging laundry in the side yard of where I lived at UCU. Her young 20-something moves were a sharp contrast to those of her much older but eager-to-learn counterpart.  

We laughed then and with Dr. Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo, then dean of the UCU School of Research and Post-Graduate Studies, enroute home to Mukono after watching Nantongo dance with Ndere Troupe one Sunday night in Kampala.  


Molly Nantongo giving private African dance lesson to Author Patty Huston-Holm

Nantongo was piecing together earnings from three jobs: a professional dancer, an occasional private dance teacher and teaching assistant and tutor for undergraduate students in the university’s foundation courses.  At that time and still, she had visited more of USA’s 50 states than me.  

“I’ve been in about 95% of the United States,” she said. She got there before age 15. 

Hope
In 2002, Nantongo was one of four children living with a single mother, a former Hutu in Rwanda, in the Kampala slum suburb of Kirombe.  Missing school and food on the table were an accepted way of life that the then 10-year-old filled with “cracking jokes” and dancing. One such day, she and a girlfriend jumped gleefully onto a political campaign truck filled with music blaring from loud speakers. They laughed and danced, oblivious to those seeing them, before jumping off to make the 35-minute walk from home. 

“Mom was bitter,” Nantongo said. “She caned me.”

Nantongo ran away and slept the night on some steps where a sex worker scooped her up, made her tea with milk and, despite the child protests that her mom would “beat me to death,” took her home.  

There, she learned that she had been noticed on the truck.

“They were looking for the dancing girl with the gap in her teeth,” she said.

That organization, now known as Undugu Society of Kenya, helped Nantongo finish primary school. Another organization, Empower African Children, got her to the United States as a member of the Spirit of  Uganda Various Artists – Spirit of Uganda: 2008 Tour Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic  “Because I could dance,” Nantongo explained, adding,  “Plus, I had a story to tell.”

Her moves were natural until age 15, when there was formalized instruction to be ready for travel, do shows internationally and raise money for vulnerable children like her. The 2008 USA tour with 11 girls and 11 boys was six months in buses and planes. 

“The organization called me ‘Maureen’ and taught me how to jump and move my hands in different tribal dances,” she said. Her favorite dances are from northeastern Uganda, namely the Karamoja region, with a particular affection for war dances without drums. 

More Hope
As Nantongo told of her journey, she shared that her siblings weren’t totally left behind as  Empower African Children assisted with education. And she never took her support for granted. Working hard as she did in the years after getting her bachelor’s degree was both rewarding and giving back. She helped students understand health and wellness and world views in the UCU undergraduate foundation courses. 

Alas, like for many, Covid was a hardship. A degree meant little without a place to teach, and dancing meant little without an audience to dance for. Nantongo started a passion fruit business to support herself and her mom, age 52, who struggles still from a stroke in 2017. 

A year into being a street seller, a friend suggested she apply for a scholarship opportunity through the American Embassy. Without much optimism as one of 60 candidates for one slot, she participated in the two-week orientation – raising her hand and smiling a lot. She was chosen for a two-year master’s program in social welfare at the University of California in Berkley. 

Once there, she applied for a $10,000 “Davis Project for Peace” grant – one designed to help Ugandan youth (ages 14-20) who are victims of Covid shutdown impacts, including pregnant-out-of-wedlock girls.  The 15-week project, entitled Ntongo Skills4Peace, took place through mid-August 2022 with assistance for several thousand youth.  

Molly Nantongo, UCU alum studying at the University of California, Berkley, holds a replica of a character from the Flat Stanley children’s book in 2016. This rendition from a Dayton, Ohio, class taught by Huston-Holm’s niece is part of an educational project designed to expose schoolchildren to different people and cultures.
Molly Nantongo, UCU alum studying at the University of California, Berkley, holds a replica of a character from the Flat Stanley children’s book in 2016. This rendition from a Dayton, Ohio, class taught by Huston-Holm’s niece is part of an educational project designed to expose schoolchildren to different people and cultures.

 

“If we don’t do  something now, these girls will end up in prostitution,” Nantongo, turning age 30 in October, said. “I’ve been using the grant here to focus on vocation skills like catering  and tailoring, hair dressing and welding for these vulnerable.”

As Nantongo is  wrapping up her final year in California in 2023, she has her sights on working for USAID, UNICEF. United Nations or World Bank, with her forever passion to help the poverty vulnerable as she once was. 

“I want to start mentoring sessions for children who have been born and raised in the slums to give them hope and connect them to different resources that can help them attain their goals,” she said, smiling to show that gap in her teeth that she doesn’t intend to plug. 

More Laughter
As for dancing?
On this Saturday in August, Nantongo pulled up a video on her phone. It shows three students in  Berkeley, California.  In it, she is dancing with a young man from Kenya and a woman from China. And all three are laughing. 

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. 

Nantongo Molly can be reached at Instagram nantongo.maureen |(LinkedIn: NANTONGO MOLLY | ;Twitter: @NantongoMolly | FaceBook: Nantongo Maureen.

Osborne Ahimbisibwe, secretary of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Research Ethics Committee, notes that the committee is registered as the UCU Institutional Review Board on the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Office for Human Research Protection (OHRP) website

US departments recognize UCU’s research ethics committee

News, Students, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication, UCU School of Social Sciences


Osborne Ahimbisibwe, secretary of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Research Ethics Committee, notes that the committee is registered as the UCU Institutional Review Board on the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Office for Human Research Protection (OHRP) website
Osborne Ahimbisibwe, secretary of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Research Ethics Committee, notes that the committee is registered as the UCU Institutional Review Board on the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Office for Human Research Protection (OHRP) website.

By Kefa Senoga
The Uganda Christian University-Research Ethics Committee (UCU-REC) has been accredited by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office for Human Research Protection (OHRP) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Osborne Ahimbisibwe, the secretary of the UCU-REC, said the accreditation is as a result of UCU-REC’s success in fulfilling its professional duties that include looking out for privacy and protection of persons in studies. He said the ethics committee is listed on the HHS and OHRP website as the UCU Institutional Review Board (IRB), Number IRB00013492.  

Ahimbisibwe explained that funding agencies use the HHS and OHRP website to verify that an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Research Ethics Committee (REC) has an active registration. The OHRP provides leadership in the protection of the rights and well-being of human subjects involved in research conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services while FDA protects public health by ensuring safety of human drugs.  

“The accreditation means that if someone is coming from the U.S to conduct research in Uganda and they get approval from UCU-REC, the findings of their study will be recognized back in the United States,” Ahimbisibwe explained.

There are a number of Research Ethics Committees in Uganda that include the Uganda Virus Research Institute Research Ethics Committee (UVRI-REC), Mbarara University of Science and Technology Research Ethics Committee (MUST – REC), Nkumba University Research Ethics Committee (NU-REC), and the School of Medicine Research Ethics Committee at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, among others.

Ahimbisibwe explains that the UCU-REC on average does 200 protocol reviews annually and it’s mandatory for postgraduate students and other researchers outside academia for example clinical trials. He adds that membership of the committee is comprised of scientific and non-scientific members who are made up of UCU community representatives and non-UCU-affiliated members. 

Commenting on the development, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Rev. Prof. John Kitayimbwa, said that the accreditation is an important development for UCU, which intends to drive the agenda of research. 

A post-graduate student works in the UCU library, which is working to drive the agenda of quality research to increase global visibility and maximize impact of these studies.
A post-graduate student works in the UCU library, which is working to drive the agenda of quality research to increase global visibility and maximize impact of these studies.

“We are transforming the university from one that’s been majorly teaching to a research-led one,” he said. “However, in order to do research, especially where you have human subjects, you have got to do that work ethically.” 

Kitayimbwa noted that UCU’s REC ensures that the standards, which have been set in terms of the ethical considerations worldwide, are followed when dealing with human subjects in a research activity.   

Dr. Angela Napakol, a REC member and senior lecturer at the School of Journalism, Media and Communication, said the accreditation was not only vital in science-related research, but also in other fields, such as social sciences and humanities. 

Napakol noted one example of a researcher who is going to the field to discuss mental health and could bring up sensitive topics that may trigger trauma because of a past experience. If information is not acquired properly, including with sensitivity and respect, the questions can trigger a breakdown. Thus,  it is important to ensure that ethic practices are followed. 

“So, as REC, we want to make sure that the discussions between the researcher and the participants don’t trigger episodes of mental breakdown,” she said.  “That is why we put emphasis on ethical standards.”

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Brigadier General Felix Busizoori (center), the new acting Commander of the elite Special Force Command (SFC) for Uganda, participates in the UCU student run with students that included Rachel Sserwadda (Guild President, at left) and Jonathan Kivuna (Guild Vice President, at right).

Brig. General applauds UCU for discipline

News, Sports, Students, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Medicine, UCU School of Social Sciences


Brigadier General Felix Busizoori (center), the new acting Commander of the elite Special Force Command (SFC) for Uganda, participates in the UCU student run with students that included Rachel Sserwadda (Guild President, at left) and Jonathan Kivuna (Guild Vice President, at right).
Brigadier General Felix Busizoori (center), the new acting Commander of the elite Special Force Command (SFC) for Uganda, participates in the UCU student run with students that included Rachel Sserwadda (Guild President, at left) and Jonathan Kivuna (Guild Vice President, at right).

By Israel Kisakye
Brigadier General Felix Busizoori, Commander of the Uganda elite Special Force Command, recently deviated from his oversight job of protecting the country’s top leaders to run alongside Uganda Christian University (UCU) students and give them kudos. 

The occasion was the annual Guild Run to raise money for tuition for needy students. Attired in lime-green vests sold for sh15,000 ($4 American) each, Busizoori and an estimated 200 others ran up to 8 kilometers (4 miles) for the cause on March 26. Busizoori’s remarks were made as part of his officiating role for the event. 

Busizoori, who has the main responsibility for guarding Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, applauded UCU for producing “well disciplined” graduates ready for today’s job market. He commended students for the focus on their studies vs. participating in strikes as students at other universities do. 

Guild Run participants in nearby Mukono town.
Guild Run participants in nearby Mukono town.

Previously, students have cited the “morals” that the institution imparts in its students as among  the reasons they opted to study at UCU. 

“Any health worker ought to embrace the values of servanthood and being God-loving, to help guide them in their performance,” Cherop Laban Sabila, a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery student, said last year when he was asked why, of all the universities in the country, he chose UCU.

The UCU Guild Run, which is meant to be an annual event, started in 2020. However, last year, it did not take place because of government restriction on crowds, following the destructive effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, the run was officiated by Rebecca Kadaga, who was the Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament at the time.

Other key participants at the March 2022 event included UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Assoc. Prof. John Mulindwa Kitayimbwa, and the Dean of Students Affairs, Bridget Mugume. 

In the March 2022 event, the participants covered 8 kilometers (about 4 miles), starting at the UCU main pitch, running through Mukono town and its suburbs, and then back to the university. An estimated sh5 million ($1,346.8 American) was raised.

Frank Okello, a student of Bachelor of Child Development and Children Ministry, was the overall winner of the run. He covered 8 kilometers (4 miles) in 15 minutes. Okello said running is his passion, and that he feels treasured whenever an opportunity arises for him to represent his university at any marathon. 

Juma Kyaterekera, the coach for the UCU netball team, came in second, followed by Rosenior Kulang, a year-three Bachelor of Business Administration student. The top performers were given UCU paraphernalia, such as branded caps, T-shirts, calendars and keyholders.

Kitayimbwa thanked the student leaders for organizing the event, saying it showed that they are alive to the challenges that fellow students go through at the university.  

UCU Guild President Mirembe Rachel Sserwadda expressed appreciation to the university administration for allowing the activity.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Participants at Africa Policy Center Symposium

Africa Policy Center symposium unites scholars

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Social Sciences


Participants at Africa Policy Center Symposium
Participants at Africa Policy Center Symposium

By Eriah Lule
When scholars meet, the number one item on their agenda is to critique one another’s work. A recent meeting at Uganda Christian University (UCU) was not a departure from that ritual.

Dr. Emilly Comfort Maractho, Director of APC
Dr. Emilly Comfort Maractho, Director of APC

In fact, the two days ended up not being enough for them to achieve their intended objective and, therefore, the convener of the symposium, Dr. Emilly Comfort Maractho, called for a more periodic gathering so they are able to “evaluate each other’s scholarly progress.”

Maractho convened the symposium under the auspices of the African Policy Center, a UCU think tank that brings Christian truth and goodness into the public realm. She is the director of APC.

Maractho said that such workshops provide “space to evaluate ourselves as scholars and also improve our work,” noting that scholarly gatherings enable researchers to acquaint themselves with each other’s research fields. She argued that it is only that way that the researchers in the same field will “connect” to be able to present better findings.

The symposium was held courtesy of sponsorship of the Next Generation Social Science Research Council (SSRC), a USA-based, non-profit organization that is dedicated to advancing research in the social sciences and related disciplines.

More than 10 scholars from the Ugandan universities of Makerere, Kyambogo, Uganda Martyrs and the Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) presented their research papers.

Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi who launched the symposium, saw it as an opportunity to further position UCU as a “research-based university,” adding that such a move will improve the global ranking of the university, as well as its visibility.

Prof. Apuuli Phillip Kasaijja, an Assoc. Prof. in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Makerere University, who was the event’s keynote speaker, urged the researchers to endeavor to do work that influences policy – lest their work will be in vain.

Summary of what some participants said

Dr. David Ngendo Tshimba, a scholar from Uganda Martyrs University
Dr. David Ngendo Tshimba, a scholar from Uganda Martyrs University

Dr. David Ngendo Tshimba, a scholar from Uganda Martyrs University, who presented a paper titled Political Violence in the Rwenzori Borderland Revisited: Isaya Mukirane and the Rwenzururu Secessionist Movement, 1962-64, said such workshops introduce researchers to “like-minded people who offer constructive criticism for our work so that we can improve as scholars.” He added that “every scholar is always hungry for growth, and we all grow through research.”

Dr. Resty Naiga, a lecturer in the Department of Development Studies, Makerere University
Dr. Resty Naiga, a lecturer in the Department of Development Studies, Makerere University

Dr. Resty Naiga, a lecturer in the Department of Development Studies, at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Makerere University, presented a paper titled Local Water Conflicts in Uganda: Options for Peace-building, Policy and Practice. She said that such a meeting of scholars helps to grow in their work, as well as offering opportunities for mentorship.

 

Dr. Robert Ojambo, a Senior Lecturer of Political Science at Kyambogo University
Dr. Robert Ojambo, a Senior Lecturer of Political Science at Kyambogo University

Dr. Robert Ojambo, senior lecturer, Political Science, at Kyambogo University, presented a paper titled The Contest for Living Space between Refugees and Local Communities in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Bunyoro Sub-region in Western Uganda. Uganda is home to more than 1.5 million refugees, a majority coming from neighboring countries that are facing civil unrest.

Dr. Pamela Kanakhwa, a lecturer in the Department of History, Archaeology and Heritage Studies at Makerere, presented a paper on Landslides, Disaster Management and Land Conflicts in Eastern Uganda. She said the symposium broke a long spell of silence that had been occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions on gatherings. “I have learned a lot in the symposium, and I am inspired to think more about my work,” Kanakhwa said.

Dr. Specioza Twinamasiko from MUST, said such workshops help them to network and also motivates them into coming up with new research ideas to find solutions for the problems that affect society. Twinamasiko presented a paper on Women Agency to Oil Development–Induced Land Conflicts in the Albertine Graben, Uganda.

Wasswa Timothy Kisuule, a graduate intern with the APC, applauded the symposium for its insightfulness on various aspects of social challenges that had affected society and had not been paid attention to. “I learned a lot from the scholars and I think more students should be invited to such workshops to boost their confidence in research and presentations,” he said.

Cedrick Joseph Wabwire, a lecturer at UCU’s School of Social Sciences and a staff member at APC
Cedrick Joseph Wabwire, a lecturer at UCU’s School of Social Sciences and a staff member at APC

Cedrick Joseph Wabwire, a lecturer at UCU’s School of Social Sciences and a staff at APC, said the symposium created a platform of knowledge sharing, as well as an inspiration to the young academics. “Such workshops position UCU as a hub of knowledge sharing, increasing its brand visibility, as well as strengthening partnerships among various institutions and the academics themselves,” he said.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

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Steven Kisenge

Kisenge: One UCU Honors College testimonial

News, UCU School of Social Sciences


Steven Kisenge
Steven Kisenge

By Nicole Nankya
The first time I met Steven Kisenge he shared briefly about his passion for human rights while seated in the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Honors College office of Pamela Tumwebaze. The second time was to learn more about Steven, who was this time dressed in black and accompanied by his friend Julius Lubangangeyo, also a student in the Honors College dressed in white coat and black trouser. Both had broad welcoming smiles.

Kisenge, a third-year student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in human rights, peace and humanitarian intervention at UCU, had emailed a research paper immediately after that first meeting. It was 22 pages focused on abuse and challenges of refugees in Kampala.

Kisenge believes his Honors College experience has helped shape him in service delivery to others whose human rights have been violated.

Any UCU student qualifies to join Honors College upon completion of first year at the university with 4.O GPA and above. Leadership, mentorship and spiritual growth are the programs’ emphasis through workshops, research and various outreaches.

Kisenge’s assigned mentor is the Rev Dr. John Kitiyimbwa who is the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs who, in Kisenge’s words, “has been kind and humble to me.”

“He has guided me on different perceptions of life on how best I can maneuver without compromising on my standards as a leader and a Christian,” Kisenge said.

Steven believes that Honors college has improved his knowledge of how to do research, write compelling essays, and develop and implement project plans.

One of his projects focused on “sensitization about gender-based violence” that he implemented for four months in partnership with the Red Cross Uganda, Mukono branch.

“Going out in the community and interacting with people helps you know what kind of challenges they face and how best a person can solve them,” Kisenge said.

He also noted that with the connections he obtained through the college has exposed him to different people that he had never thought of meeting like being able to go to parliament and present a paper on human rights abuse.

Kisenge’s UCU leadership positions have included Millennium fellowship cohort director, vice president for para-counseling, chapel leader and class coordinator.  In secondary school, he was assistant chaplain and a literature and history facilitator.

Once completing his undergraduate degree in July 2022, Kisenge hopes to pursue a master’s degree in human rights and to advocate for vulnerable people.

WEDNESDAY: Words of virtual mentor Peggy Noll of Pennsylvania, USA.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Pamela Tumwebaze, head of UCU’s Honors College, with Kwebeiha John Wycliff, a year-two Law student in the mentorship program.

Honors College Mentorships: ‘He believed in me’

News, Students, UCU School of Education, UCU School of Social Sciences


Pamela Tumwebaze, head of UCU’s Honors College, with Kwebeiha John Wycliff, a year-two Law student in the mentorship program.
Pamela Tumwebaze, head of UCU’s Honors College, with Kwebeiha John Wycliff, a year-two Law student in the mentorship program.

By Patty Huston-Holm with Laura Cenge and Nicole Nankya
One dictionary definition of “mentor” is “experienced and trusted advisor.”

Pamela Tumwebaze, head of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Honors College, can recall having many, including the Rev. Prof. John Kitayimbwa, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (DVCAA). It was him, in fact, who propelled her to her current job title and got her thinking about making mentorships a deeper part of the Honor’s program.

Tumwebaze remembered an early 2021, end-of-day conversation in her role as the DVCAA Executive Assistant. The university had been in Covid-related, government-ordered lockdown for nearly a year. The university’s financial status, exacerbated by no students and no tuition, required leadership decisions about cuts. The head of the Honors program was leaving to work on his PhD, making that program a prime candidate for the chopping block.

“He (Kitayimbwa) told me the Honors program was going to be shut down,” recalled Tumwebaze, who, like most workers on the Mukono campus at the time, was near exhaustion from doing multiple jobs – theirs and for those not around due to travel restrictions and inability to be paid.

She recalled: “I said ‘I’ll do it.’ He said I couldn’t.  But the next morning he said he thought about it, and that I could. He believed in me.”

Such encouragement is part of what a good mentor does. Good mentees do all they can to substantiate that faith.

The UCU Honours College is a leadership development initiative started in 2002, with a focus on Christian principles, as well as creativity and critical thinking. Undergraduate students from all programs are eligible to apply if they have a 4.0 of 5.0 grade point average or higher. In addition to reinforcing the value of academic knowledge, the UCU Honors College program addresses the value of “soft skills”, such as public speaking, work ethic, team building and engaging in relationships, including those with mentors.

Written assignments, oral presentations and service projects with informal mentorships have long been a part of the College. Formal mentorships are new.

Fresh on the job as the Honors College head in January 2021, Tumwebaze realized mentorship was going to be a key component of the program, but implementation with no in-person learning required a virtual strategy.  By mid-year, she had a plan that she launched with two students each for four mentors – two Americans (one being Peggy Noll, the wife of UCU’s first Vice Chancellor) and two Ugandans (Johnson Mayamba and Dennis Wandera) living in the United States.

The plan included expectations that mentors be academic and/or career professionals approved by Pamela and willing to be encouragers and coaches. Mentees are expected to be timely and provide learning needs.

Virtual mentorships had expected challenges of student Internet access and understanding that mentors were in different time zones. With students back in session, the number of mentorships has grown to 30 in-person and virtual faculty, alum and other professionals for 96 Honors College students. All program areas are represented with the largest single number from Law.

“I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer, willing to try new things,” said Tumwebaze, who has UCU degrees related to literature and is working on a third, a master’s in strategic communication. “Covid taught me to re-create myself.”

A mother of two, Tumwebaze shared that to help support her family during the pandemic, she bought used clothing in Kampala, kept it in her car and sold it to friends. At the same time, she put energies into teaching a literature class and leading the Honors College, encouraging students at a time when she knew many felt hopeless and even suicidal.

“In spite of what I knew was going on in their lives, I encouraged them to look around and serve others,” she said. “We are all broken. I tell them to trust God to open their eyes and help someone else while also helping themselves.”

Those service projects have included cleaning up trash, educating new mothers in a rural village and reinforcing reading for children.

“When Christ calls us, we shall need to show how we helped someone,” she said. “Look for your gifts and use them in His name.”

In mid-March, one such gift is tacked on the bulletin board of Tumwebaze’s second floor office in a building known as “M Block” next to Nkoyoyo Hall. The childlike drawing of a rainbow was made by her almost-four-year-old son for his appreciation of her visit to his school.

Another gift this day was Honors College student, Steven Nsenga, seated by the door. He is a soon-to-be graduate with a Bachelors in Human Rights, Peace and Humanitarian Intervention in the Faculty of Social Science. He is concerned about refugees.

And he is, Tumwebaze pointed out, assigned to a mentor who gave her this job – the Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa.

TOMORROW: UCU Standard intern Nicole Nankya tells more of the story of student and mentee, Steven Nsenga.

WEDNESDAY: Words of virtual mentor Peggy Noll of Pennsylvania, USA.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Students waiting for vaccination at the sports department at UCU.

UCU vaccinates sports students ahead of major national leagues

COVID-19, News, Sports, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Social Sciences


Students waiting for vaccination at the sports department at UCU.
Students waiting for vaccination at the sports department at UCU.

Story and photos by Yasiri J. Kasango
As of early September, 50 Uganda Christian University (UCU) students who participate in sports had received their Covid-19 jabs.

The vaccination administration for nearly all UCU students on sports teams took place on the Mukono campus to enable these students to participate in the forthcoming major leagues in the disciplines of basketball, football, volleyball and netball. Some of leagues were expected to start as early as mid-September.

Speaking about the vaccination that was conducted by the Mukono district health officials, in conjunction with the university health team, Dr. Geoffrey Mulindwa, the Director of Medical Services at UCU, said the university management chose to prioritize sports students to protect them against the pandemic.

“They come into contact with so many other people during the games and, to ensure their safety, they were prioritized in the vaccination,” Mulindwa said. 

He advised both students and staff members who have not yet gone for the Covid-19 vaccination to do so. Many of the vaccination centers in the country are giving priority to teachers, non-teaching staff and students who are 18 years and above because government has pegged the re-opening of schools to sufficient vaccination.

Uganda started vaccination on March 10, but many people have not been able to get their jabs because of the few vaccines available. By the end of August, reports indicated that 1,376,986 doses of Covid-19 vaccines had been administered, especially to priority groups of teachers, non-teaching staff in schools, journalists, security personnel, medical workers and people with underlying comorbidities. 

Out of those, 977,889 people had received their first jabs and 399,097 have completed their two doses. Uganda has 44 million residents.

Students filling out consent forms before receiving the Covid-19 jabs.
Students filling out consent forms before receiving the Covid-19 jabs.As of early September, 50 Uganda Christian University (UCU) students who participate in sports had received their Covid-19 jabs.

The Mukono district malaria focal person, James Kawesa, who represented the district medical team at the vaccination at UCU, said people can only get back to their pre-Covid lives if the population gets vaccinated.

The UCU vaccinated students welcomed the initiative. Faith Apio, a student pursuing the Diploma in Business Administration and a member of the university’s female football team, the Lady Cardinals, said she sought vaccination in order to protect herself and others on the pitch. 

Cranmer Wamala, a third-year student of Bachelor of Human Rights, Peace and Humanitarian Intervention and a basketballer on the UCU Canons team, noted that he was eager to receive the vaccination so he can remain on the school team. 

He also noted that seeking vaccination would help him to continue with his studies.

Samuel David Lukaire, the head of the university’s sports department, said many of the national leagues were expected to start in mid-September. 

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Simon Mwima, recipient of a merit-based PhD scholarship at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

UCU’s Mwima has life molded by pain and pen

News, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Social Sciences


Simon Mwima, recipient of a merit-based PhD scholarship at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Simon Mwima, recipient of a merit-based PhD scholarship at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Story and photos by Jimmy Siyasa
Two tragedies occurred in the early life of Simon Mwima. One, he lost his sister to AIDS. Two, the son of his departed sister succumbed to the same scourge. Those two deaths left an indelible mark on Mwima that later determined his career path.

“Due to structural and institutional barriers, poverty and stigma, my sister, Alice, could not access the care that she needed, leading to her death,” he said.

After watching his sister and nephew die helplessly, he made it a mission to fight against HIV and AIDS. And he is now a medical social worker, as well as an academic at Uganda Christian University (UCU). 

Mwima recently won a four-year, merit-based scholarship worth $70,000, including tuition and stipend, with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s School of Social Work. According to the Times Higher Education world university rankings, the university ranks number 48.  

The offer did not come on a silver platter for the 36-year-old who is the first person to pursue a PhD program in his family. 

“I applied to five PhD programs and I must thank God that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was impressed with my academic credentials and my research interests,” he said.

Looking back at the path of material scarcity that Mwima has trodden since his birth in the eastern Uganda district of Budaka, he cannot be more grateful for where he is now. 

Simon Mwima working in the UCU Department of Social Work and Social Administration staff boardroom
Simon Mwima working in the UCU Department of Social Work and Social Administration staff boardroom

Mwima also earns his daily bread working for the Ugandan government in the health ministry. He has been a medical social worker for the National AIDS Control Program since 2016. A celebrated national trainer for the Ministry of Health, Mwima has so far educated over 500 social workers, as well as spearheading various HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns.

He is a cog in the wheel of the COVID-19 Mental and Psychological National Taskforce. Here, Mwima has contributed to the development of the national psychosocial plan for COVID-19, as well as serving as a social epidemiologist.

Mwima, a son of retired primary teachers, Simon and Agnes Mukubba, previously worked as a clinical social worker at the Mulago Most At Risk Initiative (MARPI) clinic in Kampala. At the clinic, he managed cases of vulnerable adolescents. He is a research fellow for the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) implementation program, a new HIV prevention intervention. 

He holds two master’s degrees – the first in public health, from Lund University in Sweden (2015) and in sociology (2020), from Makerere University. His undergraduate degree, which he obtained in 2009 at Makerere University, was in sociology. 

When one knows what they are doing, they will not need to chase after opportunities. Opportunities will instead chase after them. Indeed, prospects sought Mwima, for him to start teaching at UCU.

Five years ago, he was invited to the university as a guest speaker. Kasule Kibirige, Mwima’s head of department at UCU, said the guest lecture excelled that they were left with no option but to ask him to join the institution. And he said yes to the proposal. 

From then, Mwima has been lecturing in sociology, anthropology and social works. He also supervises students conducting research at both undergraduate and master’s level at the institution.

“He is quite resourceful. He has come to the department with a wealth of practice experience because of his work and rich networks from the Ministry of Health and its partners,” Kibirige said. 

As a result, Kibirige said, Mwima took into the department consultancy work that has “helped advance some of our interests in the external world, as a department.”

Mwima considers his employment at UCU a blessing because it has offered him opportunity to translate knowledge through lecturing, an experience he believes has afforded him friendships with fellow academics and students. 

The teaching job also came in handy during his PhD application. 

“The teaching experience is critical and matters while PhD programs are assessing applications for admission,” he says. Mwima intends to invest plenty of his post-PhD time conducting research to inform sexual health policy and practice. 

Fiona Niyijena, a third-year student of Bachelors of Social Work and Social Administration at UCU said of Mwima: “He is an understanding lecturer. He often shared with us his personal story and encouraged us to pursue further studies. I look forward to pursuing a master’s course.” 

Dustan Katabalwa, another student, said Mwima gives them audience when they have issues they want to share with him.  

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Honors College Student Chemutai Syndia with some of the pupils of Bishop West Primary School where she conducted her project

UCU Honors College: A hub hatching undergraduate projects

Faculty, News, Students, UCU School of Law, UCU School of Social Sciences


Honors College Student Chemutai Syndia with some of the pupils of Bishop West Primary School where she conducted her project
Honors College Student Chemutai Syndia with some of the pupils of Bishop West Primary School where she conducted her project

By Eriah Lule and Jimmy Siyasa
Christian mentorship. Leadership. Academic research. These are the three core goals that define Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) Honors College. The 19-year-old college, whose concept is borrowed from the Dutch and American universities, admits only the institution’s crème de la crème students from the different faculties. 

Applicants must have at least a 4.0 Cumulative Grade-Point Average (CGPA) out of 5.0 to be enrolled to the college that offers talented students the opportunity to tap on their mettle through an extra certificate-program, alongside the regular bachelor’s degree course. 

The college, which is the brainchild of Prof. Stephen Noll, UCU’s first Vice-Chancellor, offers a multidisciplinary approach to scientific and social issues, which helps to enrich students’ projects and research.

Pamela Tumwebaze, newly appointed head of Honors College
Pamela Tumwebaze, newly appointed head of Honors College

Pamela Tumwebaze, the new head of the college, has hit the ground running, by grouping

students based on their interests, using invited guest lecturers and mentors to speak to the students and holding weekly workshops. Before her promotion to head the Honors College, Tumwebaze was the Executive Secretary of the UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academics. 

“I want to utilize the full potential of our students, by encouraging them to create solutions for the social problems that people face, through research,” she said, noting that it is such initiatives that will “lift the college to greater heights.”

Juan Emmanuella Zamba, a student of Bachelor of Human Rights, Peace and Humanitarian Intervention, has designed a project called Trash into Cash, which she hopes will be able to solve the challenge of high youth unemployment. Zamba collects inorganic waste, such as plastic and paper, which she uses to make jewelry and wall hangings.

“Honors College has enabled me to explore my potential and capabilities, through mentorship provided by the guest lecturers and our college staff,’’ Zamba said, adding: “I am now thinking of making my project a real business, so that I create employment to the youth, as well as skilling them.”

Thanks to the Honors College, Chemutai Syndia, a 21-year-old fourth-year student of Bachelor of Laws, is currently working to combat sexual violence against children through advocacy. At Bishop West Primary School, located near UCU, Chemutai counsels children and also sensitizes them on the avenues through which they can report child-rights offenders. She also takes advantage of the opportunity to sensitise the teachers about the benefits of creating a favourable environment for their pupils, to share their challenges. 

Members of a group project called Share a Skill, spearheaded by Miriam Obetia, a second-year student of Bachelor of Human Rights, Peace and Humanitarian Intervention, went to West Nile early this year, where they engaged children, especially who had dropped out of school during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, in entrepreneurial skills.

Tumwebaze believes her tenure of service is a God-given opportunity to boost UCU’s undergraduate research and she has already started on this by making calls for proposals for projects from students. She believes her ultimate reward will be when students succeed by making a career out of the projects they will have championed. 

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Some new UCU Deans and Heads of Departments present for announcement at a May 2021 function at the Hamu Mukasa University Library. Photo/ Israel Kisakye

UCU appoints new deans, heads of departments

Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Design & Technology, Faculty of Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, SRPGS, UCU School of Business, UCU School of Dentistry, UCU School of Education, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication, UCU School of Law, UCU School of Medicine, UCU School of Social Sciences


Some new UCU Deans and Heads of Departments present for announcement at a May 2021 function at the Hamu Mukasa University Library. Photo/ Israel Kisakye
Some new UCU Deans and Heads of Departments present for announcement at a May 2021 function at the Hamu Mukasa University Library. Photo/ Israel Kisakye

By Jimmy Siyasa
The Uganda Christian University has announced a change of the guard within its faculties and departments. 

The announcement was made by the university’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa, during the farewell for some of the outgoing leaders and the unveiling of the new guard. The ceremony took place on May 10 in the Learning Commons Room, located at the Hamu Mukasa University Library.

The Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa unveils a list of some new deans and heads of departments. Photo/ Israel Kisakye
The Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa unveils a list of some new deans and heads of departments. Photo/ Israel Kisakye

 “Covid-19 has shifted the demands,” UCU Vice Chancellor Associate Professor Aaron Mushengyezi said as he urged the new leaders to be creative in their work. “And so, as we come in to lead, please take note, you are not going to lead with the ordinary tools your predecessors have led with. You will require new tools because wholly duplicating what your predecessors did, may not work.”

Due to the “new normal” presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, Mushengyezi said all programs will have a digital equivalent. 

“Covid-19 has changed the academic landscape,” he said. “And so, one of the main tasks for you is to pioneer and continue to consolidate e-learning.”

The university’s council chairperson, the Rt. Rev. Can. Prof. Alfred Olwa, congratulated the new leaders and thanked the outgoing for their dedication and hard work.

The newly appointed Head of the Department of Literature and Languages, Dr. James Tabu Busimba, was delighted by his new role at UCU. Busimba recently retired from a public university, Makerere, after clocking 60 years.

“I think serving in an institution that has one of its core values as Christ-centeredness is such a golden opportunity,” Busimba said. “I am grateful to God.”  

According to the Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, who unveiled the new team, the UCU Statute for Appointment of deans and heads of departments mandates that the appointments are ratified by the University Senate and then submitted to the institution’s human resource board for consideration. 

Comments from some of the leaders
“To me, serving in Uganda Christian University is building the kingdom of God,” Professor Martin Lwanga, former Dean, School of Business, said. “It is a privilege, and some of us are still available to serve at this great institution.” 

Eriah Nsubuga, the Head of the Fine Arts Department, said: “It is unusual times. But an opportunity for us to reengineer how we do things. And one thing I like about UCU is that they care for their staff.” 

 “This year, we are changing direction as a university,” said Prof. Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo, the dean of the School of Research and Post Graduate Studies. “We shall provide a bigger amount of funding to professors, to lead various teams of researchers.” 

The changes that were announced in May 2021

Faculty/ Department New Head of Department Predecessor
School of Research and Post-Graduate Studies Dr. Emilly Comfort Maractho
(Now the Director- UCU Africa Policy Center)
Also Head of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, until contract expires on 31 May 2021		 Reverend Professor  Lawrence Adams 
Faculty of Social Sciences

Mr. Kasule Kibirige Solomon
Department of Social Work and Social Administration. 

(Expired contract )

 Contract renewed
Faculty of Education and Arts
Department of Languages and Literature Dr. James Taabu Busimba Mr. Peter Mugume
Honors College Ms. Pamela Tumwebaze Reverend Abel Kibedi
Department of Art and Design Dr. Eriah Nsubuga Dr. Joel Masagazi
Department of Education Dr. Mary Kagoire
School of Business
Department of Management and Entrepreneurship Mr. Martin Kabanda Mrs. Elsie Mirembe Nsiyona
Faculty of Health Sciences
Department of Public Health Dr. Edward Mukooza Dr. Ekiria Kikule

 

ASSOCIATE DEAN APPOINTMENTS

Faculty New Dean Predecessor
Faculty of Social Sciences Rev. Dr. Andrew David Omona Prof. Mary Ssonko Nabachwa 
School of Business Mr. Vincent Kisenyi Assoc. Professor Martin Lwanga
School of Medicine Dr. Gerald Tumusiime Has been acting Dean, but now is the substantive Dean
Faculty of Engineering, Technology & Design Assoc. Prof. Eng. Eleanor Wozei
School of Law Dr. Peter David Mutesasira Dr. Roselyn Karugonjo Segawa
Faculty of Education and Arts Rev. Can. Dr. Olivia Nassaka Banja Effective date: September 1, 2021

 

CONTRACT RENEWALS

Faculty Dean/ Department Head Renewal Date
Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication Professor Monica Chibita To be communicated 
Department of Communication Dr. Angela Napakol Effective date: June 1, 2021
Bishop Tucker School of Theology Rev. Can. Prof. Christopher Byaruhanga Renewed in December 2020
Faculty of Health Science Dr. Miriam Gesa Mutabazi Renewed but not communicated

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org.

Also, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook