Category Archives: UCU Alumni

UCU Guild President Kenneth Amponda Agaba (blue shirt, holding microphone) during an online conference hosted in the eLearning lab at UCU

UCU Partners donates $50,000 to UCU’s eLearning platform

COVID-19, News, Science and Technology, Students, UCU Alumni


UCU Guild President Kenneth Amponda Agaba (blue shirt, holding microphone) during an online conference hosted in the eLearning lab at UCU
UCU Guild President Kenneth Amponda Agaba (blue shirt, holding microphone) during an online conference hosted in the eLearning lab at UCU


By Yasiri J. Kasango
Efforts by Uganda Christian University (UCU) to upgrade its eLearning platforms have gained momentum after Good Samaritans donated funds to assist.

UCU Partners has donated $50,000 (over sh170m) to the university to expand the platform. Mark Bartels, UCU Partners executive director, said the organization contributed the funds following a call by the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, for external funders to support the eLearning infrastructure. 

“The idea to support eLearning came from UCU,” Bartels said. “In all of the support that UCU Partners offers to UCU, we seek to meet the most important needs of the university. When the Vice Chancellor communicated this need to us, we were glad that we had some funds available to donate to UCU towards achieving its goal.” 

Bartels added that given the restrictions in Uganda due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the significant increase in eLearning needs, it was a natural place for UCU Partners to make a contribution. 

Students attend virtual conference in eLearning lab.
Students attend virtual conference in eLearning lab.

“We know that these funds will make a difference for so many students, even after the Covid-19 restrictions are eased,” he said “We have been so impressed with the way UCU has led universities in Uganda in terms of eLearning.” 

“It is always exciting to support a project that has shown promise with few resources, knowing that additional resources will make a big difference,” Bartels added.

At a recent virtual dialogue to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on education institutions, Mushengyezi advised government and schools to follow the online learning path that his institution has taken in order to reduce effects of Covid-related lockdowns on studies.

In March 2020, when the government of Uganda imposed a total lockdown on academic institutions in the country as precaution to limit the spread of Covid-19, UCU embraced eLearning and it is one of the few universities in Uganda teaching during the lockdown.

“We have invested in infrastructure of electronic learning and have something to share with other institutions,” Mushengyezi said at the dialogue, adding that such a move will not only keep students from lagging behind because of the pandemic, but also enable them to continue studying on their own time.

UCU Partners is a US-based non-profit charitable organization committed to raising public awareness about UCU by seeking material and spiritual support for students and other projects in the university. 

The University ICT Services (UIS) technical manager, Rebecca Kangabe, said the contribution from UCU Partners will go a long way towards purchasing cooling equipment for the servers. “The funds will also go towards improving the internet service capacity of the university and the PS link from 1GB to 10GB,” she said.

The increase in the PS link is expected to boost the communication at UCU, making the internal emailing system faster and also simplifying the teaching on the Big Blue Button. 

Kangabe commended UCU Partners for the generous contribution. 

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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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Andrew Ayebare in his office at UCU. (Courtesy photo)

UCU Law staff member shares story of Covid stigma

COVID-19, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Law


Andrew Ayebare in his office at UCU. (Courtesy photo)
Andrew Ayebare in his office at UCU. (Courtesy photo)

Andrew Ayebale is the academic registrar at the Faculty of Law at Uganda Christian University. Ayebale was diagnosed with the coronavirus in June at a time when Uganda was receiving a beating from the second wave of the pandemic. He narrates his story to Lule Eriah.

The biggest challenge people who contract Covid-19 have to deal with is trauma. Trauma from stigma as well as from the sad stories about the deaths and the suffering that people go through. The case was not any different for me. 

In fact, I had to temporarily go off social media, because there was an avalanche of negative stories about Covid-19. They only made me more depressed.

Andrew Ayebare (left) with the UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor, Finance and Administration, Mr. David Mugawe.
Andrew Ayebare (left) with the UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor, Finance and Administration, Mr. David Mugawe.

I contracted the coronavirus at a time when Uganda was just entering its second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Every time I was on my bed, my only prayer was for God to give me a second chance to live and serve Him. 

I watched helplessly as Covid-19 frustrated a lot of my personal plans and those of our department. We had planned a UCU senior staff retreat, for which I was the coordinator, but it did not happen. I was down. The country was plagued with both the disease and the restrictions on movement to reduce the incidences on infection.

The disease manifests itself
From May 29-31, 2021, I was feeling unwell. So, I decided to go to the Allan Galpin Health Centre (University Clinic). Surprisingly, the doctors diagnosed non-Covid infection and gave me medication.

On June 2, there was information that the University Clinic had acquired some Covid-19 vaccines and we were urged to get vaccinated. I did. As expected, I felt fever at night. Surprisingly, for the next few days, I would be fine during day and develop high fever at night. 

Could this be the after-effects of the vaccine? I asked myself. 

On June 3, I travelled to Mbarara in western Uganda, to play a football match, but I could not make it for the second half of the game. 

I was so dizzy, and developed flu. When I got home, I began to rigorously steam and drink concoctions because the Covid-19 scare was becoming more and more real. 

On the night of June 4, I got a terribly bad fever. It was worse than the ones I had been getting the previous days. However, by day break, the fever was clearing. Indeed, it cleared.  In a bid to self-medicate (something not medically recommended) I took painkillers and antibiotics. Later, the fever hit again, and it was worse this time round. I had just returned from a trip to Jinja in eastern Uganda.

I went to hospital three days later, to test, not for Covid-19, but other diseases. I was still in denial. The doctor warned that I was suffering from a strong virus. He could not name it, since the test was not conclusive. Nevertheless, he prescribed Azithromycin, an antibiotic. Thereafter, I took Vitamin C tablets. 

By June 10, I had lost the sense of smell and appetite. I was feeling so sick. And it was my birthday.

The following day, when I visited the University Clinic, I was given a referral to Mukono General Hospital. There, I found a long queue of patients and could not wait. I considered testing for Covid-19 elsewhere. The results were positive.

By June 12, I was coughing incessantly. I instantly began medication and got onto the recommended regimen of taking vitamins, eating a lot of fruits, sunbathing, strolling sometimes for about 4 miles, among others. Thankfully, I did not get bedridden. 

On June 18, I regained my sense of smell and was feeling almost normal. Around that time, my younger sister, too, and her four friends were battling the virus. Together, we built a support system – praying together and encouraging one another.

On June 25, 2021, when I was declared negative for Covid-19, I was on cloud nine. It felt like being born again. I, immediately, took a photo of the results and sent to my supervisor, friends at work and family. I also requested for a scan to find out whether all my body organs were functioning normally. And all was well.

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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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Godfrey Loum will enthroned on November 21, 2021, at St. Phillip’s Cathedral, in northern Uganda

Loum: From grandmother’s bishop to Bishop of the Church

Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, News, Students, UCU Alumni


Godfrey Loum will enthroned on November 21, 2021, at St. Phillip’s Cathedral, in northern Uganda
Godfrey Loum will be enthroned on November 21, 2021, at St. Phillip’s Cathedral, in northern Uganda.

By Jimmy Siyasa
For a larger part of his childhood, Godfrey Loum’s grandmother called him Bishop. In fact, to immortalize the Bishop name, she named him after former Ugandan Anglican Archbishop Janani Luwum, in whose reign Loum was born. 

While the grandmother has passed away, her prophecy will come true on November 21, 2021, at St. Phillip’s Cathedral, Gulu district, in northern Uganda. Loum will be enthroned as the eighth Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Northern Uganda. 

Loum, who is currently the Vicar of Christ Church in Gulu, seems to be already prepared for the expectations. 

“It means from now on, I am going to be exposed and many people will be looking up to me, especially in the areas where I will be serving,” Loum, a Uganda Christian University (UCU) alum, said.  

The 49-year-old will take over from the Rt. Rev. Johnson Gakumba, who has been the bishop since 2009. The news of election by the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda was released in August.

Godfrey Loum
Godfrey Loum

Loum was ordained a deacon in 2007 and a priest the following year. Four years into priesthood, he assumed the role of chairperson of the House of Clergy, a position he holds to date. In the position, among his other duties, Loum is expected to convene meetings of House of Clergy.

During his tenure as bishop, the Rev. Loum looks forward to fishing more men. 

“I would want to see more people give their lives to Christ,” he said. 

Secondly, he hopes to bolster structures of the church in Gulu to be able to offer psychosocial support to members of the church and the community. 

From 1986, for two decades, there was insurgency in northern Uganda, arising from the atrocities of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels led by Joseph Kony. Loum is targeting the people in the post-conflict northern Uganda, especially those who are still facing major depression disorders, to benefit from the psychosocial support program. 

Loum’s choice of program is not surprising. He specializes in psychology. Having both psychology and theological expertize is something Loum believes will help him understand people and their social environment better. Loum has authored a book on counseling – A Quick Guide to Premarital Counseling for Pastors and Couples.

Behind Loum’s rise to the apex of the Church of Uganda clergy is a series of events. While in secondary school at St. Joseph’s College Layibi, in northern Uganda, Loum was lured by a cousin into alcohol and smoking. He drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes so often that the habit became an addiction. 

Loum says he made several attempts to quit, but with not much success. For the few times he stopped, they did not last. 

Eventually, he found a spiritual remedy to his challenge of addiction. Loum went to church. On October 4, 1998, he did not only mark his 26th birthday, Loum also gave his life to Jesus Christ. 

“That day means everything to me,” he said. “It means a total turning point.” 

To this day, Loum is unashamed to share that difficult season of his life because of his strong belief in the power of testament. “If you let others know about what God has done for you, it offers great empowerment to them,” he says.

Loum graduated from UCU with Bachelor of Divinity in 2004. In 2019, he graduated with a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, also from UCU. That was his second MA, having acquired another in development studies at Cavendish University in Uganda a year before. 

Loum credits UCU’s training for preparing him to offer a double-edged ministry as pastor and counselor. He speaks fondly of Prof. Stephen Noll, the former UCU Vice Chancellor who was one of his lecturers, and the Rev. Can. Dr. John Senyonyi, who was the chaplain during the time of his undergraduate. Senyonyi eventually replaced Noll as the Vice Chancellor, a position he held from 2010 to 2020. 

Among Loum’s role models are Noll and Senyonyi – the former for his “deep knowledge of theology” and latter for his “oratory prowess that he often displayed on the pulpit.”

As Loum readies for his ordination in November, he looks back at his early life with nostalgia, especially about the conduct of his grandmother making it a point to call him her bishop, a prophesy that is about to pass. 

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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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First Lady Janet Museveni addresses the public lecture on October 20 through Zoom. At left is University Council Chairperson, the Rev. Canon Dr. Alfred Olwa, Bishop of Lango Diocese.

Uganda First Lady advocates for parenting seminars at UCU public lecture

News, Students, UCU Alumni


First Lady Janet Museveni addresses the public lecture on October 20 through Zoom. At left is University Council Chairperson, the Rev. Canon Dr. Alfred Olwa, Bishop of Lango Diocese.
First Lady Janet Museveni addresses the public lecture on October 20 through Zoom. At left is University Council Chairperson, the Rev. Canon Dr. Alfred Olwa, Bishop of Lango Diocese.

By Ivan Tsebeni
Uganda’s First Lady Janet Museveni has asked parents to be responsible and nurture their children to love God, arguing that such a move will reduce crimes in the country.

Mrs. Museveni, wife of Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, said many parents do not want to take responsibility for their children. She has called for more parenting seminars “so that we can let them know that educating their children is a shared responsibility.” 

During a recent virtual public lecture held at Uganda Christian University (UCU)’s Principal’s Hall, Mrs. Museveni urged listeners to make God’s word the foundation of their lives when it comes to issues of the family.   

Parenting in Uganda has faced challenges, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, where many schools have been shut since March 2020, with the exception of the months of March to May 2021 (when upper primary, secondary and tertiary institutions were open). 

According to Mrs. Museveni, because of deficient parental support during the lockdown, some children have been exploited by “wrong people” and now parents are blaming government. Different studies during the lockdown in Uganda have revealed an increase in the number of children who have been sexually abused during the lockdown.

During a televised address in September 2021, President Museveni announced that primary and secondary schools would reopen in January 2022 for in-person learning. Already, universities and tertiary schools were opened for in-person learning on November 1, 2021.  

In March 2020, Uganda closed schools for in-person learning to reduce the rate of the spread of the coronavirus. The shutdown on schools for in-person learning was lifted in March 2021, but reinstated three months later, after a spike in the number of infections had increased by 137%. 

Guest Speaker Lady Justice Catherine Bamugemereire gives her keynote address.
Guest Speaker Lady Justice Catherine Bamugemereire gives her keynote address.

During the virtual lecture held under the theme “Christian family in the postmodern era,” Justice Catherine Bamugemereire of Uganda’s Court of Appeal noted that the process of nurturing good children is under threat because marriages are increasingly becoming unsustainable in Uganda.

Bamugemereire said when she joined the Family Division of the High Court in 2013, before moving to the Court of Appeal, she found 50 divorce cases that had been filed. She noted, however, that the number of divorce cases being reported has almost tripled now.

Bamugemereire, who was the guest speaker, noted that one of the adverse effects of social media is people constantly looking up to celebrities for marriage advice, which has put many families on a slippery path because some of the celebrities also have challenges in their marriages.

UCU Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi advised Christians to stick to one wife

and husband for better and strong families as stated in Genesis 2:24. 

The Dean of the UCU School of Dentistry,

Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi speaks during the public lecture at UCU Principal’s Hall.
Vice Chancellor Aaron Mushengyezi speaks during the public lecture at UCU Principal’s Hall.

Dr. James Magara re-echoed Justice Bamugemereire’s view on raising children.

 “In homes today, both parents are now working,” he said. Regardless of how busy you are… raise your children deliberately, find out what they are up to, it may be a difficult time but you will overcome it.” 

Magara asked parents not to let schools and the Government to take over the responsibility of raising up their children. 

“Education is more about the family’s role than the state,” 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.

Also visit us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba, the UCU Chancellor, cuts a ribbon to commission the UCU SoD medical equipment donated by Midmark. On his right is Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi. On his left is Mark Bartels, UCU Partners Executive Director.

UCU Chancellor Kaziimba commissions School of Dentistry equipment

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Dentistry


Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba, the UCU Chancellor, cuts a ribbon to commission the UCU SoD medical equipment donated by Midmark. On his right is Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi. On his left is Mark Bartels, UCU Partners Executive Director.
Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba, the UCU Chancellor, cuts a ribbon to commission the UCU SoD medical equipment donated by Midmark. On his right is Vice Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi. On his left is Mark Bartels, UCU Partners Executive Director.

By Dalton Mujuni and Jimmy Siyasa
The Most Rt. Rev. Dr. Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda and Chancellor of Uganda Christian University (UCU), on Thursday, October 21, 2021, commissioned medical equipment donated to the UCU School of Dentistry (SoD) by MidMark.

The commissioning served as an act of appreciation and official acknowledgement of use. More significant, perhaps, is that this ceremony signified that the SoD has overcome the threat of being closed down by regulators who in 2020 cited the facility for inappropriate infrastructure. The SoD’s new state-of-the-art equipment elevates the training facility, enabling it to nurture all-round dentists. 

The UCU Chancellor Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu prays over dental chairs donated by Midmark.
The UCU Chancellor Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu prays over dental chairs donated by Midmark.

In his remarks, Kaziimba expressed gratitude to the management of Mengo Hospital for accepting to house the University’s School of Dentistry. He called for respect towards the dentistry profession, saying whereas dentists do a great job in keeping teeth healthy, in Uganda, dentists are not as respected as other medical professionals and are even sometimes given demeaning nicknames.

At the event, UCU’s Vice Chancellor, Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, said more than $700,000 (over sh2.5b) had been injected into setting up the modern facility. Mushengyezi said the regulator, the National Medical and Dental Practitioner’s Board, recently inspected and declared the school capable of training dental professionals.

Mushengyezi also commended MidMark for donating equipment worth sh1.46b ($397,855)  through UCU Partners, a US-based non-profit charitable organization that raises public awareness about UCU in the United States by seeking material and spiritual support for students through sponsorships.

Kaziimba unveiled the equipment donated by Midmak during the event. The equipment includes dental chairs, LED dental lights, a separator tank assembly, powervac P7 base, powerair oil-less compressors and a Midmark M3 Steam Sterilizer.

“Dental equipment is very expensive, and so to be able to have five dental units, that is a very great boost for us as a School,” says Dr. James Magara, Dean, UCU’s SoD. “We are grateful to Midmark for a very generous donation that they gave to us, which is setting us on our way to begin training students in the clinical practice of dentistry.”

Dr. James Magara poses with dentistry school students.
Dr. James Magara poses with dentistry school students.

UCU SoD not only trains native students, but also those from other countries around the continent. The equipment arranged through the Uganda Partners NGO and coming from North America was long awaited when it arrived over the summer. Hence, Dr. Magara believes “the impact of the [Midmark] donation is going to be felt throughout Africa.” 

David Magara (not related to the dean), a fourth-year student of Bachelor of Dental Surgery, said: “This technology makes us unique, compared to students in other institutions, given that we will be equipped with the necessary skills to meet the demand of the international market.” 

The UCU School of Dentistry started in 2018 as a department under the School of Medicine. In 2020, the department morphed into a school of its own. The school currently offers the Bachelor of Dental Surgery, with 24 students and 10 staff members.

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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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Douglas Agaba poses in his graduation gown. Photo/ Jimmy

Agaba overcomes financial challenges to earn First Class Degree

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Education


Douglas Agaba poses in his graduation gown. Photo/ Jimmy
Douglas Agaba poses in his graduation gown. Photo/ Jimmy

By Eriah Lule
Tough. Tense. Lucky. Diligent. That is how one would sum up the educational journey of Douglas Agaba, an October 2021 Uganda Christian University (UCU) graduate with a First-Class Degree in Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance.

Agaba, who was among the more than 3,000 graduates at UCU’s 22nd award ceremony on October 22, 2021, attributes hard work as the main factor in his attainment of a 4.5 of 5.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average.  The best student at the graduation, Sore Maureen, obtained 4.78.

While Agaba is jubilant about his success, the 26-year-old had rough patches in his education journey. Agaba was orphaned at an early age, resulting in his move from one relative’s home to another.  He struggled through school. Yet, each time when he was just about to lose hope, luck smiled on him.

For instance, because of his good academic performance, Agaba earned himself a high school sponsor. He attended Kisugu Primary School, Tropical High School and, later, Buloba High School – all these in central Uganda.

As he sat his Senior Six examinations, one thing was clear to Agaba. He would have no sponsor willing to foot the high tuition fees at a university. While working hard on his studies, he looked for a window of government sponsorship for the best students.

When the results of the admission shortlist in the public university – Makerere – were out, Agaba’s name was not among those who were to study on government sponsorship. He was despondent. As he waited for the next move, a retired Ugandan accountant who belonged to Agaba’s church learned of his dilemma.

Catherine Katwe did not hesitate to offer to meet the cost of Agaba’s university education. In 2017, he was admitted at UCU to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance course.

His tenacity, excellent leadership and resourcefulness is lauded by both classmates and teachers. Agaba was a class representative all the three years of his undergraduate study. He occasionally stepped in to hold academic group discussions for his classmates, to break down course units that his fellow students found too tough for them.

Nixon Katusime, Agaba’s former lecturer, credits his former student for being “ambitious and selfless.”

“He used to help me discuss some topics for his colleague students during online studies,” Katusime said.

Agaba’s strong desire to equip himself with all the marketable skills in the accounting field awakened the overwhelming talent in him. In a bid to supplement on his pocket money, Agaba started holding online private tutoring sessions in his field of study and, he says, many students even from other universities to receive his services.

He also engaged in research and filing tax returns for businesspeople at a fee. With the experience he has acquired, Agaba hopes to register a company to carry on with the services he has been offering.

As a student at the university, Agaba created time to teach at a secondary school on a part-time basis. He says much as he earned sh120,000 (about $35) per month, his passion for sharing knowledge kept him on the job.

At one point, Agaba also worked the night -shift at a filling station, a place he believes he learned the virtues of good customer care, self-discipline and willingness to work even in tough conditions.

Agaba believes that the high moral Christian virtues that UCU stands for is responsible for the success of many of its graduates and he has faith that it is just a matter of when he will also be a recipient of that success in his next job after school.

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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.

Charlotte Kabaseke, Associate Dean, Faculty of Law

UCU New Associate Dean focused on ‘glory of God’

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Law


Charlotte Kabaseke, Associate Dean, Faculty of Law
Charlotte Kabaseke, Associate Dean, Faculty of Law

By Ivan Tsebeni
In 2017, when Charlotte Kabaseke embarked on a PhD program, she knew that the path to victory would be rough, but did not know how rough. Had she known the challenges that awaited her in the course, Kabaseke says she would have opted out.

“It was not a bed of roses,” Kabaseke said. “The higher I went in my academic career, the more challenging it was and, in many cases, Christ was my only solace.” 

Because of obstacles, however, she said she had become “stronger, more resilient, more mature, more analytical, more courageous, more confident, more organized and more intellectually alert.”

It is that maturity and confidence that she exhibited at the interview to hire a new Associate Dean for the Faculty of Law at the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Kampala campus. And she emerged victorious.

The academic terrain she traversed during the time she pursued her Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice in Uganda as well as for her doctoral degree was tough. The legal practice diploma is required to practice law in Uganda.

“The Post-Graduate Diploma and PhD journeys presented some of my life’s lowest moments,” she said. “My intellect was put to a true test during my pursuit of both journeys.”

Upon her graduation with a PhD in December 2020 at the University of Wuhan in China, Kabaseke posted on social media that she did not expect the kind of challenge she got during the program. 

In the role of Associate Dean, Dr. Kabaseke replaces Prof. George W. Kasozi, for whom a farewell ceremony was conducted during a community worship service, at UCU, on October 5, 2021. The position of Associate Dean is the highest in the faculty at the Kampala campus. 

She says Prof. Kasozi laid a firm foundation that she hopes to build on. Kabaseke says she intends to contribute to making the UCU Law Faculty and the entire UCU a better place “for the glory of God and for the satisfaction of all our clients.” 

Dissemination of knowledge through teaching, research and publication is the heartbeat of Kabaseke. 

“Seeing my students make it in life, as well as transforming communities through pro bono legal services gives me satisfaction,” she says.

Some of Kabaseke’s works are published in popular journals, such as Gender and Behavior, an interdisciplinary publication dedicated to articles that reflect psychological and behavior aspects of gender. 

One of her most popular publications is a chapter in a book titled Climate Change: Hazards and Adaptation Options, published by Springer International Publishing. Her chapter in the 2020 publication is titled Legal Recognition of Women’s Role in Combating Desertification in Africa: The Case For Uganda. 

Kabaseke holds a Master’s of Law from Makerere University, which she acquired in 2012. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Law from UCU in 2009, and acquired a Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, from the Law Development Center in Kampala the following year. 

For her secondary education, Kabaseke attended Maryhill High School, a prestigious institution in western Uganda. Budo Junior School in central Uganda is where she had her primary education.

Before her appointment as Associate Dean for the Faculty of Law, Kabaseke was the Acting Dean and, before that, the Head of Department at the Faculty of Law at Bishop Stuart University since 2016. 

Kabaseke grew up in Kabale district in southwestern Uganda. She says her compassion, and love for Christ and the truth are virtues instilled in her by her mother, Birungi Specioza. When she is not engaged in academic work, Kabaseke spends time evangelizing, listening to gospel music, travelling, reading and making friends.

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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.

Najib Kabaala at his work place

Business-turned-security alum narrates how UCU prepared him for endurance

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business


Najib Kabaala at his work place
Najib Kabaala at his work place

Story and Photos By Jimmy Siyasa
Just like every shrewd business person, Najib Kabaala saw an opportunity and quickly took advantage of it. 

Some students needed salads during their meals in the Uganda Christian University (UCU) refectory. Together with a student colleague, Duncan Barasha, the duo started selling salads to students. They had made contacts with farmers, to sell them fresh vegetables. 

And this was not all. As a student of the Bachelor of International Business course at UCU, Kabaala turned many of his class assignments into business ventures. 

Another of the assignments which came to life was the business of selling confectionery like chocolate as well as chewing gum to the students. In a goodwill move, Kabaala and Barasha often donated a portion of their profits to the UCU Guild Fund to support financially underprivileged students.

Upon graduating in 2019, the duo started a company, KK International Business and Trade Advisory, which offered services of filing tax returns and business consultancy, among others.

However, in a drastic turn of events early in 2021, Kabaala got employed with a private security firm, Saracen Uganda Limited. 

“I never thought that I would take that direction,” he said “I expected to be doing international business.”

Kabaala narrates his sometimes-bumpy but successful journey from business to security. 

UCU business alum Najib Kabaala
UCU business alum Najib Kabaala

Throughout 2020, Kabaala was a volunteer with UCU’s Africa Policy Center, aiding with program coordination, among other tasks. However, the job was not financially stable and sufficient. And his infant company had not yet broken even. 

Circumstances forced Kabaala to accept a recommendation from a UCU lecturer to work at a security agency. He submitted his credentials, did the interview and got the job.  

However, Kabaala’s first experience preparing for the position left him a bit rattled. The venue was Garuga on the shores of Lake Victoria in central Uganda. Kabaala was sharply dressed. It was his first day, so he needed to make an impression. 

“When I arrived, the supervisor took my documents, put them aside and told me to join my colleagues,” he says.

The “colleagues” were a few meters away, doing morning drills in the lake. 

He took off his shirt, stayed in shorts and joined them into the water. Later, they sang chants, rolled on their backs and frog-jumped. They camped at Garuga, doing that, and several other physical exercises, for more than three months.

“The training was so intense that at some point, I wanted to drop out and go back home,” Kabaala says.

He strongly believes that part of the reason he soldiered on was because UCU, through its holistic approach to academics and individual’s development, had prepared him for that time when he would get to exercise his endurance in an unconventional environment as a graduate.

When he completed the paramilitary training and a management course, Kabaala assumed office as the Assistant Area Manager, courtesy of his degree qualification. He was posted to western Uganda, where he supervises hundreds of private security guards.

In his day-to-day operations, Kabaala gets to meet corporate company executives, such as bank managers, who wish to hire their security services. As he pursued his international business management course, Kabaala hoped to deal in cross-border trade of commodities. However, in his new role, he instead handles the transfer of weapons across borders, on behalf of his company, which has branches in other countries. 

Despite switching to security work, Kabaala’s business acumen has not withered. He still actively runs small businesses and hopes to enroll for a master’s degree at UCU when he gets the resources for tuition fees.

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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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An engineer uses a grader to fix the clock tower on Bishop Tucker Building on September 6.

Clock installed on 100-year-old Bishop Tucker Building

Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, News, Students, UCU Alumni


An engineer uses a grader to fix the clock tower on Bishop Tucker Building on September 6.
An engineer uses a grader to fix the clock tower on Bishop Tucker Building on September 6.

By Ivan Tsebeni
Every 30 minutes, a clock on an iconic building at Uganda Christian University (UCU) is supposed to go “ding dong.” The sound of the bell on the clock on the Bishop Tucker Building is a reminder to the institution’s community that “time is moving.”

However, for nine years, no one at UCU heard the sound. The electronic clock, installed in 2007 to mark 10 years of UCU, malfunctioned five years later. 

As part of the 10th anniversary, the institution refurbished the Bishop Tucker Building on which there is a cupola that houses the clock. When the clock was installed, the wood housing of the cupola expanded and warped the clock’s face, so it stopped working.

Upon learning that the clock was no longer working, Prof. Stephen Noll, the first Vice-Chancellor of UCU, offered to buy a new one for the building. That offer was fulfilled over the summer of 2021 when Noll sent the clock through UCU Partners, a US-based charity that mobilizes financial support for the university. The organization supports UCU in providing scholarships to needy learners and supporting capital projects, including the UCU School of Medicine. 

“I understand that this time, the installation has avoided that flaw,” Noll said of what made the clock malfunction in 2012. It is the third time that the cupola receives a new clock.

The Bishop Tucker Building, which will be marking its centenary of existence next year, has a four-sided clock and bell tower, operated by a gigantic set of ropes and pulleys.

However, Noll says by the time he joined the university in 2000 as its first Vice Chancellor, the initial clock had not worked for decades. 

According to Noll, the Bishop Tucker Building is part of the heritage of the Anglican Church of Uganda and of Bishop Tucker Theological College, which was founded in 1913. 

“The building is one of the finest pieces of architecture in the country,” he noted. 

Noll said the sound from the new clock should always remind the UCU community about the importance of keeping time.  

“The clock reminds us that ‘my times are in your hands’ (Psalm 31:15),” Noll said. 

Welcoming the gift, UCU’s current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, said: “We have received a special gift from our first Vice Chancellor. It will be reminding us of (the importance of keeping) time and playing the sweet melodies as we celebrate our achievements. We are honored to have such a gift, thanks to Prof. Noll and the entire community of Uganda Partners.”

Mushengyezi said “the massive sound bell inside the clock tower, looks spectacular at night when the clock face is illuminated.”

The new clock has been welcomed by members of the university community. 

Cyrus Ayesiga, a student of Bachelors of Procurement and Management, said the clock will help them keep time while performing tasks at the university.

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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 graduates who picked up graduation regalia ahead of the day pose in celebration. Photo/ Jimmy

Over 3,000 to graduate at UCU’s 2nd virtual ceremony

COVID-19, News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Business


Some graduates who picked up graduation regalia ahead of the day pose in celebration. Photo/ Jimmy
Some graduates who picked up graduation regalia ahead of the day pose in celebration. Photo/ Jimmy

By Yasiri J Kasango and Gloria Katya
A total of 3,368 students are slated to graduate on Friday, October 22, 2021, during the 22nd Graduation ceremony of Uganda Christian University (UCU). Janet Kataaha Museveni, Minister of Education and Sports, who is also a former graduate of UCU and wife of the Uganda president, will be the chief guest. 

This is the second time UCU is conducting a virtual graduation because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The first virtual graduation was held on December 12, 2020. 

This ceremony will have the highest number of graduates in a single graduation since the University’s inception in 1997. The students are graduating with diplomas, bachelor’s degrees, masters and PhDs in different disciplines. 

The total graduating population is made up of 1,711 females and 1,657 males. Of these, 95 excelled with First Class Degrees. A few of the students who garnered first class will have the privilege to attend the graduation in-person at the UCU main campus in Mukono district, central Uganda. 

The overall best student, Sore Moureen, scored a 4.78 Cumulative Grade Point Average out of 5.0. She receives a Bachelor of Human Resource Management.

Jonathan Mbabazi, a graduand who has achieved a first-class degree in Bachelor of Business Administration, was full of praises to God for the feat. 

“Despite all the challenges I faced, such as selling charcoal to raise school fees, I thank God for helping me complete and pass highly,” Jonathan Mbabazi said.

Another graduand, Marvin Charles Masoolo, who pursued the Bachelor of Public Administration and Management, said: “I always had a dream to graduate, though the outbreak of Covid-19 had threatened it. I’m going to the world to become a leader of economic transformation.” 

In observance of the Covid-19 guidelines, dictated by the Uganda Ministry of Health, UCU can host not more than 200 special guests, including students, parents, and University top management staff. These will include the Vice Chancellor, Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi; Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academics, the Rev. Dr John Kitayimbwa; and David Mugawe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration; as well as deans and heads of departments. 

The university administration has selected the best two students from each of the graduating courses to attend the event. The administration resolved to invite both a male and female student.  Unlike the previous graduations where a student would come with both parents, this time, the in-person student will only be allowed to come with one guest.

The graduation ceremony will also be graced by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu who also doubles as the University’s chancellor. Kaziimba is expected to lead a Commissioning Service at the graduation ceremony, where he will pray for the students and commit them to the Lord.

The event will be broadcast live on Uganda Broadcasting Corporation UBC TV for students who will not attend physically to follow the ceremony. The venue of the physical event will be the University’s main new soccer match pitch. 

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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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Aerial view of the 4.25 acres purchased by Engineering Development Fund members and UCU alum. The land is located in Lunnya Village, Namataba Township, on the outskirts of Mukono district.

UCU engineering alumni buy land for economic development

Faculty of Engineering, Design & Technology, News, Students, UCU Alumni


Aerial view of the 4.25 acres purchased by Engineering Development Fund members and UCU alum. The land is located in Lunnya Village, Namataba Township, on the outskirts of Mukono district.
Aerial view of the 4.25 acres purchased by Engineering Development Fund members and UCU alum. The land is located in Lunnya Village, Namataba Township, on the outskirts of Mukono district.

By Jimmy Siyasa
No land. No houses. Delayed marriages. These three are among the challenges youth in Uganda face. For one group, however, the obstacles were decreased by problem-solving social capital.

A meeting about how to overcome the challenges led in August 2020 to the birth of the Engineering Development Fund (EDF), an association of older students of the Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Design.

Some Engineering Development Fund members inspect land they purchased.
Some Engineering Development Fund members inspect land they purchased.

Hardly a year later, the first challenge is no more. Twenty-seven members are now proud owners of 4.25 acres of land situated 20 miles away from Mukono town in central Uganda.

“We saved with the purpose of obtaining a big chunk of land and then subdividing it among ourselves,” says Paulo Kato, the project director of the fund. “Now, one year down the road, our efforts have paid off.”

Rugged roads, rocks, lush greenery and dots of mud houses are what welcomes one to Lunnya village, the home of the group’s newly acquired land.

The day most members of the group were shown the land coincided with an event – a prayer service to thank God for enabling the group to meet their first challenge. The members wanted a priest the bless the fruits of their labor.

The Rev. Moses Ssenyonyi, who led the prayers, commended members of the association for “being so visionary” that they invested in property in a remote area, with the hope that the area will soon become urban. Ssenyonyi is also an alumnus of UCU.

The chairperson of the village, Bernard Mutyaba, who attended the thanksgiving ceremony, welcomed the group, saying the land had been used for cattle grazing for a long time.

The land, purchased at sh42m (about $12,000) with each member contributing sh2m, has been subdivided into 30 plots, with each of the 27 members taking a plot.

“This is an important milestone for me as an individual, in my journey towards asset acquisition and wealth building,” says Kato.

Some members of the association
Some members of the association

“Ebenezer,” is what Elijah Kainginya says about the acquisition. “Who knew we would become land owners this soon?,” he added. “All the glory goes to God.”

The land has been surveyed and each owner issued a title for their plot.

Rodney Tumanye, the treasurer of the association, promised more of such investments, saying they are already in discussions about how to collect the next pool of funds from the members.

UCU offered members of the EDF not only a training ground, but also the opportunity to meet, unite and share visions for development after school. And that is the social capital that the members want to tap, in their quest to tame the remaining two challenges of no houses and delayed marriages.

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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, Facebook and Instagram.

The Rev. Can. Titus Barrack prays for a team of UCU staff members led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi during the UCU Sunday event at Namirembe, Kampala.

UCU Sunday collections to finance building of ordinands’ apartments

Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, News, Students, UCU Alumni


The Rev. Can. Titus Barrack prays for a team of UCU staff members led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi during the UCU Sunday event at Namirembe, Kampala.
The Rev. Can. Titus Barrack prays for a team of UCU staff members led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi during the UCU Sunday event at Namirembe, Kampala.

By Dalton Mujuni
There has been a silent challenge among a unique section of Uganda Christian University (UCU) students. And, perhaps, if the university management had not mentioned it, not many people would have known.

While preaching during a service on September 26, 2021, UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi said some of the ordinands (person training to be part of clergy) who are at the institution are married and would wish that their spouses could visit them during weekends. However, that is not possible since they reside with other students. 

At the virtual service celebrated at Namirembe Cathedral in Kampala to mark UCU Sunday, Mushengyezi mentioned a solution. The university intends to set up an apartment section for the ordinands and the clergy who will be resident students at the institution. 

In fact, Mushengyezi said sh400m (about $113,000) had already been secured for the project that is estimated to cost sh1.5b (about $424,000). 

In 2017, the Church of Uganda designated the last Sunday of September as a UCU Sunday in its province. Every Anglican church is expected to make financial collections on the UCU Sunday, to help in the running of the Church-founded institution.

Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi delivers sermon during the UCU Sunday service at Namirembe.
Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi delivers sermon during the UCU Sunday service at Namirembe.

According to the Church, on this Sunday, “each and every congregation in the whole province will receive a representative of Uganda Christian University who will be given time to speak about the university. Congregations will be given time and opportunity for prayer and financial support to the university.”

Mushengyezi noted that the ordinands need a supportive environment while transitioning into professional evangelists. 

Premising his call to the church to support the project on Nehemiah’s story of building the walls of Jerusalem, under the theme, “Arise, let us build the walls,” (Nehemiah: 2:18) the Vice Chancellor challenged Christians to contribute anything they can, to build on the foundation of Christ Jesus.  Collections during this year’s UCU Sunday will go towards Mushengyezi’s call.

The apartment complex is expected to house over 50 student clergy and ordinands. 

At the same event, the Vice Chancellor pledged to improve the university’s relationship with the Church. He said the university intends to hand over a van to the Church relations office to enable its staff to reach out to churches located upcountry. 

The Rev. Capt. Can. Titus Barrack, while leading the virtual service, shared his memory of university life at UCU, characterized by “inconvenience,” saying he and others studying to be priests often listened to worldly music within their places of residence. He implored the audience to rally behind the cause.

The 2020 UCU Sunday was greatly hampered by the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on churches in Uganda. The implication of churches operating virtually meant that the church collections reduced significantly, hence little to no return to UCU. However, in 2018, UCU collections amounting to sh300m were injected into building the infrastructure at the UCU School of Medicine in Mengo, Kampala. 

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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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TAGS: News, Students, Theology, UCU Alumni

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.

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Student leaders from different institutions of learning participate in the dialogue in UCU's Principals Hall.

Ramp up online learning to avoid career stoppage, unemployment, forced marriages

COVID-19, News, Students, UCU Alumni


Student leaders from different institutions of learning participate in the dialogue in UCU's Principals Hall.
Student leaders from different institutions of learning participate in the dialogue in UCU’s Principals Hall.

By Eriah Lule
The Uganda Christian University (UCU) Vice Chancellor has asked government and schools to follow the online learning path that his institution has taken in order to reduce effects of covid-related lockdowns on studies. As of late September 2021, Uganda has had two lockdowns occasioned by a spike in the coronavirus positivity rate in the country. Each lockdown has included the shutting of in-person learning in schools.

UCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi is urging institutions to consider a rigorous shift towards online distance learning and service delivery so that future lockdowns do not affect operations and learning.

“We have invested in infrastructure of electronic learning and have something to share with other institutions,” he said, adding that such a move will not only keep students from lagging behind because of the pandemic but also enable them to continue studying on their own time.

With Uganda’s second 2021 lockdown in June, many institutions of higher learning, as well as elementary schools remain closed. Only a handful, including UCU, have continued with classes, through electronic means.

Last year, the government shut down schools in March and only opened for in-person learning for final-year learners seven months later. It was not until March this year that schools were opened for in-person learning, only to be closed again three months later.

Mushengyezi emphasized UCU’s commitment to “pioneer in innovation and learning with community outreach.”

He spoke during a recent virtual dialogue to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on academic institutions. The virtual event was held at UCU’s Principals Hall on the main campus in Mukono.

The dialogue, which brought together national and international organizations, was organised by the UCU Alumni Association together with the university’s Student Guild and in partnership with external organizations. The European Union (EU), Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development and ActionAid were among the organisations that participated in the event.

Online dialogues are part of the activities that the UCU alumni association is embarking on as part of its community engagement activities.

One of the panelists in the dialogue, Rose Namayanja, a former Ugandan minister and the current deputy secretary general of the ruling National Resistance Movement party, said many students have dropped out of school as a result of the lockdown. She said the Government was working at developing sustainable digital learning structures for schools in the country.

Rose Namayanja, a former Ugandan minister and the current deputy secretary general of the ruling National Resistance Movement party, speaks during the dialogue session.
Rose Namayanja, a former Ugandan minister and the current deputy secretary general of the ruling National Resistance Movement party, speaks during the dialogue session.

“Many students have resorted to hawking, others have succumbed to forced marriages and teenage pregnancies, due to the lack of digital structures to keep them studying during lockdowns,” Namayanja noted.

The UCU Alumni Association General Secretary, Julius Oboth, urged government to provide soft loans to schools so they can make plans to re-open. He also rooted for tax holidays for all private education institutions, calling on government never to close schools again because such a move “cripples the education sector.”

Ezra Byakutangaza, the president of the student leaders in Uganda, urged government to initiate loan schemes to enable students to purchase learning tools such as laptops, which are needed in online learning. This, Byakutangaza said, would ease the burden on schools that are unable to afford computers for every student.

Elizabeth Ongom, a representative from the European Union in Uganda, said the EU is in the process of drafting projects that will inspire innovative practices for the education sector not only in Uganda, but the whole of Africa.

In order to keep children in school, Naiga Shuburah Kasozi, a representative from Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development, called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders.

“It’s not only the Government, but everyone’s responsibility to keep children in school,” she  said. “So we should de-campaign actions that push our children out of school as the Government is finds a better plan for them to study.’

UCU Guild President Agaba Kenneth Amponda reminded people participating in the dialogue that a conversation about schools without factoring in the other people who benefit from its operation was an incomplete discussion. He argued that by opening schools, security personnel, chefs in catering departments, cleaners, and other people who provide support services in schools will also be able to find employment.

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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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Eng. Rev. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro in his office at UCU

UCU Chaplain: God helped me defeat Covid-19

Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, COVID-19, News, UCU Alumni


Eng. Rev. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro in his office at UCU
Eng. Rev. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro in his office at UCU

With the negative stigma attached to testing positive for Covid-19 in Uganda, it takes courage to confess publicly that one has contracted the virus. Despite the wrongfully imposed shame, some Ugandans are courageous enough to tell their experience, reminding others with Covid to have hope and encourage all to follow Covid safety guidelines.  The Rev. Eng Paul Wasswa Ssembiro, the Chaplain of Uganda Christian University (UCU), is one such courageous person. Ssembiro contracted Covid in November 2020. He narrates to Eriah Lule his ordeal with the virus and how God helped him overcome it.

By Rev. Eng. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro as told to Eriah Lule
I don’t know how Dr. Geoffrey Mulindwa (UCU’s Director of Medical Services) referred to me, but I am sure I was “Covid-19 Patient 001.” I don’t have a clue of where or when I contracted the virus. But I got it. 

I began to be conscious about some sort of infection when I started feeling general body weakness and pain in the joints. The joint pain was unusual because I used to jog every day, to beat off fatigue. The symptoms were akin to those I got whenever I suffered from malaria. On this Saturday, I discovered that I had developed a dry cough. I was uneasy because I had to lead the church service the following day. So, I sought immediate medical attention at the Allan Galpin Health Center, the university clinic.

Eng. Rev. Paul Wasswa preaches during community worship in Nkoyoyo Hall.
Eng. Rev. Paul Wasswa preaches during community worship in Nkoyoyo Hall.

I had a throbbing headache, which seemed to be localized just slightly above my ears. I took painkillers and even took too many at some point and out of despair. But, to no avail. I must confess that I struggled with denial and self- pity, saying to myself “I can’t be infected.” Soon, I reached out to Dr. Mulindwa, who gave me a referral to Mengo Hospital, an Anglican Church-founded hospital in Kampala. Mengo. It is affiliated with UCU.

When I got to the hospital, I met a doctor whose team noticed my agony. They administered a diclofenac (anti-inflammatory drug) injection that relieved my pain a bit. Several medical tests ensued: Lung scanning, heart-echo tests, blood count tests and finally, a test that I dreaded the most – the Covid-19 PCR test.

I was admitted to the hospital and immediately given intravenous injections for pneumonia, and pain killers. When the Covid results returned, the doctor told me I could not go home. They had confirmed I was positive for coronavirus.  

They told me my lungs were in a crucial state. They sent doctors to counsel me, because the hospital did not have the facility for treatment of Covid-19 patients. My spirits sunk. I was distraught. 

I was referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital. Anxiety caused me to unduly feel stigmatized in the process because I seemed like a problem Mengo was trying to rid itself of as soon as possible. But, thankfully, God gave strength to my wife who stood firmly in faith, for me, that all would be well. 

Eng Rev. Paul Wasswa preaches at a seminar
Eng Rev. Paul Wasswa preaches at a seminar

Before admission at Mulago, I was sprayed with chlorine that soaked my clothes. The experience was irritating and traumatizing. It was an uncomfortable and painful wait of nearly two hours, before I was taken to my admission room. Eagerly awaiting a bath, having spent 24 hours without one, I was alarmed there wasn’t any I could have.

But God granted me divine favor. It was a Friday morning. A nurse walked in to check on patients who had been admitted the previous evening. She was a UCU alumna. She knew me. God used her to get me to a better ward, where I got a private room, with certain privileges such as accessing fruits to make juice and immunity-boosting concoctions from lemon and ginger, among other foods.

I also met a young man, also a patient, but in a better state than I was. He had known me as clergy from the church conventions I attended. “Pastor, you are my responsibility now,” he told me, with a smile. He started bringing me salads and hot water, until the day he was discharged. However, before he left, he asked colleagues at the hospital to take care of my meals and make sure I was comfortable. 

The healing hand of the Lord was with me; my body responded well to medication. Six days after admission, when the Director of Mulago Hospital was moving around the ward, he entered my room. When he saw me, he said: “You are not supposed to be here. There are worse cases than you are. We should be discharging you soon.” 

This was good news, to me, from a person who had a bigger picture of the virus. My fellow patients would later tell me I looked better than when I was admitted into the facility. I began doing mild physical exercises. My breath was improving. Finally, on the December 4, 2020, I was discharged.

While I still battle with side effects, such as high blood pressure, occasionally, I bless the Lord for healing me. Of course, my Christian ministry was disrupted; plans got sabotaged. Matter of fact, the whole chaplaincy office was closed to control the spread of the virus, as well as my leadership responsibilities quelled. But, we still bless God for His faithfulness.

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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.

John Semakula (center) after receiving the file for his new office from Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) outgoing head of journalism, Dr. Emilly Maractho (left). At right is the Dean of the UCU Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication, Prof. Monica Chibita.

Semakula named new head of UCU’s journalism department

News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Journalism, Media and Communication


John Semakula (center) after receiving the file for his new office from Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) outgoing head of journalism, Dr. Emilly Maractho (left). At right is the Dean of the UCU Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication, Prof. Monica Chibita.
John Semakula (center) after receiving the file for his new office from Uganda Christian University’s (UCU) outgoing head of journalism, Dr. Emilly Maractho (left). At right is the Dean of the UCU Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication, Prof. Monica Chibita.

By Joseph Lagen
Veteran journalist John Semakula has been appointed the new head of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Uganda Christian University (UCU). 

Semakula takes on the role within the university’s Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication from Dr. Emily Maractho who is now the Director of the university’s Africa Policy Centre (APC). The APC grooms policy researchers and political thinkers and provides a platform for learning and discussion of modern-day issues.  

Semakula, an award-winning journalist, said of his new appointment: “This new position is a great opportunity for me to use the skills and experience I have built over the last 13 years in journalism practice to serve my alma mater.” 

He noted that he is well aware of the huge responsibility of the new office. One of Semakula’s objectives is to double the number of students within the Department. Currently, 150 new students are admitted to the course every year. 

The second more important objective is about competence and quality. Having quality, competent journalism graduates from UCU, Semakula believes, will help to safeguard the journalism profession.

Semakula’s first relationship with UCU was in 2003, when he joined the institution as a student of Bachelor of Mass Communication. When he completed his course, the university retained him, to work as part of the inaugural team for a community newspaper, The Standard, that the university had established. He served as a writer at the newspaper from 2007 to 2009.

While at UCU both as a student and staff of The Standard, Semakula often contributed articles to Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper because he saw the platform as one which could offer him the opportunity to cut his professional teeth.  

In 2010, Semakula joined Uganda’s leading daily newspaper, the New Vision, to practice journalism at a more competitive level. 

John Semakula (center) and his former colleagues at New Vision - Charles Wendo (left) and Esther Namugoji (right) on the Uganda Christian University main campus in Mukono. Both Wendo and Namugojin are former editors at the newspaper.
John Semakula (center) and his former colleagues at New Vision – Charles Wendo (left) and Esther Namugoji (right) on the Uganda Christian University main campus in Mukono. Both Wendo and Namugoji are former editors at the newspaper.

“At the New Vision, I quickly grew through the ranks, becoming a Senior Writer only two years later,” he said. “This kind of promotion usually takes journalists over 20 years.”

In 2016, Semakula enrolled at UCU to pursue a Master of Journalism and Media Studies.

“I studied the MA program and graduated within the stipulated period of two years,” Semakula recalls. Alongside his graduate studies, Semakula still kept his job at New Vision, and, by this time, he had also started teaching at UCU on a part-time basis. 

Semakula was introduced to teaching by the present dean of the Faculty of Journalism, Media and Communication, Prof. Monica Chibita, whom he met at an awards ceremony in 2014. A month after the ceremony, Semakula reached out to her through a phone call, expressing his desire to teach at UCU. 

“Prof. Chibita is good at identifying talent,” Semakula said. “I guess she noticed my ability at the awards ceremony.” 

Upon passing the interview, Semakula started out as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Mass Communication. He handled course units related to writing news and feature stories. 

“The New Vision had a busy newsroom, but I would always find time on Saturdays and Mondays when I was off duty, to teach at UCU,” Semakula says. He had eight teaching hours every week at UCU, which he would execute in the two days he was off duty. 

“I often planned my teaching materials and marked course works and exams at night.” Semakula says. 

The extra work served to energize Semakula who maintained his productivity and increased his accolades at New Vision.  In 2017, he was winner of the Uganda WASH Media Awards in the Print Investigative Category – an honor he won alongside Ronald Mugabe, another New Vision acclaimed print journalist. In the same year, Semakula was a finalist for the Africa Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) Awards in the Justice, Law and Order category. 

A year earlier, Semakula’s New Vision data investigative piece, Hot districts that will determine winner of the 2016 presidential elections won him the ACME Data National Journalism Award. 

In bestowing the accolade, the judges said of his article: “It (the article) went beyond the numbers to investigate how population distribution could be used to predict the winner of the 2016 presidential election and to trace voting patterns. It was only one of a handful of news reports in 2014 that analysed the census data to understand Uganda’s current political climate and future voting trends.”

In the same year, he was a co-writer for the winning stories in the Business, Finance and Economy and the National News – Print categories for the same awards. 

By the time he put down his pen in preference for the chalk as a full-time occupation, Semakula had won more than seven journalism awards. 

Despite his career achievements, Semakula thinks he still has a mountain to climb. 

“At a personal level, I want to get a PhD in media and communication in the next four years,” he says. For the faculty, he envisions the revival of The Standard newspaper, which was a victim of cost-cutting measures in the university as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Presently, the faculty is creating the university’s epaper, The Standard Digital, a multi-media platform that is a direct response to the changing patterns of consumption of information. 

“At UCU, we equip students with the skills that the market wants. So, through The Standard Digital and UCU’s social media platforms, I will make sure that our graduates get the digital skills needed for the times,” Semakula remarked.

Alongside his teaching career, Semakula also contributes articles to two foreign news-sites – Religion Unplugged in the US and the Sight in Australia. Semakula also is the Communications Coordinator at Uganda Partners – a U.S.-based organisation that raises awareness about UCU.

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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, Facebook and Instagram.

Lauren Elaine Nagy graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Messiah College, Pennsylvania, in May 2021. Courtesy photo

Ugandan study experience enriches American nurse

Faculty of Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, News, Students, UCU Alumni, USP


Lauren Elaine Nagy graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Messiah College, Pennsylvania, in May 2021. Courtesy photo
Lauren Elaine Nagy graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Messiah College, Pennsylvania, in May 2021. Courtesy photo

By Jimmy Siyasa
In September 2021, the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, welcomes a new staff member with Ugandan experience. Lauren Elaine Nagy, hired to be a nurse in the Pediatric Inpatient Rehab Unit, was part of the Uganda Studies Program (USP) at Uganda Christian University in 2018. 

Nagy’s employment follows her May 2021 graduation with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the Messiah College in Pennsylvania and certification as a Registered Nurse.  She most recently was a health care provider at a Christian summer camp, Woodcrest Retreat.

Lauren and her family shortly after her graduation. Courtesy photo
Lauren and her family shortly after her graduation. Courtesy photo

Two years before the Covid-19 pandemic, Nagy traveled more than 7,000 miles away from her home as part of the American students who went to UCU for a four-month study abroad program. The trip was under the USP, a two-decades-old program that earlier this year shifted from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities to under the administrative umbrella of the non-profit, UCU Partners, headquartered in Pennsylvania.

While at UCU, Lauren and other USP colleagues were part of the Global Health Emphasis (GHE). GHE provides an opportunity for students pursuing biomedical and public health-related disciplines to complete global health coursework and international field internship in Uganda. 

Lauren Elaine Nagy. Courtesy photo
Lauren Elaine Nagy. Courtesy photo

The USP affords international students an education within an African context. In addition to studies on the UCU Mukono campus, students get a chance to make trips to different parts of Uganda, visit the Equator and sometimes have a 10-day excursion to Rwanda. Some of the students live in the student dormitories on campus, while others are attached to host families.

For Nagy, nothing about UCU stands out more than the institution’s “commitment to integrating faith into all aspects of education.” She says it “created an atmosphere that pushed me to grow in my faith in more ways than I could have expected.” 

While on homestay, Nagy lived with a Ugandan family about five minutes away from the university campus. Her camaraderie quickly acclimatized her to the Ugandan culture of the family of Robert Kibirango and Esther Nakato. In fact, she takes pride in the name Nakiryowa (Luganda word for a type of tree) that the family bestowed on her. 

She has fond memories of the days she was involved in domestic work that included a unique way of peeling bananas. Clearly, the trip to Uganda gave her another family in addition to her biological one in Pennsylvania. Nagy is the daughter of Daniel Alan Nagy and Karen Lynn Nagy. 

“We spent time wandering through fields, exploring plants and anthills, feeding the new calf, picking fresh beans from the garden, and cooking dinner together. It was a beautifully simple time with my family,” she recalls, saying she has continued to keep in touch with the family of Kibirango.

Nagy highly recommends that American university students consider the UCU experience.  

“As many people as possible should experience the transformational growth that I did,” Nagy, who attended Chippewa High School in Doylestown, said.

She lauds UCU for the fusion of faith and books in the grooming of nurses because it enables them to dispense care, compassion and comfort. The culture of faith at UCU seemed to rhyme with Nagy’s sole goal in life – living in the center of God’s will for my life and glorifying Him to the fullest.

“It makes me happy to know that such an excellent school as UCU is producing hard-working, highly capable, Christian health care providers to send out into the communities and serve people as the hands and feet of Christ,” she says.  

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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.

Denis Kutesa (behind) sharing a light moment with his classmates during their internship at Mukono General hospital. Courtesy photo.

From taking lives to saving them: One nurse’s story

Faculty of Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, News, Students, UCU Alumni


Denis Kutesa (behind) sharing a light moment with his classmates during their internship at Mukono General hospital. Courtesy photo.
Denis Kutesa (behind) sharing a light moment with his classmates during their internship at Mukono General hospital. Courtesy photo.

By Eriah Lule
The life of Uganda Christian University (UCU) graduate Denis Kutesa is punctuated by a job where he was forced to take two lives to one where he is saving them. He’s most recently a nurse but formerly a security guard.

His is a tale of losing and regaining hope. His school cycle took a seven-year break because of finances.  Kutesa’s father, Simon Nsubuga, who had been meeting his tuition requirements, suddenly lost his job when Kutesa had just completed his A’level. The year was 2009.

For the next seven years, Kutesa went through a storm. He survived the downpour by working as a guard, a primary school teacher – anything and everything to survive.  Some of the odd jobs he did were a stark contrast for someone who not long before had attended some of Uganda’s elite schools. 

Kutesa, who has freshly completed a Bachelor of Nursing Science course at UCU, studied at St. Mary’s College, Kisubi for O’level and Kibuli Secondary School for A’level. For his primary education, Kutesa attended Nkumba Primary School. All four schools are in central Uganda.

When his father lost his job and was no longer able to meet the tuition requirements of his children, Kutesa left home to seek a livelihood elsewhere. He reasoned that it was not wise for him to stay home, to compete for the little resources that his father and mother – Florence Nakalema – came across. Kutesa relocated to Kampala, where he was employed as a security guard. 

“Although the payment was low, I was determined to work and establish myself,’’ he said. 

Denis Kutesa inside one of the wards at Mukono General Hospital during his internship. Courtesy photo
Denis Kutesa inside one of the wards at Mukono General Hospital during his internship. Courtesy photo

In order to start earning sh150,000 (about $40), Kutesa had to endure training sessions under extremely harsh conditions. Worse yet, during that period, they were entitled to only one meal a day. Kutesa endured the training with good performance. He was relocated from Kampala to Masaka, a district in central Uganda. In Masaka, Kutesa mostly guarded banks.

Around the Christmas season of 2014, he was moved from the bank to guard a depot of the soft drink manufacturer – Coca-Cola. During the Christmas festivities, the demand for soda usually goes up and many of the areas are undersupplied. Thieves know this fact and, on the eve of the 2014 Christmas Day, they attacked the depot that Kutesa was guarding. In the battle with five thieves, he was forced to shoot, leaving two dead. Three others fled on a bodaboda.

That incident traumatized Kutesa to the point that his work place had to relocate him to another station in a neighboring district. There, his monthly salary increased to sh200,000 (about $56). However, due to tough working conditions and trauma from taking lives, Kutesa did not last at his new station, later switching to teaching in a primary school although he did not have the official credentials.

In 2016, Kutesa reunited with his father whom he had not seen ever since he left home in 2009. The financial situation at home had changed for the better. Nsubuga beseeched Kutesa to return to school – and that he was ready to meet the tuition requirements. 

After consultations, Kutesa found himself applying for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at UCU. He wanted to be in a career that gave people better lives instead of taking them. While out of school for seven years, that did not reflect in the performance of Kutesa. There is no UCU semester where his GPA was below 4.0 of 5.0. 

He says pursuing his course at UCU made it easy for him to get internship placements since the institution is highly respected. Now that he has completed an internship, Kutesa hopes to pursue a post-graduate course so he can specialize in nursing education or midwifery.

As he heads to the hospital wards as his new work station, Kutesa is fully aware that he needs to be strong enough to tolerate anything and soft enough to understand every patient he will work on. 

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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.

Sonia Aturinda stands at the entrance of the Mukono General Hospital Maternity Department at the end of her morning shift.

Faith helps nursing intern work in time of Covid

COVID-19, Faculty of Public Health, Nursing and Midwifery, News, Students, UCU Alumni, UCU School of Medicine


Sonia at Mukono General Hospital
Sonia at Mukono General Hospital

Story and Photos by Jimmy Siyasa
It was a hot Tuesday afternoon. But the energy with which the medical workers carried out their duties made one think the afternoon heat was only in the mind. 

“Right now, we are from the post-natal ward and from administering the 2 p.m. medicine to new mothers in the ward,” says one of the medical practitioners. She also had been assisting midwives as they helped mothers deliver. 

This is the routine of Sonia Aturinda, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Nursing Science, at Uganda Christian University (UCU). She is at the Mukono General Hospital, where she is on a three-month internship.

Sonia sanitizes her hands after attending to a patient inside the post-natal ward at Mukono General Hospital.
Sonia sanitizes her hands after attending to a patient inside the post-natal ward at Mukono General Hospital.

As an intern in the post-natal ward at the hospital, Aturinda is charged with offering maternal and neo-natal care services – mostly administration of medicine to new mothers.  

However, because of her excellent performance, her responsibilities have expanded to sometimes offering umbilical cord care, counsel to new mothers, providing family planning advice and, occasionally, assisting midwives in executing deliveries.

Aturinda said she is on internship at the hospital with 23 other colleagues of hers in the same class.

Every morning, Aturinda walks from her hostel, located about 500 metres (about 1/3 mile) from the hospital and only returns after about seven hours. Sometimes, she works on Saturdays, too. 

For Aturinda, her service, though unpaid, is more than just a mere mandatory three-month internship ritual that she must fulfil to merit a university degree. She is living her passion. And she tries her best to be the nurse she would want as a patient. 

“I have passion for the medical field, especially being directly engaged with patients during their lowest and most vulnerable moment, so that I am able to support them through their recovery,” she says, adding: “I like the counseling session, especially when I am comforting and encouraging the patients.”

Sonia Aturinda stands at the entrance of the Mukono General Hospital Maternity Department at the end of her morning shift.
Sonia Aturinda stands at the entrance of the Mukono General Hospital Maternity Department at the end of her morning shift.

In May, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the WHO annual assembly that many medical workers became infected with Covid-19 during 18 months of work to save “countless lives and fought for others who, despite their best efforts have slipped away.” 

So, looking at the statistics of health workers who have succumbed to Covid-19, does being in the wards bother Aturinda?

“Of course, it does, but I just need to have faith and be strong, while maintaining the Standard Operating Procedures that have been put in place for us to keep safe,” she says, noting that patients must be attended to. 

While there was debate on whether or not nursing students should continue with their internships, especially during a time when the second wave of the Covid-19 had peaked and the number of deaths increased, the UCU administration decided that students whose internships were in progress by the time of lockdown could safely carry on. 

The university reasoned that termination of the training would prove counterproductive, especially for finalists. 

Upon reaching a consensus with students, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, issued a memo, giving the greenlight to the internship. 

The head of the Nursing and Midwifery Department, Mrs. Elizabeth Nagudi Situma, believes their deployment is a blessing in disguise because they are adding to the national taskforce, given the shortage of health workers in the country. She said working during the peak of the pandemic offers the students a rare opportunity to learn the management of highly infectious diseases.

However, Nagudi and the Vice Chancellor say the students are always reminded to observe safety protocols. 

Aturinda says the main challenge they face is insufficiency or delayed delivery of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). This includes gloves, which makes attending to HIV-positive mothers delivering or at the post-natal unit a challenge. 

Aturinda is looking forward to her graduation in 2022, after which she intends to pursue a post-graduate diploma in gynecology, to buttress her love for the field of maternal child care and reproductive health – her childhood dream.

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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.

The Rev. Jessica Hughes, lecturer and online learning leader

Rev. Jessica holds torch for UCU online learning

Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, News, Students, UCU Alumni


The Rev. Jessica Hughes, lecturer and online learning leader
The Rev. Jessica Hughes, lecturer and online learning leader

By Joseph Lagen
Behind her glasses, the Rev. Jessica Hughes’ eyes carry a glint to escort her warm, inviting smile. She is a missionary serving at Uganda Christian University (UCU), Mukono, under the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders (SAMS) – an organisation based in the USA state of Pennsylvania.

The Rev. Hughes was recently appointed the head of the university’s Online Distance Learning (ODL) department – more commonly known to its students as eLearning and via one of its preferred teaching platforms, Moodle. The cleric inherited the role under unfortunate circumstances, after the covid-related death of Dorothy Mukasa, the former head of UCU’s eLearning department.

“It is an honour to serve in this capacity,” Hughes says. “I was a member of the committee that launched ODL in 2020.” She added that it is a pleasure for her to continue implementing and expanding virtual learning in her expanded leadership role.

The expansion and shift were timely. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, education institutions were closed in March 2020. It was only seven months later that the schools were allowed to open for physical learning, but only for final-year students. In March 2021, the rest of the learners were allowed physically back in school. However, three months later, a Covid-19 second wave led to increase in the number of infections and deaths, leading to another shutdown of in-person classes at education institutions.

Thanks to the ODL department, UCU was one of the few Ugandan schools where learning quickly shifted online.

The woman of the cloth is a UCU alum. Being a former student and current lecturer in the University’s Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology gives Rev. Hughes an ideal vantage point for her new task.

“From 2009 to 2011, I studied at Uganda Christian University, where I received my Master of Divinity,” she says.

This was the second graduate degree of the Virginia-USA-born missionary. In 2005, she earned her first Master’s degree in Human Performance Systems at the Marymount University based in Arlington, Virginia.

Hughes’ undergraduate degree in psychology came from the George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia in 1992. She also possesses a 1993 certificate as a legal assistant from the George Washington University in the neighbouring Washington, D.C. area.

Her academic pursuits continue. Hughes is a candidate for a doctorate degree. “I enrolled in a PhD programme at the University of South Africa in 2014.” She is currently awaiting the results of her dissertation.

With all this training, one wonders how Hughes chose the missionary path, let alone being a clergywoman. She, too, had her reservations.

“I never wanted to go to Africa,” Hughes reveals in her eponymous blog.

“In fact, in my high school discipleship group of 12, 11 wanted to go to Africa as missionaries,” Hughes says, noting that she preferred to pray for them as they came to Africa.

“I now think that God was just tapping His watch (and probably chuckling), telling me to wait and see.”

The “about” page on the jessicahughes blog succinctly narrates her journey into study and service within Uganda – particularly UCU.

“My bishop, the Rt. Rev. John Guernsey, had suggested that I study abroad for my M.Div., and then suggested Uganda, since my home church (All Saints Anglican in Woodbridge, Virginia) had come under the Church of Uganda when we left the Episcopal Church.” Hughes says Guernsey then casually suggested that she remain and minister there after graduation.

Hughes has ministered from the pulpit of the Thornycroft Chapel at UCU.  On weekdays, you are sure to find her either lecturing theology students or responding to queries of students or staff members using the online learning platforms.

Learning online comes with its challenges – and those are before the challenges specific to a developing country like Uganda are considered. UCU has a mission to be a centre of excellence in the heart of Africa. Yet, in her online spaces and world over, Africa is faced with a threat to excellence in education – degree mills. 

Degree mills are fraudulent institutions that pedal “accelerated” degrees, some from legitimate schools. They promise certification within absurdly short periods. Because of degree mills, some people walk with both undergraduate and graduate degree transcripts attained within under a week. The growth of the Internet has helped to spread the scourge of degree mills. How does the ODL department plan to nip this in the bud with regard to UCU?

“One of the things I am grateful for is that UCU does take education seriously,” the reverend says, noting that the deans and faculties work hard to ensure that the curricula are up-to-date and that the lecturers follow the curricula.

“Within eLearning, we are working with the faculties to ensure that they are posting their materials well: Posting recorded lectures, current readings and creating opportunities for community engagement.”

She says they do not want the platform to become a content dump, but rather a place full of learning resources and collaboration. 

Hughes’ strategy for the near future is to “solidify UCU networks and hardware,” which she and her team are already working on.

“I want us to overhaul our understanding of pedagogy (teaching methods),” she said. “We need to move from a teacher-based instruction model to a learner-based one. This will change how we approach online and blended education.”

With such a daunting task, it is an asset that Hughes has made Uganda her home. And she has no plans of returning to the U.S. permanently. 

“I am happy serving at UCU, and I will remain, as long as the Lord and the community will have me,” notes Hughes. She says her mission in life is to teach and disciple those who teach and disciple.

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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.