Prof. Denis Sekiwu Hands Over Graduate Training Leadership to Prof. Sabiti Makara

In a handover event held on October 15th  2024, at the Directorate of Graduate Training, Prof. Denis Sekiwu officially handed over the office of Chief of the Directorate of Graduate Training to Prof. Sabiti Makara. The handover ceremony, presided over by the university’s Internal Auditor, Mr. Benson Barigye, was marked by reflections on the Directorate’s achievements and a look toward future growth.

Mr. Barigye expressed his appreciation for both professors, highlighting their efforts to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. He commended Prof. Sekiwu for his invaluable contributions during his tenure, which led to remarkable advancements in the Directorate and welcomed Prof. Makara into his new role with enthusiasm.

Prof. Denis Sekiwu, who assumed leadership of the Directorate in 2020 from Prof. Chomi E. Wesana, took the opportunity to reflect on his time in office. He proudly noted a significant increase in postgraduate enrollment, with the number of students rising from 43 in 2019 to 400 by 2024. He attributed this growth to the expansion of postgraduate programmes at Kabale University.

“When I joined the Directorate, we had only nine postgraduate programs. Today, we have more than 40 programs, including accredited Postgraduate Diplomas, Master’s, and Ph.D. programmes,” said Prof. Sekiwu.

In addition to expanding academic offerings, Prof. Sekiwu spearheaded several key initiatives aimed at strengthening the quality of postgraduate education. These initiatives included the development of policies, strategic plans, a dedicated website, and research writing guidelines, all of which have enhanced the overall experience for postgraduate students at Kabale University. Despite these successes, he acknowledged the persistent challenge of understaffing, given the expanding workload.

Prof. Sabiti Makara, the newly appointed head of the Directorate, expressed his gratitude and excitement for the opportunity to lead. He took a moment to reflect on the unique dynamic between him and his predecessor, noting that Prof. Sekiwu was once his student.

“I am deeply honored to take on this role and I thank Prof. Sekiwu for the excellent work he has done. I bring with me great zeal and energy, and I pledge to build on the strong foundation laid by Prof. Sekiwu,” said Prof. Makara. “I am ready to add my efforts to further the progress and growth of the Directorate.”

With the leadership transition complete, the Directorate of Graduate Training is poised to continue its trajectory of growth, contributing to the academic excellence and reputation of Kabale University.

Prof. Sabiti Makara is a Professor in the Department of Governance at Kabale University. He has extensively researched governance issues: public sector reforms, constitutionalism, election management, political parties, civil society, urban governance, and local governance.

In the course of his long academic career, he won research grants from SIDA, the Ford Foundation, UN Women (Uganda), Norwegian Research Council, UNDP, African Union Commission, Electoral Institute for Southern Africa (EISA), French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA), International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), UNESCO Regional Office, Nairobi, Irish Aid/University of Limerick (Republic of Ireland), Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) Norway, and the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF).

He took research residence at the University of Antwerp (Belgium), CMI Bergen, University of Bergen, Norway, Steamboat Springs, Colorado US, and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) in Beijing.