By Tofa Muhumuza
ISHAKA, UGANDA — Kampala International University (KIU) graduated 2,385 students on November 29, 2025, during its 32nd Graduation Ceremony, an occasion that underscored Uganda’s urgent need for skills, integrity, and sustainable innovation as the country confronts economic, technological, and environmental pressures.
Held under the theme “Empowering Graduates in the Era of Competence-Based Learning for a Sustainable Future,” the event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and university executives who emphasized that sustainability—economic, social, and environmental—must now define Uganda’s development trajectory.
VICE-CHANCELLOR PROF. NGOMA: STEM AND SUSTAINABILITY MUST MOVE TOGETHER
Vice-Chancellor Professor Muhammed Ngoma reaffirmed KIU’s commitment to producing graduates who can support Uganda’s transformation in science, health, technology, and environmentally conscious innovation.
“Notably, 53% of our graduands are from STEM disciplines, which aligns with the government’s key priority areas,” Prof. Ngoma said.
He urged graduates to merge technical competence with responsible action, noting that sustainability depends not only on knowledge but also on integrity and long-term thinking.
BOT CHAIRMAN BASAJJABALABA: ETHICS AS THE FOUNDATION OF A SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY
Al Hajj Dr. Hassan Basajjabalaba, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, called on graduates to build a Uganda where honesty and hard work fuel national progress.
“You must be committed, you must be honest, you must be hard-working and ready to learn for you to be good citizens of tomorrow.”
He appealed for government support through improved student financing and tax exemptions on laboratory equipment, arguing that quality practical education is essential for Uganda’s sustainable human capital growth.
KEYNOTE BY DR. EZRA MUHUMUZA: INDUSTRY NEEDS SUSTAINABLE PROBLEM-SOLVERS
Newly appointed Executive Director of the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), Dr. Ezra Muhumuza, delivered a keynote that aligned sustainability with industrial transformation.
He stressed that Uganda’s manufacturing sector requires graduates who can innovate responsibly, reduce waste, improve efficiency, and create local solutions.
“Industry today is hungry for problem solvers—graduates who can think, innovate, and translate knowledge into value. Competence, not just qualification, is what will define your place in the economy,” Dr. Muhumuza said.
He also called for deeper industry–university partnerships, green innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking to drive sustainable economic growth.
PRESIDENT MUSEVENI’S COMMENCEMENT MESSAGE: DISCIPLINED CITIZENS BUILD STRONG, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
The commencement message from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, read by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, emphasized personal responsibility as a cornerstone of community and national sustainability.
“If you want to be patriotic and your family and country depend on you, you cannot be promiscuous; you cannot drink alcohol,” the President’s message read.
He reminded graduates that sustainable progress requires trustworthiness, discipline, and hard work, not academic achievement alone.
CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE, RESEARCH AND TRANSFORMATION
The ceremony honored:
- 2,385 graduates
- 66 First-Class Honours recipients
- Five PhD awardees, whose research contributes to national development, public health, innovation, and community resilience
Their achievements reflect KIU’s shift toward competence-based learning, research relevance, and education that supports both economic productivity and environmental responsibility.
A FUTURE ROOTED IN SUSTAINABILITY
Throughout the ceremony, leaders emphasized that Uganda’s future depends on graduates who can think beyond immediate challenges and contribute to a country that is economically competitive, socially grounded, and environmentally conscious.
KIU’s 32nd Graduation delivered a unified message:
the future belongs to graduates who pair competence with character, and innovation with sustainability.
