Uganda Christian University (UCU) on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, celebrated the outstanding performance of its staff at the 2025 Annual Performance Awards, recognising individuals, teams and departments whose work over the past year set the standard for excellence, innovation and service.

Every awardee went home with a cash prize handed over in an envelope, a tradition that has become a hallmark of the awards since they were introduced three years ago.

Research That Stood Out

Research output featured prominently among this year’s honours. Five members of staff were recognised for publishing at least two research articles, with at least one paper placed in Tier 1 or Tier 2 journals.

Dr. Okecha Tonny, an Assistant Lecturer, led the pack with five published papers, including studies on foreign body impaction, gastric cancer tissue markers and a rare case of Kaposi Sarcoma with renal involvement.

Assoc. Prof. Sarah Kizza Nkambwe published four articles covering heavy metal contamination near steel and iron industries, teaching strategies in national teachers’ colleges, and water quality in hand-dug wells.

Also honoured for their publishing record were Assoc. Prof. John Mulindwa Kitayimbwa, whose work spanned fowlpox disease modelling, asthma pathogenesis and digital mentorship on WhatsApp; Dr. Joseph Jakisa Owor, recognised for research on financial inclusion in Africa and AI-driven HR practices; and Dr. Samuel Kazibwe, honoured for studies on digital safety among women journalists and health communication during crises.

Assoc. Prof. John Mulindwa Kitayimbwa shares a photo moment with Dr. Aliku Twalib, a Senior Lecturer.

In a separate citation for excellence in teaching, learning and service, Dr. Aliku Twalib, a Senior Lecturer, was celebrated for four publications, among them case reports on rare paediatric heart conditions and a book chapter on the heart. Mrs. Josephine Namyalo Mawerere was honoured for her research on community-based health insurance.

Grant Writing: Millions Mobilised

Two staff members were celebrated for landing major research grants. Assoc. Prof. Elizabeth Balyejusa Kizito, Director of the Research and Partnerships Innovation (RPI) office, secured a grant worth USD 218,353, while Dr. Martin Mutambuka, a Senior Lecturer, brought in USD 96,676, together representing a remarkable feat of resource mobilisation for the University.

Innovation, Resilience and the Moodle Champions

The Innovation and Creativity award went to two members of the ICT team. Mr. Amos T. Nuwasiima, Senior Systems Administrator, was honoured for rolling out FreeIPA and RustDesk to strengthen IT security and service delivery, while Mr. Aggrey Mbogo, Senior Network Administrator, was recognised for widening secure and equitable internet access across campus.

Ms. Beatrice Zalwango, an Assistant Registrar serving the School of Medicine and School of Dentistry, picked up the Agile, Resourceful and Responsive award for her student-focused support.

Staff who made the best use of Moodle, the University’s e-learning platform, through quizzes, wikis, discussion forums and Big Blue Button sessions, were also celebrated. Dr. Mary Teophira Ocheng Kagoire led the category with a score of 243 out of 250, followed by Mr. Martin Kubanja (150/250), Ms. Doreen Atukunda (117/250), Assoc. Prof. Mary Nabacwa Sonko (115/250) and Ms. Evangeline Nalugya (139/250).

Group Awards: Academic Excellence

Beyond individual recognition, entire academic units were celebrated for growth, conversion rates and customer service, each receiving UGX 13 million towards team building.

School of Dentistry posted the standout figure of the night, an outstanding 90 percent conversion rate.

School of Medicine followed with a 94 percent conversion rate, 3 percent growth and a 3.94 customer service score.

School of Law recorded a 77 percent conversion rate and 3.39 on customer service, while School of Education combined 21 percent growth, 62 percent conversion and a 4.01 customer service rating.

Faculty of Engineering, Design and Technology posted 20 percent growth, 62 percent conversion and a 3.86 customer service score, and Bishop Tucker School of Theology and Divinity was recognised for 18 percent growth alongside a 75 percent conversion rate.

Administrative Excellence: Putting Students First

On the administrative side, the Customer Service Excellence award recognised departments that stood out for courtesy, responsiveness, dependability and clear communication.

Chaplaincy Department led with an 84.8 percent customer satisfaction rating, followed closely by University Library Department and the Directorate of University Medical Services (Allan Galpin Health Centre), both at 83.3 percent.

Vice Chancellor’s Remarks

Addressing staff at the ceremony, Assoc. Prof. Aaron Mushegyenzi, the university Vice Chancellor reaffirmed UCU’s ambition to be counted among the best campuses in Africa, describing the University as “a Campus worth your money” and assuring students and their families that they “made the right choice to join UCU.”

The Vice Chancellor addresses staff during the Awards Ceremony.

He also paid tribute to the state of the University’s grounds, calling UCU one of the cleanest and coolest campuses in the country, and urged the community to maintain those standards. He was firm on matters of conduct, stressing that the University does not condone indiscipline, and called on staff and students to extend one another the respect they deserve.

Explaining the philosophy behind the awards, the Vice Chancellor said that when someone does something good, they should be recognised. Every staff member honoured this year will receive two months of their gross pay, while Research Award recipients will be fully sponsored by the University to attend a workshop or conference of their choice anywhere in the world.

He closed with a call to the entire UCU community to keep up the momentum. “Do not give up, continue to do the good work,” he urged, adding that the University remains committed to serving its stakeholders and cultivating a spirit of stewardship in every area of campus life.

Congratulations to all this year’s awardees for their outstanding contribution to Uganda Christian University.

Compiled by: Nyapendi Irene Best