Mawazo (sing. wazo) is a comprehensive Kiswahili word covering the following activities of the mind: meditations, reflections, thoughts, opinions, and ideas. Mawazo is a multidisciplinary international, peer reviewed journal published in English by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Makerere University. It is a scholarly journal of research and opinions in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Mawazo was first published in June 1967 as a publication of the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Makerere University to promote national consciousness and pan-Africanism through the promotion of basic research in the humanities and social sciences. Mawazo seeks to disseminate cutting-edge research and opinions relevant and reflective of African realities. The thorough multidisciplinary character of the journal enables it to analyse the African conditions in a more holistic manner.
Leveraging the jua kari rather than the Ivory tower to situate the Sangoan Techno complex at Sango Bay
The paper evaluates the concept of public archaeology practices in relation to archaeological work undertaken in Uganda, especially at Sango Bay. The article explores the forms of engagement between academia (ivory tower) and the local community (jua kali) to establish if archaeology was done for, by, and with the communities in Uganda. Three specific objectives guided the paper, namely;) to discuss the concept of community archaeology based on work done at Sango Bay;) to historicise the Ugandan community’s participation in archaeology outside Sango Bay, and) to discuss the importance of community engagement and why the ivory tower relinquished its mandate to the jua kali in archaeology. Using primary data from archaeological surveys, excavation, archival data, field notes, interviews, and modern plant sample collections; and secondary data from documentary reviews, it is clear that the non-professional archaeologists or the jua kali determined the agenda. The results suggest that the Ugandan jua kali participated in archaeological work as either individuals or as part of institutions, such as the Uganda Museum and the Uganda Geological Survey Department. Ugandans prior to the 2020 Sango Bay field work mainly constituted the lower cadres in the archaeological fields serving as interpreters, sieving, trowelling and cooking. University students, especially, from Makerere University formed the bulk of the ivory tower locally in Uganda’s archaeology fieldwork. In conclusion, the nonprofessional archaeologists or jua kali determined the agenda before the full involvement of the ivory tower staff.
Copyright (c) 2023 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Perceptions about Female-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Uganda
Violence and coercion, including physical and verbal threats in intimate relationships, is a serious global problem. Although statistics reveal that women are the predominant victims of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), they are by no means the only affected gender. IPV research trends indicate growth in male victimisation by their female intimate partners. Yet, despite the growth, widespread disbelief of actual occurrence of female-perpetrated IPV against men still exists. The current status quo presents a contrast between what emerging research shows as a growing problem and the way ordinary societal members perceive the issue. This paper, thus, explores prevailing perceptions about violence perpetration by women against their male intimate partners in a variety of contexts. It further examines the implications of such perceptions about male victimisation on society’s general understanding and recognition of IPV against men. Narratives on perceptions around female perpetrated IPV and male victimisation are presented and illustrated with direct quotes drawn from the interview transcripts. While men share their individual experiences of victimisation, they reveal how gendered notions, histories, structural, cultural and other social factors have negatively influenced societal perceptions about male victimisation in intimate relationships. These perceptions have consequently resulted in the under-recognition of men as legitimate IPV victims; thus, the limited provision of male-specific victim support services and resources.
Social-Cultural and Historical Milieu Surrounding Youth Empowerment in Buganda: Lessons from Community and Lay Perspectives
Youth account for more than 70% of Uganda’s population. Empowerment of this youthful population is at the forefront of the country’s agenda. Contemporary studies of empowerment in mainstream psychology focus on a Western and individualised conception of the self that is at odds with the African view of the self. African philosophy views the self as socially situated and developing in discourse with others that inhabit the same social-cultural and historical space. This worldview underpins the rationale for understanding the social-cultural situatedness of youth empowerment discourse as is argued in this paper. In an exploratory qualitative study, I elicited the views of 41 respondents from within three districts in Buganda region of Uganda concerning youth empowerment processes. I used in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. I transcribed the interviews verbatim and thematically analysed them. The results of this study revealed that problematic assumptions, attitudes, and practices which have worked against youth empowerment in Buganda are woven into language, daily discourse, and narratives but have been normalised and accepted. Such discourses need to be problematised again and targeted for change as vigorously as other barriers to youth empowerment, such as lack of education and employable skills. This calls for psychology scholars to interrogate empowerment discourse from jua kali, the “lay citizen” using theoretical frameworks that are able to appreciate, resonate with and critically assess the dynamics of the African experience.
The Criminalisation of Indigenous Social Control Systems among the Lugbara by the British Colonial Administration in Uganda
Social control systems based on established customs, traditions, practices, beliefs, and values, handed down through generations by word of mouth and practice still exist in African societies. It aims at bringing social order through healing relations, reconciliation, repairing the social fabric, protecting the peace, and preventing the recurrence of conflict. Since the introduction of modern law under colonial rule, society continues to experience a rise in crime and social injustice; a paradox which this study attempts to explain. This article attributes crime in contemporary society to the historical developments during the colonial and post-colonial periods. Colonialism introduced a modern state and law with a dual legal system that invented crime and criminalised aspects of African customs and culture. It further codified African customs into the native customary law which had the effect of disrupting social order. This work calls for rethinking aspects of modern law as a means to resolve the paradox of increased crime to emancipate the Africans from the continued existence of the errors of colonialism in the post-colonial state.
Re-defining Local Content: How VJs are Changing the Concept and Appreciation of Television Local Content in Uganda
Video Jockeys (VJs, Veejays) are popular in Uganda, and are an integral part in the advancement of television local content. However, the current definition of local content does not recognise the work of VJs, and treats them as a threat to the industry. Yet, these contribute to the country’s popular culture, through influencing consumption of audio-visual content and the meaning of local content to the audience. This paper argues that VJs have re-defined local content and that it might be a mistake to disregard them. It examines their contribution to the industry, which contribution is ignored and sometimes even fought because of the current definition of local content. Despite a general feeling in local content regulation that VJs are illegal and infringe on copyright and in many cases promote foreign content, this paper argues that formalized and properly regulated VJs can promote local content, if the concept is revisited. This paper is a result of 5 key informant interviews (KIIs) with key players in the television industry, and four focus group discussions (FGDs) with television viewers. Guided by Paul du Gay’s Circuit of Culture, I discuss how the meaning of local content is shaped by the VJ’s, and why a re-definition may lead to the achievement of local content quotas.
Quality of education in Uganda: A narrative from a common man’s view
Uganda started the implementation of Universal Primary Education (UPE) policy in 1997, purposely to allow access to all children of school-going age. However, during the implementation phase, many institutional and structural issues emerged that impacted the quality of education provided. This paper focuses on the views of a common man on the quality of education and particularly UPE in Uganda. In other words, how doses a common man who goes about his daily businesses in the markets, on the streets (informal sector) hustling to make ends meet, including payment of school dues view the quality of primary education in Uganda? Data was collected using interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) from a total of 110 respondents spread across the five divisions of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) area. Results indicate that the common man is fully aware that the different challenges affecting UPE have compromised its quality; and these range from inadequate funding by the government, corruption by government officials both at national and local levels but also headteachers and teachers in schools to issues of insufficient infrastructure in schools, absenteeism by both pupils and teachers and a curriculum that is not focused on local realities and needs. All these challenges in the eyes of the common man have affected the quality of UPE in Uganda. As a way forward, the paper recommends that there is a need for government to review the entire UPE policy with a view to understanding the implementation challenges in detail and seek for solutions. The curriculum too needs to be reviewed to match the community needs. Equally important, government needs to increase education budget and fully fund the education sector.
A Mythical Recreation of Nyerere and the Lake Nyasa Conflict in Banyakyusa Narratives
For decades, Tanzania and Malawi have been discordant over Lake Nyasa border. Apart from its colonial history, the conflict became stiff in the post- colonial era, especially between 1967 and 1968 when Tanzania under Nyerere officially submitted to Malawi their intention to rectify the border line from eastern shoreline of the lake to the middle. This article examines the 1967- 1968 phase of the conflict by focusing on local perceptions on Nyerere’s involvement in the conflict. The article specifically looks at Banyakyusa whose position on both sides of Tanzania-Malawi border placed them at the centre of military and political matters during the conflict. The article examines the depiction of Banyakyusa voice, beliefs, and point view embedded in their myths to recreate Nyerere’s image with reference to his involvement in the conflict. As per Banyakyusa, Banda’s desire to extend his leadership beyond Malawi was a key reason for the outbreak of Lake Nyasa border conflict. The article establishes that Banda claimed that the whole Lake Nyasa belongs to Malawi. He also claimed that Tanzanian regions along Lake Nyasa: Mbeya, Iringa, and Ruvuma are part of Malawi. Banyakyusa perceived that without Nyerere being supernatural and mystically endowed, the conflict would have led to the outbreak of armed war between the nations. With his mystical powers, Nyerere was able to know and stop all incidents which would have led to physical battle.
Efficacy of Students’ “Body Stories” on Novice Dance Students’ Training at Makerere University
Whereas both scientific and humanistic experiences are essential for effective dance teaching and learning, the lack of prior knowledge about students’ movement experience inhibits pedagogical excitement. Looking at mindfulness observation as a science to perceive, recall and develop methods for teaching and learning (about) dance, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of students’ body stories on dance teaching and learning. I precisely shared my transition from non-formal practice to dance academia. This enthused my students to write their lifelong body stories during our dance class. A systematic reflection on these qualitative inquiries illustrated an influence for authentic dance teaching and learning at Makerere University. Twenty-three students (15 females and 8 males) participated in the study.
Adult Education at Makerere University College (1953-1962): Motivations and Provisions
Makerere University College opened in 1953, established the Department of Extra-Mural Studies following the recommendations of the 1945 Asquith Commission. The Asquith Commissioners hoped that university adult education offered through centres of extra-mural studies would serve the remote areas that were unreachable by the university colleges through offering adults opportunities for part-time study. The end of World war II and the subsequent creation of the United Nations (UN) Organisation led to pressure being mounted by the Organisation on its member states to enhance efforts to prepare colonies for self-government. Focused largely on foreign content delivered through weekend classes, public lectures, evening classes, one-day schools, and annual study vacations, extra-mural studies targeted English- speaking adults. This paper identifies some contradictions in the starting of extra-mural studies. Extra-mural studies promoted the Eurocentric lifestyle. It was disguised as preparation for self-government and yet the colonial officers became suspicious of the work of tutors as though worried that they might lead to increased nationalism. They seemed worried about the impending loss of empire and change of the status quo.
Reflections on Folktales in the 21st Century: Perspectives from Bakiga Youths
Characterised by technological advancement, urbanisation, and cultural changes, the 21st century presents a variety of documentation, both in print and digital forms. These different media forms provide different ways of entertainment, communication, and education. Consequently, traditional forms of entertainment and education, like folklore, that were popular in previous centuries, especially in the African traditional communities are seemingly less utilised; thus, given less attention. Yet, the role they play in handing down cultural values from generation to generation cannot be overlooked. This paper, therefore, presents the reflections and perspectives of the young generation among the Bakiga on how the role of folktales can be revitalised in society. The study was carried out in Rubanda and Kabale districts, in southwestern Uganda. Data was collected through documentary review as well as the use of informal and unstructured interviews with four focus group discussions composed of ordinary youths, aged 14-20 years, both male and female. These youths were interviewed to get their perspectives on folktales, their role, their translation, and how they can be preserved and/or revived in their communities in the present times. The study reveals that although changing times have negatively affected the propagation of cultural values through folklore, the youths, working with language scholars, can do some literary work to reincorporate them in education.
Environmental Security, Intrastate and Inter-State Wars: A Prospective Analysis
Wars have been and continue to be part of human culture, in spite of the various international frameworks to prevent them. While the reasons for conflict are varied, this article focuses on the growing role of environmental factors in fueling both internal and external conflicts. The article categorises environmental threats into two main areas: resource issues (scarcity, abundance, and sharing) and climate change. It examines how these threats can impact human security, state security, and ultimately lead to war The overexploitation of limited resources, particularly in areas with rapid population growth and poor governance, is likely to spark or intensify internal conflicts. While abundant resources can support economic development, mismanagement, corruption, and ethnic tensions can turn them into sources of conflict. Sharing resources across borders without fair agreements continues to be a cause of conflict between nations. Climate change exacerbates these problems by reducing the availability and quality of resources, making it harder for governments to protect their citizens and maintain peace. Essentially, the article argues that environmental factors are increasingly important in understanding the roots of conflict and that addressing these issues is crucial for preventing future wars.
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Oral History and Gendered Terrain of Anti- Colonial Struggles among the Banyakigezi
This study explores the distinctive customs and traditions of the Banyekigezi, an indigenous community from Uganda’s Kigezi region. Historically separate from other Ugandan groups, they played a crucial role in the Nyabingi rebellion against colonial rule. Despite this resistance, the Banyekigezi preserved their unique cultural practices, including tools and rituals with deep symbolic meaning. The research focused on how the cultural practices shaped the lives of Nyabingi followers, particularly during the colonial era. It examines aspects of Banyekigezi life such as transportation, entertainment, communication, warfare, household items, medicine, housing, and fashion. The Banyekigezi relied on a specific method of carrying people called “engozi” and used traditional instruments for music and communication. Their daily lives centered around tools and utensils made from natural materials. Healing was based on herbal remedies, and their homes were simple structures. Their clothing and ornaments held significant cultural and spiritual meaning. However, colonial rule, especially the 1912 Witchcraft Ordinance, severely damaged Banyekigezi culture. The study suggests strengthening institutions and raising awareness to appreciate the Banyekigezi’s indigenous way of life. In essence, the article highlights the rich cultural heritage of the Banyekigezi and the urgent need to protect and promote it.
Representation, Voice and Empowerment: Towards gender outcomes in Uganda’s Local Governance Decision-Making Processes
As part of the wider global effort to ‘liberate’ women from historically and culturally rooted social injustices, Uganda in 1997 enacted a law in which one-third of every local government (LG) council is reserved for female representatives. This move increased the number of elected female representatives in LG councils and promised to eliminate the hitherto male-dominated spaces of decision-making. Given its two decades of implementation, we examine the extent to which this initiative in Uganda has influenced gender inclusion in democratic decision-making processes and the contextual factors influencing its effectiveness. Data was collected from six LG units in western Uganda using mixed methods. Results revealed a 2:1 male-to- female ratio of representation, indicative of a positive step, but LG Council deliberations remain largely gender- neutral. Without affirmative action, LGs in Uganda would almost obviously be male-dominated. We conclude that female quotas for LG councils provide a space that could be more extensively used to address gender imbalances. Actions beyond filling the female quota, such as regular community dialogues and sensitisation on the mandate of their representatives have been given less attention. Yet, these remain critical demand- side imperatives for gender inclusiveness, representation, empowerment, and voice.
Who is an African? Rethinking the Identity in View of Changing Realities
For many ‘Africans’ and those that use the identifier in reference to a category of people, it might seem almost self-evident what it means. Yet, on basic conceptual inspection, it becomes apparent how behind the seemingly innocent label lie contradictions with difficult implications to reconcile with both demographic and political changes in Africa over time. Through constructivist identity theory, this paper traces the dialectical process in the construction of Africanness, the evolution of its boundaries, and the implications of its different forms of usage. In so doing, and by using the archive of the 1990s ‘exchange’ between Wole Soyinka and Ali Mazrui and reflecting upon the case of non- black Africans, the paper highlights some of the complicated questions in the debates on Africanness. Focusing the critique on selected two broad definitional categories, here referred to as the nativist and the cosmopolitan, I argue that a clearly delimited or essentialist definition of an African is beyond reach. Our use of the concept has to be deracialised and contextualised, for it may mean different things in different settings including both being a positive rallying nucleus and a tool for xenophobic mobilisation. I do not aim at providing an alternative definition or conceptual orthodoxy, but rather, analytically show the shortcomings embedded in some of the conventional usages.
The Funding History for Anthropological Research in Uganda since the Colonial Period: Implications for Decolonisation of the Discipline
This article examines the history of anthropological research in Africa, focusing on the relationship between funding, methodology, and the discipline’s potential for decolonisation. It argues that the field’s development has been significantly influenced by external forces, particularly colonial powers and subsequently, Western institutions. The British colonial office’s Colonial Social Study Council (CSRC) funded anthropological study and education in Africa throughout the 1940s. Britain established the East African Institute of Social Research (EAISR) at Makerere University with the goal of gathering ethnographic data on East African peoples and reporting directly to the British government’s colonial administration. Following the expulsion of anthropologists by President Amin, funding shifted to the Americas and Scandinavia. Anthropology has been criticized for its role in imperialism, and its post-independence trajectory remains unclear. Efforts to decolonise anthropology in the 1960s included Africanisation and breaking with colonial frameworks. However, the universities in the South have limited influence over altering the research agenda and the frameworks for its implementation, since the North continues to dominate funding and agenda-setting for anthropological research. This article questions the possibility of decolonising anthropology given that the field has been historically shaped and financed by those who once colonised Africa and other regions. We examine the funding trends in anthropological research and analyse efforts to make anthropology more African-centered or decolonised. This analysis considers the ongoing power dynamics and competition for research funds both within and between academic disciplines, as well as between the Global South and the Global North.
The Archeological Research Agenda in Uganda from 1922-Present
Colonial aspects of African archaeology include how national archaeology institutions operate, how archaeological research is funded, how archaeological knowledge is produced and disseminated, and who is practicing archaeology. Most edited volumes about African archaeology continue to be dominated by European and North American authors, even several decades after scores of African archaeologists began to research and publish on the continent. Hence, it is essential to ask who and what determines the archaeological research agenda in African countries. This paper presents findings from the quest to historicise the archaeological research agenda in Uganda. It particularly identifies the archaeological research agenda in the last century, examines how it has directed the nature of archaeological research, and questions the role of Ugandan institutions and scholars. Primary and secondary sources in this research include archival research, individual interviews, and literature reviews. The results suggest that despite the well-established Ugandan institutions, including Makerere University, that deal with archaeology and the emergence of Ugandan archaeologists in the 2000s, funding sources continue to dictate the patterns and trends of archaeological research agendas and the impact of practitioners and institutions.
Navigating the DUO Mandate of Women and Gender Studies at Makerere University: Achievements and Pitfalls
The Programme of Women Studies at the SWGS, Makerere University, was a product of women movement in civil society and academia. It was to act as the academic arm, not only to teach, research, and undertake publications but also to perform outreach activities that serve the women’s movement in the civil society and policy makers. While in academia a number of achievements in terms of teaching, research, and publications have been realised, the extent to which the school as an academic arm, has met the mandate of supporting the women’s movement and policymakers has not been studied. The study used qualitative methods of data collection from various stakeholders, including the founding members of the school in both academia and civil society organisations, students and current staff. Findings show that the school’s mandate of outreach is still functional, although the vitality with which it began has gradually waned over time because of some changes within and outside the school. For the school to rekindle this mandate, requires calling upon all the civil society organisations that participated in the establishment of the school to come together and reminisce on the collaborations, and set a new agenda for the year(s) ahead.
On Decolonising Feminist Studies: Makerere University in Perspective
How should African feminists respond to the challenge of decolonisation? This article seeks to deepen the debate on feminist studies and how it is and/or should respond to the whole impetus around decolonisation beyond buzzword politics. Without a doubt, quite several African feminists have related to this critical debate (for example, Mama, Tamale, Oyeronke, Amadiume, Yaliwe, and many others). In this case, we relate directly to the classroom experience in our context, and that is, at Makerere University. Feminist pedagogies seek to stress the productive capacity of curiosity, discomfort, critical engagement, and the refusal and resistance to imperial knowledge as necessary and an aspect of bringing about transformative learning and social justice. Using a decolonial feminist pedagogy, the classroom becomes a site not simply for sharing ideas and topics but for remarkably examining the power dynamics of the coloniality of knowledge. It becomes a spark that can light us up for critical engagement. Teaching becomes a tool for transformation, as summarised by bell hooks in “teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom” (Hooks, 1994: 6).
John Mbiti’s Legacy on Teaching, Research, and Publication in African Traditional Religion at Makerere University
The paper examines John Samuel Mbiti’s legacy in teaching, research, and publication in African Traditional to Religion (ATR) at Makerere University. It documents his contribution Religious Studies’ scholarship. The crux of the paper is to interrogate his contribution towards teaching, research, and publication in ATR, with an interest in how this has continued to influence scholarship in religious studies. By examining his legacy, we aim at documenting knowledge production in ATR. This paper utilises data obtained through in- depth interviews with Mbiti’s contemporaries and other scholars, including alumni and current students of Religious Studies, and those that have read his publications. Besides, archival records of Mbiti’s works and online articles were reviewed to provide data that will enhance the discourse on his legacy. The paper contributes to the existing knowledge on Mbiti’s legacy in the teaching, research, and publication of ATR literature.
“They Did and Taught:” An Audit of the Literary Creative and Criticism Careers of Selected Makerere University Alumni
This article audits the literary creative, and criticism careers of a special cohort of six Makerere University alumni. It claims that the creative oeuvre and literary critical scholarship of these Makerere University–trained writers and critics represents the finest turnout of the department. While their literary criticism and creativity started in the Department of Literature’s literary publication outlets of Penpoint and Dhana, we demonstrate how their careers grew both in and outside Makerere University. This is perhaps why our reading focuses on the public and critical reception of their creative publications and their contributions to literary critical scholarship of the continent. Our primary reading methodology is textual and content analysis of the literary creative and criticism archive produced by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Timothy Wangusa, Mary Karooro Okurut, Dominica Dipio, Susan Kiguli, and Evelyn Cindy Magara. Our selection is aware that Makerere University’s Department of Literature has produced many writers and critics. However, our subjective selection of the six focuses on the selected six’s creative and critical outputs over a period of 60 years.
Copyright (c) 2024 Edgar Fred Nabutanyi Nabutanyi, Isaac Kiiza Tibasiima (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The State of UPE Service Delivery in Uganda: Is Social Accountability the Missing Link?
This article analyses the performance of the UPE programme over the past 25 years. It argues that despite the great financial support from the government and donors, the standards have serious implications because of the government’s preference for traditional accountability over social accountability. Using evidence from empirical research, this article demonstrated the effectiveness of social accountability in fostering downward accountability. This reveals that when community stakeholders actively engaged in UPE school activities, accountability and service delivery witnessed significant improvements. It concludes by advocating for a blended approach in which upward accountability is supplemented by demand-driven accountability championed by parents, CSOs, and mass media to enhance both financial and service delivery accountability in UPE schools.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Tonto – Archiving Memory of a vital socio- cultural Local Brew with a rich Vocabulary facing Extinction
This article examines tonto as an indigenous drink, its rich and specialised vocabulary, the indigenous knowledge process of making it, and the materials as well as the social and/or gender relations, rituals, and traditions associated with its making. Tonto is part of indigenous knowledge that has faced the wrath of forces of ‘modernity’ and its imperatives. According to Mulumba (2017), tonto is a short form of tontomera – (which means “Do not bump into me because of your drunkard state”). For centuries, tonto as a drink has been at the centre of all socio-political and economic activities among the Banyankore and other tribes, such as Baganda. However, key societal changes have significantly minimised the place of, and more or less demonised, tonto and its rich heritage in the social milieu. The specific interest of this article is that the rich heritage of tonto and the language associated with its production and consumption is rapidly disappearing and will soon become extinct. Fewer and fewer people are engaged in its processing and consumption, and the vocabulary for it is so specialised that inactive use will gradually lead to its extinction. The information was generated through extended conversations with purposively selected participants in the Bushenyi District. In essence, this archival initiative aims to preserve the specialised vocabulary associated with tonto and its threatened language register.
Moving the Discourse from Prostitution to Sex Work in Uganda: Beyond Abolitionist
The discourses surrounding prostitution and sex work in Uganda present two prominent positions in the debate, which have informed the practice and identity of sex workers in Uganda. On the one hand, there are positivists who insist that sex work is work; it can earn income to empower those who practice it. On the other hand, are the pro-abolitionists who argue that sex work is immoral, violates women’s dignity, and should be abolished. This study analysed the discourses surrounding sex work and prostitution through field research among female sex workers in Uganda. The findings show that sex work is associated with three themes; the economic, pleasurable, and degrading discourses. The findings show that the majority of those engaged in the practice do not consider what they do to be ‘work’ because of both the stigma attached to the identities and the social and economic conditions that force sex workers to engage in the practice. The article suggests a need to move beyond pro-abolitionists and sex positivists debate to focus on the unique contextual experiences of the sex workers to facilitate a better understanding of the gendered socio- economic and cultural conditions that the sex workers operate in.
Ethical Impropriety in the Curriculum Review Process: A Case of Uganda’s Lower Secondary Curriculum
This article delves into the ethical considerations of the Curriculum Review Process (CRP) carried out in Uganda’s Formal Education System (UFES) in 2020, with a focus on the well-being of the learner, made in the image of God. It employs the Kantian theory of the categorical imperative to posit that the revision of the provided curriculum did not align with the core principles of the CRP, leading to ethical shortcomings in the process. Through a convergent mixed methods approach, the article illustrates that the management of the CRP in formulating the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) presented challenges in its implementation, impeding students’ ability to fully realise their Divine Mandate (DM): “...be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28) NIV. The article underscores the significance of adhering to proper technical protocols in curriculum reviews to ensure that students derive maximum benefit from the process and that the resulting curriculum effectively enables them to reach their full potential.
Africanisation of Adult Education at Makerere University College in the 1960s
Africanisation was a major concern of post-independence in East Africa, and particularly in Uganda, its pursuit at Makerere University College was deliberate in the 1960s. While it was a major preoccupation of nationalist leaders, it has hardly received the attention of researchers on the history of education at the university. How was university adult education Africanised at Makerere? This article answers this question using archival sources and interview data from former members of Makerere University staff. The article argues that the Africanisation of adult education occurred through the recruitment of Africans and the modification of the curriculum and entry requirements to incorporate African perspectives and relevance to the needs at the time. Financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation was influential in attracting Ugandan academic staff for employment. By 1969, 79 per cent of the staff in adult education were African. An admission criterion, the mature-age admission scheme, was introduced to support Africanisation of the country through retraining of adults for employment, while learning content and language were adjusted to reflect a concern with African topics and perspectives. Therefore, these were the strategies through which the Africanisation of adult education occurred at Makerere.
Application of Narrative Analysis in Studying Youth Mindsets from a Socio-Cultural Perspective
The developing world is experiencing a youth bulge, with the majority of this youthful population in sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, youth account for more than 70% of the population. It is vital to empower this population of youth to gain the demographic dividend. The effect of a positive mindset on empowerment outcomes has been demonstrated, and the concept of mindset has been part of Ugandan youth empowerment ediscourse in the last decade but without clearly operationalising it. Several contemporary theories on mindset exist in the field of psychology; they view the mind and, therefore, mindset as the interior processes of a single individual. At the root of these theories is the assumption that the human “mind” can be measured and explained through experimental psychology, which emphasises the use of natural science principles applied to humans, to the exclusion of cultural influences. I argue that these conceptualisations of mindset do not provide an appropriate approach to understanding mindsets in an African context like Uganda, whose socio-cultural fabric upholds the aspects of community and “Ubuntu”. I propose a conceptualisation of youth mindsets from a socio-cultural perspective based on Bakhtin’s dialogical view of the mind, which explains the mind as emerging from narratives within the socio-cultural context. In this paper, I describe the methods I used to carry out a narrative exploration of youth mindsets using both structural and dialogical narrative approaches, thus operationalising the term mindset in context.
Women and the Military in Uganda: An Analysis of Mama Chama in the National Resistance Army Bush War, 1981-1986
This paper focuses on Mama Chama, women who participated in the National Resistance Army (NRA) bush war in Uganda, through the lenses of historical contestation and varied views on the involvement of women in frontline military operations and warfare. While Mama Chama remains part of Uganda’s historical trajectories, their roles during the civil war and their influence on women’s post-war military involvement in Uganda remain less documented and analysed. This article draws on debates about gender integration in military service, historical comparative analysis of documentary data, and participant soldiers’ responses to demonstrate that women’s participation in military activities is not new and that women’s experience in Uganda’s bush war and state military services debunks the narrative that women’s role in the military and its operations are not salient. The findings reveal that Uganda’s armed struggle ushered in a new era, offered a firm foundation, and opened space for the recruitment and participation of women in the national military. This study contributes to civil-military relations research on women as soldiers or civilians and their influence on gender equality in the contemporary military in Uganda and beyond.
Copyright (c) 2025 MAWAZO https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Rethinking Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s ‘Discriminatory’ Practices against the People of Northern Malawi
This article challenges existing scholarship that portrays Malawi’s first leader, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, as responsible for the alienation of the people of Northern Malawi. It argues that Banda’s policy choices were pursued to enhance national unity by eradicating ethnic and regional disparities in public spaces. Situated within a historical study design, this article approached qualitatively, using both primary and secondary data to support this perspective. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus-group discussions, archival research, and desk research. Evidence suggests that events such as language policy changes in 1968, changes in the education sector in 1969, 1987, and 1989, and the transfer of government seat from Zomba to Lilongwe in 1975 have been analytically inconsequential in justifying Banda’s perceived ‘discriminatory’ practices against the people of Northern Malawi. Nevertheless, the portrayal of Banda as having been discriminatory affected relations among the people of Malawi’s three regions, since his policy choices and actions were said to be motivated by his desire to uplift his Chewa ethnic identity.