MAKERERE – Under a graduation tent on Makerere Hill, applause rose in waves as names were called and degrees conferred. For many families, it was a moment of pride. For the 269 students graduating from the College of Natural Sciences (CONAS), it was something deeper — the end of long nights in laboratories, problem sets that refused to yield, and years of quiet persistence.
At the university’s 76th graduation ceremony, CONAS presented 16 PhD graduates, 83 Master’s degree holders, and 170 Bachelor’s graduates, a cross-section of Uganda’s next generation of scientists.
Among them was 24-year-old Simon Mungudit, who graduated with a CGPA of 4.76 in the Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Geoscience and Production, earning the title of Best-Performing Male Student in the Sciences across the university.
His achievement did not happen by accident.
“My journey was built on discipline, prayer, and hard work,” Mungudit said. “From my first year at Makerere, I understood that the course is both intellectually demanding and highly competitive. I made a study timetable every semester, revised daily, and relied heavily on group discussions.”
Petroleum Geoscience is not a forgiving field. It blends physics, chemistry, geology and engineering, each demanding in its own right. Mungudit juggled academics with high-level extracurricular commitments, from participating in a Reservoir Modelling challenge to representing Makerere in the Petro Bowl and chairing the organizing committee for the Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Students Technical Conference and Exhibition.
“While these extracurricular activities were beneficial, I still knew I had to give my books as much time and effort,” he said.
He credits his peers for keeping him steady. “My friends and I created a group in year one, and it worked out throughout the four years. My success is theirs as much as it is mine.” Faith and family support, he added, kept him grounded. Government sponsorship helped ease financial pressures, though he acknowledges that upkeep was at times a struggle.
His message to younger students is direct: “Build discipline early. Excellence is the result of consistent effort. Focus on mastering foundational subjects such as mathematics and physics because they form the backbone of many science and engineering careers.”
He hopes to pursue advanced training and possibly postgraduate studies in petroleum engineering, following in the footsteps of past CONAS high achievers like Mubiru Enock Joel, who graduated last year with a CGPA of 4.91.
Yet the ceremony was not only about grades. It was also about endurance.
For graduates in medicine and surgery, crossing the stage felt like crossing a line that cannot be uncrossed.
Dr. Karlos Samuel Steven called it the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. “Wow, five years,” he said. “For some of us, it has been a dream since time immemorial; for others, it was the duty to serve in healthcare. By the end of it all, we have finally made it.”
The pace of medical school was relentless. “The things you study for two years in secondary school, you cover in one semester at university,” he said.
Dr. Namubiru Melaine described sitting beneath the graduation tent as overwhelming. “You just want to cry because you are amazed at how far you’ve come. We took the Hippocratic oath and screamed our lungs away because that tent was confirmation that we endured.”
Dr. Namubiru Hilda spoke of solidarity. “When people faced mental or personal challenges, the class was ever-present. We kept each other going until we made it.”
For Dr. Nsamba Joseph, the moment was decisive. “I have crossed the Rubicon. I have reached the point of no return.”
He sees his future at the intersection of medicine and innovation. “We are entering an era where artificial intelligence, data science, and pharmaceutical research can work together to transform how we diagnose, treat, and prevent disease radically,” he said. His ambition is not only to practice medicine, but “to help build systems and innovations that redefine medicine, especially in the reality of Africa.”
University leaders urged the graduates to carry their training beyond campus gates. The Vice Chancellor called on them to act as ambassadors and use their knowledge to serve their communities and country. Principal Winston Tumps Ireeta described a Makerere science degree as more than academic instruction — “a transformative journey” that prepares graduates for leadership in science and technology.
With more than 2,000 students and 153 academic and administrative staff across its schools, CONAS remains one of the intellectual engines of the university. Its faculty, Ireeta noted, have contributed to research in international laboratories linked to Nobel Prize–winning work — a reminder that even from Kampala, science can travel far.
As the tents were dismantled and families drifted down the hill, one truth lingered: the real work now begins. The laboratories have shaped them. Leadership — in clinics, in oil fields, in research centers and tech startups — will test them.
And Uganda will be watching.
