Justice Frederick Martin Stephen Egonda-Ntende and Betty Oyella Bigombe have been conferred with honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Makerere University.
The two and Prof. Leif Abrahamsson, who received an honorary Doctor of Science, were awarded during the first day of the 74th Graduation Ceremony of Makerere University.
The graduation ceremony kicked off earlier today at Freedom Square, conferring 1,400 degrees to various graduates from the Colleges of Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, and the School of Law.
A total of 132 PhDs (46 female, 86 male), 1,585 Masters (699 female, 886 male), 156 Postgraduate Diplomas (67 female, 89 male), 11,016 Undergraduate Degrees (5,990 female, 5,026 male), and 24 Undergraduate Diplomas (15 female, nine male) will be graduating from all the colleges.
According to Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, the academic registrar of Makerere University, Bigombe, and Justice Egonda-Ntende were approved by the university council for the award of the honorary doctor of laws, honoris causa, and degree.
The honorary degree is the highest award granted by the university and constitutes recognition of distinctive achievement that has contributed materially to knowledge and to the betterment of society. Makerere University honors individuals of the upstanding character whose contributions are extraordinary and inspirational.
“Your contribution to peace has helped reduce state fragility, political violence, and socioeconomic growth and development; you have had a long-standing and exemplary public service that has had a transformative impact on society,” Mukadasi said.
He said Bigombe exhibited outstanding leadership, professional, and human qualities and demonstrated exceptional accomplishments, and your excellence reflects positively upon the Makerere University vision.
The university said Justice Egonda-Ntende carried out his task as a judge with humility, utmost incorruptibility, and unwavering fealty to the cause of justice and equality embedded in the judicial oath.
“You have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in upholding ethical principles and the development of the judicial system in Uganda and globally,” Prof. Mukadasi said.
Before joining the Court of Appeal, Justice Egonda-Ntende served as the Chief Justice of the Seychelles in 2009, a position he held until 2014. He served as an acting justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda. He also took part in the setting up of an independent judiciary in East Timor, where he served as a judge of the Court of Appeal.
Egonda-Ntende lectured law at Makerere University in Uganda and was the chairperson of the Law Reporting Committee of the judiciary in Uganda. He also served as a judge for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo.
