Kampala University Hosts Inaugural Hackathon to Drive Digital Innovation Among Students
Ggaba, Kampala - November 3, 2025 - Kampala University has successfully held its first-ever Internal Hackathon 2025, an innovation challenge designed to empower the next generation of African technologists, entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers.
The event, held on over the weekend, brought together over 500 students from the University’s campuses in Ggaba, Mutundwe, Jinja, Luweero, and Masaka. It aimed at fostering creativity, teamwork, and the development of practical digital solutions to address Uganda’s pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Under the theme “Innovation for a Digital and Financially Inclusive Uganda,” participants worked in teams of two to five to develop technology-driven solutions in key sectors such as education, telecommunication, smart agriculture, healthcare, financial technology, environmental sustainability, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
The hackathon featured workshops, mentorship sessions, coding sprints, and final presentations, with the goal of producing innovative prototypes, enhancing student skills, and incubating viable startup ventures.
ICT Ministry Commends KU’s Innovation Drive
The Chief Guest, Hon. Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, the State Minister for ICT and National Guidance, was represented by Mr. Moses W. Watasa, the Commissioner for Communication and Information Dissemination.
In his remarks, Mr. Watasa commended Kampala University for promoting hands-on innovation and called for stronger university-industry collaboration.
“Universities must work closely with industry to solve real-world problems. The Ministry of ICT is ready to partner with Kampala University to promote innovation and digital transformation. We shall soon sign an MoU to formalize this collaboration,” he said.
Vice-Chancellor Encourages Continuous Innovation
The Founding Vice-Chancellor of Kampala University, Owek. Amb. Al-Haj Prof. Badru D. Kateregga, praised the initiative, describing it as timely and forward-looking in a world rapidly advancing towards automation and digitalization.
“The world has gone digital, and we must move in the same direction. Universities are hubs of knowledge and innovation -we must produce new ideas every day through research. Industry and academia must work together to deliver what our people truly need,” Prof. Kateregga emphasized.
He further encouraged continuous innovation, noting that Kampala University will institutionalize the hackathon as an annual event to nurture student creativity and technological competence.
Students Showcase Groundbreaking Ideas
Students presented a range of innovative projects, including:
Sensor-based jackets for the visually impaired, smart bangles for personal security, automated waste management buckets, Sensor-driven irrigation systems, intelligent traffic control solutions, and, Land management mobile applications, among others.
These innovations, according to event organizers (Mr.Brenda Nakirya the Dean School of Computer Science and IT and Ms.Carol Achola PA-VC), demonstrate the potential of young Ugandan innovators in developing practical solutions that can transform communities.
Building Bridges between Knowledge and Practice
In his closing remarks, Prof. Kateregga reiterated the university’s commitment to bridging the gap between academia and real-world application:
“Kampala University must be a bridge between knowledge and practice. Let us build strong partnerships with tech industries and local communities,” he said.
The Kampala University Internal Hackathon will now become an annual innovation platform, serving as a catalyst for student-led research, creativity, and entrepreneurship.