UGANDA: GULU UNIVERSITY THE BEST COUNCIL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL RESEARCH IN AFRICA-GULU UNIVERSITY DON

Gulu University has been awarded the best teaching University in the world for promoting indigenous knowledge and holistic medicine. We have been chosen as Gulu International Hub.  Excellence in mentorship, research, innovation, integration, partnership, and collaboration.

GULU CITY-THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2026.

By Okumu Livingstone Langol, Our Correspondent    

Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 11:00 AM Local East African time, the campus was covered with mist. Motorcades were parked in the parking yard lining the compound Gulu University Multipurpose Laboratory, and the wind was blowing at low altitude as Dr. Lamwaka Alice Veronica emerged from University van with the group International African students.

Gulu University emerging winner for the intellectual unique teaching and promoting indigenous knowledge, a center of Hub, Dr. Lamwaka Alice Veronica explained that it means we are academia, we are beyond the usual teaching. We do something unique, unlike the other normal approach; the approach that we used in teaching is unique.

“When you look at our students being Medical students, IT students, Agricultural students, Law students, and other practices, when they graduated, and when they are employees in the field, they are the best workers with good working record, they don’t record of corruption, and they are the best, because we have taught them definitely.

Dr. Alice Veronica Lamwaka argued for the Intellectual award given to Gulu University because we have intervened and come up with the COVIDEK the medicine Herbal during COVID-19,  we provided the COVIDEK Herble medicine remedy to treat the people which was affected with COVID-19, saving lives of thousands COVID-19 survivors.  The Acholi Sub Region is known for fighting hemorrhage Ebola in 2000, the intervention in COVID-19 was an addition as part of the struggle.

Dr. Stephen Langole, the emeritus Director of Gulu University Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies added that it is enough to say the Council for the Development in Africa CODESRIA theme, which are of interest in 2016, are indigenous Knowledge, so they have identified Gulu University as a Centre for Excellence for promoting Indigenous Knowledge.

Gulu University has been chosen to promote Herbal medicine, the center goes beyond Pharmaceutical, and they promote medicine and teach Herbal medicine traditions and groups of people who have indigenous knowledge who are driven from the villages.

Gulu University Centre for hub, we are hosting 13 students from African Countries in mentorship for the last five day we have been with them every evening we are taking them to bonfire for sharing knowledge of indigenous. Right now we are taking the 13 students for a tour in in Kitgum Matidi the learned from an old man who is above 100 years, the intellectual old man who is the custodian of indigenous knowledge, Dr. Stephen Langole noted.

Gulu University have received 13 students from African Countries, for one month mentorship to learn and understand the African knowledge of the Indigenous knowledge as part of enter for Excellence teaching and promoting indigenous discipline.  A number of students from across Africa, including Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and Swaziland, are being hosted by Gulu University, Focal Point of Institute of Peace and Security study.

They arrived at Gulu University on March 1st 2026, the purpose for those students is to get Mastership and share ideas and exposure from Gulu University, the grant for their mentorship and support for the mentorship training for 13 students is from the MasterCard Foundation the 13 students will be in Gulu University for one month for intellectual mentorship.

“Last night, Wednesday, March 4th, they attended the Indigenous Center, born fire where they share Indigenous Knowledge from the participants’ where they witnesses COVIDEK herbal remedy for themselves and they were involve in the discussion and sharing the debate of Indigenous Knowledge Herbal medicine.

Later they introduced them how to cook potatoes through roasting through the practice of (Bulu Layata abur) how to prepare potatoes, which are roasted and covered with soil and a fire pot is built.

Our Correspondent caught up with Mr. Tesfamichael, 33 years old, an Ethiopian student who is part of the 13 African students who came for mentorship at Gulu University, and asked him what is mentorship program all about?

Mr Tesfa Michael applauded the community living in Gulu City for their hospitality. I have appreciated this how Gulu University Vice Chancellor Prof. George Openyjuru Ladaa, and his fellow professors especially Dr. Lamwaka Alice Veronica, Dr. Stephen Langole and other Professors welcome them.

Mr. Tesfamichael was upbeat says they had the opportunity to visit the Bonfire Center, which is unique in Africa, where we learned how to cook potatoes by covering them with soil, and you put fire on the cock is without them being roasted. It is very interesting to learn from Acholi elders, who at their advanced years, explain how the African Indigenous knowledge was preserved.

“There is a process of preserving potatoes by covering them with soil. Later, when the potatoes are removed, they will be kept for 20 minutes to allow them to cool. Later, when you eat them, the aura is so pleasant,” Tesfa revealed.

From the mentorship here at Gulu University Institute of Peace and Strategic Study, I am developing a project that I am going to present to the Professor of the Institute of Peace and Strategic Study. We are going to submit the project study.

What is the project program that you are going to present?

Tesfa Michael outline, my project is on security issues, from the historical perspective of Ethiopia from 1980 up to 1990. The history is the last period of militarization of Ethiopia that ran from 1974 to 1991 when President Mengistu Halle Mariam  was overthrown. At this time, there was a different security of a different militant party that opposed the government by using individuals involved in the bloodshed and land grabbing.

These individuals began to join militant forces, the militants fled into the neighboring countries, and committed bloodshed was a strategy of bloodshed to minimize those security issues, but it was not fulfilled. The militants who terrorized Ethiopia took place in Gondor Ethiopia.

The mentorship you are going to get from here, what are the benefits you’re achieving?

The issues of insecurity and land conflict have been in Uganda, and the land grabbing happened during the post war conflict. The Acholi Sub-Region has been at the center. Has been solved in Uganda, and like in my Country Ethiopia, secondly, the ideas I am going to get from here through mentorship will help me because of the exchange of ideas, and thirdly, I am going to get exposure from different professors from Gulu University.