Dr. Wambaka: Africa’s Academic Icon now a   Global Inspiration

By Nathan Ngobi

46 years ago in a small village of Bugwagi in Budadiri West Sironko District Bugisu sub region in Eastern Uganda, the parents of  Wambaka Kosea Makwasi gave birth to a tiny child, little knowing that their young man would, in the future, become a global academic giant of international acclaim and repute.

As is won’t with most young  person’s born in rural Uganda the young Wambaka set out on his academic journey from Buyobo primary school, a little known village school with almost no infrastructure to write home about.

But that was the least of his concerns, the young man excelled from there, gaining admission to Masaba Senior Secondly School one of the best academic institution offering secondary Education at the time.

In the late   1990s  then aged  19years   Wambaka joined Makerere University to pursue his first degree , Bachelor of Arts in Education while at campus he rubbed shoulders with people  who would later in life  become movers and shakers of society in their different disciplines of academic endeavor.

“This was the only degree that Government sponsored me the rest of my academic journey and achievements I paid for myself” Says Dr. Wambaka.

Indeed at the end of his three years course Wambaka walked out of the gates of Ivory Tower armed with instincts of a man on an academic journey and the determination of one who wanted to scale the Heights.

Actually at the back of his mind he knew that was not the last time he would walk through the gates of Makerere to enhance his knowledge base, widened further by the social interactions.

True to his determination he went back to Makerere University Kampala and pursued a masters degree in Economic policy and planning from the college of management and science.

And given his good performance different universities of repute came calling and one of them was the Robert Kennedy College which offered him studies of masters of international commercial law (project dissertation , Assessing the Efficiency and Effectiveness of International commercial arbitration  laws in East Africa)    and another masters  in International Events Management(Cand:)) at Salford Manchester UK  , unsurprisingly it is the same university that has now come out to recognize the academic prowess of one of Africa’s greatest academics.

Indeed in a letter   by Vidhi marketing and social media Executive at Robert Kennedy College   dated 23 March 2023 the University requested for Dr. Wambaka’s interview so as to appear on the College blog and later the university recognized him as one of the greatest inspirers for its current students of master’s programmes.

“Our Dean Dr. David Costa recently shared with us an article commending your academic achievements, we believe your life story will be an inspiration for many of our students who are currently studying our masters programmes and prospective students as well. We would like to feature your experience on the college blog” read parts of the letter from Robert Kennedy College Safford Manchester UK.

Dr. Wambaka on Robert Kennedy College blog:

After numerous interventions and interviews with Dr. Wambaka Kosea, Robert Kennedy College uploaded and our own Bugwagi dude a global academic inspirer sat on top of the Robert Kennedy College university blog.

The university uploaded his profile and all his other achievements so as to inspire students on masters’ programmes.

“Our students come from different walks of life, Robert Kennedy College (RKC) takes pride in being a truly international college with over 7000 students from 140 countries.

Showering more praises on Dr. Wambaka the RKC blog went ahead and revealed that 100% of their online programmes were designed for busy managers, students and alumni work for many international organizations and top companies from all over the world.

The university blogger went ahead and “Allow me to introduce one of the Robert Kennedy College (RKC)’s proud student Dr. Wambaka Kosea sharing few insights and some words of wisdom from his own experience”.

There is no better way to learn than those who came and see what learning strategies worked for them, it will help you   become a better student  and hopefully, help  you make an informed decision” the writer introduced Dr. Wambaka before profiling  the academic giant.

More on Dr. Wambaka academic profile

The Bugwagi lad holds a doctorate of philosophy (PhD) of Economics from the college of business and management science at Makerere University Kampala (Dissertation Title: Foreign Aid Domestic savings and Economic Growth in Sub Saharan Africa).

Rating him as the “Greatest thinker of all times” by his community from Masaba- land Uganda Dr. Wambaka hold another doctorate of philosophy (PhD) in management from the University of Central Nicaragua (Dissertation Effects of competitive strategies on financial performance of commercial Banks in Uganda.

Dr. Wambaka holds a masters in international Commercial Law from the University of Salford, Manchester UK which we mentioned earlier  , a master’s in Business Administration from the East and Southern Management Institute  based in Arusha Tanzania , another masters in International Event Management from the university of Salford Manchester UK that we also pointed out in this article above ,   and masters in Economic policy and planning from the college of management and science at Makerere University Kampala Uganda.

Another giant Academic scholar speaks out on Dr. Wambaka   

Dr. Abdul  Karim Bangura from Sierra Leone who ranks among the most highly Educated persons in the  world with five doctorate degrees (PhDs) says and believes that  his only academia challenger globally  and from Africa is Dr. Wambaka Kosea who holds   so far  2 PhDs, 4 master degrees and  with a totaling of about  28 academic awards achieved at  the age of  46 years.

When this media house reached out on Dr. Abdul Karim Bangura he intimated that truly former Zimbabwean president Robert Gabriel Mugabe had 7 degrees with 2 masters but the current research indicates that with 2 Phds and 4 master degrees Uganda’s Dr. Wambaka would be the biggest challenger academically.

“It is true in my research I came across Uganda’s Dr. Wambaka Kosea a man with 2 PhDs and 4 master degrees, to the world he is an academic inspiration, whose mantle shouldn’t be under rated” Dr. Abdul Karim Bangura now based in UK  told this media house.

Dr.  Abdul Karim Bangura holds PhD in Political science from Howard University, a Phd in computer science from the University of Columbus, PhD Mathematics from the University of Columbus, PhD in Linguistic from the University of Georgetown and PhD in Development Economics from the University of Maryland.

In a recent research by Ugandans,  who released a  video going viral listing  the top most Educated persons in Uganda, it ranks Dr. Muzaale Tonny  47 yrs a researcher is a  born of Kamuli district in Busoga sub region  a man   with  ten degrees   and one  Phd in business administration and Financial management from Mbarara University of science and Technology (MUST)  as one of the most educated persons in the country , Muzaale also holds  masters in Business Administration and Finance from Uganda martyrs University, masters of law  from Makerere University, Masters in Public Administration from  Uganda Management Institute (UMI), masters in Institute management and leadership  from Uganda Management Institute (UMI) , masters of Science in Finance  from TIBM , masters in accounting and Finanace from Kyambogo university,  bacholar of law  from Makerere  University, Bacholars of Education in arts from Namasagali University, and two other post graduate diplomas ,

Although the video  ranks   Dr. Wambaka Kosea as the third most Educated Ugandan of current  with   seven degrees among them four masters and two PhDs  and second in place according the viral video is another Musoga dude  professor Kepha Natoloka a lecturer at Ndeje University who hails   from Kaliro District  at 46years   he has Eight degrees  with one  PhDs in political and international studies   from the University of Rhodes of South Africa , he holds masters in Ethics and management from Makerere  University , masters in international relations from Makerere University, masters in Business Administration in Human Resource Management (HRM)   from Makerere University, masters in Business Administration  in international business from Kampala International University, master of law from  in public international law from Kampala International University, masters in business Administration in Energy management from Cyprus institute of marketing , bachelors of arts in political science from Makerere University,  and three more post graduate diplomas .

The fourth ranked most Educated Ugandan is the vice chancellor of Kabale University Professor Benon Basheka 49 years   with six degrees, and hails from Kabale district in Kigezi sub region.

He holds two PhDs, one in Education Administration and management from Makerere University, another   PhD in Public Administration and management from the university of Dare-salaam, masters in management studies project management from Uganda Management Institute (UMI), Masters in social sector planning from Makerere university, bachelor of arts in political science from Makerere University, bachelor of law from Cavendish University and two more other post graduate diplomas.

Then Dr. Namatende Lydia Sakwa 47years a researcher at Kyambogo University who hails  from Eastern District of Iganga Busoga sub region , she holds  two PhDs and  five degrees  , she has a PhD in gender and diversity from Gent University of Belgium, PhD in Education in curriculum and teaching from Colombia university / New York  USA  , masters  of  Science in Education research from Manchester Univertsity UK, masters in Linguistics from Makerere University  Kampala, bacholar of arts Education from Makerere University Kampala.

Dr. James Musinguzi from Kyenjojo district the viral video ranks him the sixth most educated persons in Uganda, with five degrees, he has one PhD in Management from Mbarara University of science and technology(MUST) , masters  of science  in Zoology  Mbarara university of science and technology  (MUST) , masters in Business administration from Uganda martyrs  University(UMU)  , masters in project planning from  Nairobi university. Bacholar of science with Education from Mbarara university of science and Technology and he holds one post graduate diploma.

The seventh most educated   on the list is Dr. Husein Kisiki Nsamba 40 years from Mawogola in Sembabule district Buganda sub region.

With four degrees and two PhDs Dr. Hussein Kisiki Nsamba hold a PhD  in Industrial Chemistry from Nottingham university UK , another PhD in Chemical Engineering from Kuala Lumpur , masters in chemical engineering from  Putra university of Malaysia with a bachelor’s of arts from Makerere University.

What others scholars say.

According to Professor Barnabas Nawangwe  the Makerere University vice chancellor on interaction with this media house told us that the most highly  Educated person  must hold a doctorate of philosophy  (PhD) and one with the most number of Phds is far better than those with other lower qualifications.

“Four or Five master degrees can never add up to a  doctorate, that is why when one has various masters degrees he /she can not be referred  to as a Doctor, in fact at the level of Doctor (PhD) , scholars engage in research and in the process  create knowledge in the areas of study hitherto uncharted” Profesor Nawangwe said. , 

In this regard then, the current academia ranking puts Dr. Wambaka Kosea  with above with 2 PhDs 4 masters and other 28 academic qualification , then Dr. Benon Basheka with 2 PhDs, Dr. Namatende Lydia Sakwa with 2 PhDs , and  Dr. Husein Kisiki  Nsamba with 2 PhDs  as the top most Educated persons in Uganda.