Following his tenure at Makerere, Prof. Ssekamwa continued his service at Nkumba University, where he worked as Professor and Dean of the School of Education, Humanities and Sciences.
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Uganda’s academic community is mourning the death of celebrated educationist, historian, and author John Chrysostom Ssekamwa, whose decades-long contribution to teaching and research helped shape generations of scholars across East Africa.
News of his passing was confirmed by Prof. Fred Masagazi Masaazi of Makerere University, where Prof. Ssekamwa spent much of his distinguished career.
Born on November 29, 1935, Prof. Ssekamwa began his teaching journey in 1958 at junior secondary schools before advancing his academic qualifications. He earned a PhD from Makerere University in 1985 and also studied internationally, including at the Institute of London and Columbia Teachers College under a Fulbright scholarship.
He joined Makerere University in 1968 as a lecturer in the History Department before transferring to the Faculty of Education, where he trained teachers and rose through the ranks to become a full Professor of Education in 1990. In 1993, he was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Education, a role he held until 2004.
Following his tenure at Makerere, Prof. Ssekamwa continued his service at Nkumba University, where he worked as Professor and Dean of the School of Education, Humanities and Sciences.
A prolific researcher and writer, Prof. Ssekamwa authored numerous influential works on education, history, and Buganda culture. His publications, including History and Development of Education in Uganda and A History of Education in East Africa, remain widely referenced by students and scholars across the region.
Throughout his 55-year teaching career, he mentored and supervised countless students at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. Among those he taught and influenced are prominent figures such as Badru Kateregga, the late Sulaiman Kiggundu, and several senior academics and university leaders.
Prof. Ssekamwa was known not only for his academic rigor but also for his guiding principles of discipline, time consciousness, and dedication to service. He often encouraged young graduates to strive for professionalism and to become indispensable in their fields.
He famously lived by the words: “A candle loses nothing by lighting other candles,” and “The challenge in life is planting trees under whose shade one may never sit.”
Colleagues and former students remember him as a humble scholar, devoted mentor, and tireless advocate for education. His legacy lives on through his writings and the many lives he touched.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the family.
Some of the books he authored
- Enkuluze y’eddiini y’Abaganda ey’ennono
- Ebisoko n’engero: Ez’amakulu amakusike
- History and Development of Education in Uganda
- A History of Education in East Africa (Fountain Series in Education Studies)
- Development and Administration of Education (Fountain Series in Education Studies)
- Educational development and administration in Uganda 1900-1970: Selected topics
- Sketch Map History of East Africa
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