Nairobi, Kenya: Uganda’s Makerere University has once again made headlines on the continental stage after Daniel Tusiimukye, a final-year Mechanical Engineering student, won the prestigious Best Student-Led Initiative Award at the Scholar Media Africa Inaugural Conference 2025.
The awards ceremony, held on April 25 at the Trademark Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, was the culmination of a three-day conference themed “Daily Positive Change,” which brought together top scholars, innovators, and youth leaders from across the continent.
Tusiimukye’s win was a major highlight of the Scholar Media Excellence Gala (SMEG) Awards 2025, where he was recognized for his groundbreaking work in youth empowerment and African storytelling through The Iconic Publications, a publishing house he founded.
Receiving the award from Dr. Purity Ngina, Kenya’s youngest PhD holder and current CEO of the National Gender and Equality Commission, Tusiimukye dedicated the accolade to the power of youth multipotentialism, the idea that young people can thrive across multiple fields. It’s a concept he recently expounded on during a TEDx Talk that earned him wide acclaim.
“At only 24, this award reminds me that with passion, purpose, and perseverance, there are no limits to the impact young people can create,” he said in his remarks.
Through The Iconic Publications, Tusiimukye has published works by over 100 African authors, amplifying voices from across the continent. Among them are Poverty Robbed Me, a gripping memoir from South Sudan, and 30 Years of Kabaka Mutebi’s Achievements by HRH Edward Fredrick Walugembe, books that have contributed to transformative discourse on leadership, resilience, and heritage in Africa.
Tusiimukye extended his gratitude to Ambassador Elijah Nyanga, the founder of Scholar Media Africa, along with his mentors, Makerere University faculty, and peers who supported his journey. He reaffirmed his commitment to youth empowerment, transformative storytelling, and accelerating Africa’s development agenda.
Also recognized at the SMEG Awards 2025 was renowned Ugandan legal scholar and prolific author Dr. Isaac Christopher Lubogo, who took home the accolade for Africa’s Legal Scholar of the Year. Though absent due to diplomatic engagements, Dr. Lubogo’s award was received on his behalf by colleagues at the event.
In a published acceptance speech, Dr. Lubogo described the recognition not as a personal triumph but “a torch dedicated to justice, truth, and the hope of a stronger, greater Africa.”
The conference also launched major continental initiatives, including the Scholar Empowerment Program and Scholar Chamber of Leaders, designed to mentor and elevate Africa’s next generation of change agents.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative anews platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp for realtime updates.
