Cavendish University’s David Mutabanura Wins 2025 SMACKOBA Distinguished Alumni Achiever Award
Cavendish University Uganda Executive Director, David Mutabanura, has been honoured with the 2025 SMACKOBA Distinguished Alumni Achiever Award, a recognition that positions him among a new wave of leaders reshaping Uganda’s institutional landscape through professionalism, accountability, and innovation.
Unlike previous years where the award celebrated career success alone, the 2025 edition focused on individuals driving systemic improvement in both public and private sectors.
Organisers said Mutabanura stood out for his contributions to strengthening governance structures, modernising organisational systems, and promoting ethical leadership across the spaces he has served.
The award was presented at the SMACKOBA Alumni Awards Dinner held at Hotel Africana, where alumni celebrated professionals whose impact is transforming the country’s operational and leadership culture.
At Cavendish University Uganda, Mutabanura’s approach has centred on redesigning administrative efficiency, elevating academic standards, and modelling leadership that prioritises service and long-term institutional stability.
His colleagues note that under his stewardship, areas such as financial governance, operational quality, and student-centred service delivery have become defining pillars of the university’s progress.
Beyond academia, his professional journey spanning Oil & Gas, telecoms, and the food processing sector has been marked by efforts to strengthen organisational structures and mentor young professionals entering those industries.
His involvement with national and international leadership networks, including The Africa List and the International Association of Universities Executive Leadership Programme, has further amplified his influence on emerging leadership models in Uganda.
Senior SMACKOBA members said this award symbolises a broader shift: recognition of leaders who are not only excelling personally but also shaping institutions that outlast them.
One senior alumnus remarked, “Mutabanura represents the next chapter of national leadership not loud, not populist, but grounded in competence and quiet transformation. These are the leaders building the foundations of Uganda’s future institutions.”
For SMACK, his win reaffirms its long-standing tradition of nurturing leaders who advance stability, professionalism, and ethical public service.
While acknowledging the honour, Mutabanura said the recognition strengthens his commitment to nurturing effective institutions and expanding leadership capacity among young Ugandans. He noted that Uganda’s progress will depend heavily on leaders with integrity, technical capacity, and a service-driven mindset.
