Jump to content

Livingstone Luboobi

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Livingstone Sserwadda Luboobi
Vice Chancellor
In office
2004–2009
Succeeded byProf. Lillian Tibatemwa‑Ekirikubinza
Personal details
Born25 December 1944
Mitondo village, Rakai District
DiedJuly 16, 2025(2025-07-16) (aged 80)
Mulago Referral Hospital
Resting placeMitondo, Kalisizo, Kyotera District
CitizenshipUganda
Alma mater
OccupationAcademic
Awards
  • Uganda National Gold Medal Ward
  • Makerere University Life Time achievement Award
WebsiteMakerere University official website

Livingstone Sserwadda Luboobi (1944–2025) was a Ugandan mathematician and academic administrator. He served as Vice Chancellor of Makerere University from 2004 to 2009 and was a professor of Biomathematics at the same institution, where he began his academic career in the 1970s. He also held an adjunct professorship at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology between 2013 and 2017. Luboobi earned degrees in mathematics from Makerere University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Adelaide, where he completed his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics. He is a founding leader of the African Society for Biomathematics, he served as the chairman of the Ugandan Mathematical Society and he was also a Member of Uganda National Council for Science and Technology. He was an elected fellow of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences.

Early life and education

[edit]

Livingstone Sserwadda Luboobi  was born 25 December 1944 to Lameka Serwadda and Sanyu Serwadda who were both farmers at Mitondo village of Rakai District in Uganda.[1][2][3] Luboobi began his primary education at Kakooma in Lwanti, Kooki, before transferring to Matale Primary School in Kalisizo. He later attended Kako Junior Secondary School from 1959 to 1960. Between 1961 and 1967, he pursued his O-Level education at Ntare School in Mbarara. In 1965, he enrolled at Makerere College School for his A-Level studies, initially focusing on physics, chemistry, and mathematics. He later opted to replace chemistry with double mathematics, despite being cautioned by the headmaster due to the lack of a qualified teacher for the subject. Luboobi chose to teach himself, continued with the subject independently and when the result came out, he got three As.[1]

Luboobi obtained his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a First Class Honour from the University of Makerere in 1970. He proceeded to the University of Toronto to obtain his masters degree in Operations Research in 1972. He then moved to University of Adelaide in Australia where he bagged his Ph.D. in Applied mathematics (Biomathematics) in 1980.[4][5][6]

Career

[edit]

Luboobi graduated from Makerere University in 1970 and began his career in the same year as a special assistant. He was promoted to a lecturer in 1973, became a senior lecturer in 1977, promoted to associate professor in 1985 and became a full professor of biomathematics at Makerere University in 1997.[7]He served as the head of department of mathematics for one year, between 1990 and 1991. He was appointed as the dean of science for two terms, between 1994 and 2001. He served as the vice chancellor of the university between 2004 and  2009 when he succeeded Prof. John Ssebuwufu.[8][9]He also served as adjunct professor for Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NMAIST) between July 2013 and June 2017.[10][5]

Memberships and awards

[edit]

Luboobi was the inaugural president of the African Society for Biomathematics.[5] In 1989, he was elected as the president of Uganda Mathematical Society.[11] He was also a member of the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, and an elected fellow of Uganda National Academy of Sciences.[10]

Luboobi was awarded a Honorary Doctorate in 2008  by the University of Bergen because of his in internationalisation of the University. On the 29 of June 2013, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Makerere making reference to his leadership and academic activities.[7][12] In the same year  during the 51 anniversary of Uganda, Luboobi received a National Gold Medal from the head of state of the country, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.[13]

Death and legacy

[edit]

Luboobi was diagnosed with lymphoma and received treatment at the Uganda Cancer Institute. He was later referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he died on 16 July 2025.[6] A funeral service was held for Luboobi at St. Francis Chapel, Makerere University, on 18 July 2025. He is survived by seven children and several grandchildren.[14][6]

Luboobi's death prompted tributes from several notable academics, including the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe. Nawangwe described Luboobi as a visionary leader who played a key role in transforming Makerere into a research-led institution. He noted that Luboobi was instrumental in drafting the university's research strategy, which enabled the institution to secure over 300 research grants in a single year. Many of the university's current research policies are also attributed to initiatives developed during Luboobi's tenure.[14][6]

Selected publications

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Little known Luboobi takes MUK top post". New Vision. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  2. ^ "Prof Luboobi: A humble Maths don". Monitor. 2025-07-21. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  3. ^ "Prof Luboobi eulogised as selfless servant of Makerere, loving father". Monitor. 2025-07-19. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  4. ^ Nuwagaba, Isaac (2025-07-19). "Makerere University mourns former Vice Chancellor Luboobi". Bukedde Online. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  5. ^ a b c "Prof. Luboobi, Man Who Gave Half His Life to Makerere, Dies at 80". Kamwokya Times. 2025-07-17. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  6. ^ a b c d Nuwagaba, Isaac (2025-07-19). "Makerere University mourns former Vice Chancellor Luboobi". New Vision. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  7. ^ a b OPIO, MIKE (2025-07-16). "Former Makerere Vice Chancellor Prof Livingstone Luboobi dies". The Kampala Report. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  8. ^ Nakyanzi, Eve (2025-07-18). "Simplicity, Service & Scholarship: Hallmarks of Professor Livingstone Luboobi's Legacy". Makerere University News. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  9. ^ Atukunda, Rogers (2025-07-16). "Former Makerere Vice Chancellor Prof Livingstone Luboobi Dies". SoftPower News. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  10. ^ a b "Professor Livingstone Luboobi". strathmore.edu.
  11. ^ Vincent; Andrew, Vince (1997). "Mathematics in Uganda" (PDF). Mathematics Communities. p. 30.
  12. ^ "Prof. Livingstone Serwadda Luboobi | Makerere University". www.mak.ac.ug. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  13. ^ Wamala, Denis (2013-10-14). "Makerere shines at National recognitions". Makerere University News. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
  14. ^ a b "Prof. Livingstone Luboobi Remembered as Makerere University's Humble Giant of Scholarship and Service". 2025-07-21. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Livingstone_Luboobi&oldid=1302288234"