The National Research Repository of Uganda - NRU

Welcome to the National Research Repository of Uganda, abbreviated as "NRU". NRU was established in 2021. NRU is a collection of scholarly output by researchers from the UNCST Community, including scholarly articles and books, electronic theses and dissertations, conference proceedings, journals, technical reports and digitised library collections. It is the official Institutional Archive (IA) of UNCST.

For information about the publishers' copyright policy on archiving your articles online or in an institutional archive, visit the Sherpa Site at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo.php The site gives a summary of the permissions normally given as part of each publisher's copyright transfer agreement. If you wish to publish your research findings in the NRU, please contact NRU administrator at admin@uncst.go.ug for details. NRU operates both open access and closed access models. Access to fulltext has been restricted in adherence to the UNCST Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Copyrights policies.

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Africa Portal is an online repository of open access library collection with over 3,000 books, journals, and digital documents on African policy issues. This is an initiative by the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), Makerere University (MAK), and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). Please visit the Africa Portal at http://www.africaportal.org/library.

Communities in NRU

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 10

Books and Book Abstracts
This community contains Open Access Books and Book Abstracts
Conference Proceedings
This community contains Ugandan Conference proceedings
Institutional Annual Research Reports
This community contains consolidated Ugandan Institutional Annual Research Reports on a broad range of subjects
Institutional Repository Policies
This community contains approved and running institutional repository policies from different research institutions
IT DevOps Communinity
IT DevOps Community

Recent Submissions

"Land inequality and spatial dimension: Evidence from household surveys"
(Elsevier B.V, 2026-07-08)
Kweyu, Raphael;
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Medase, Stephen Kehinde
To promote social justice and support inclusive development in East Africa, addressing land inequality is essential. Kenya and Uganda illustrate the complex factors driving land inequality in sub-Saharan Africa. During colonial times, extensive fertile lands were often alienated from local communities and given to colonial authorities, resulting in persistent land disparities. This study assesses land inequality in both countries using household surveys and the Gini and Theil indices. For background, we examine colonial history, land tenure regimes, and theories of structural inequality. Our findings show that Uganda has higher inequality than Kenya, with regional differences playing a major role in these patterns. Kenya's inequality is lower, with some intergroup differences, such as those linked to gender, residence, religion, and marital status, having a limited impact. In Uganda, a small elite group controls the majority of the land, as indicated by Lorenz curves and spatial maps. The results highlight the need for country-specific policies: Kenya should adopt community approaches, while Uganda should utilise regional strategies. These initiatives require a collaborative effort from stakeholders, including governments, agencies, and civil society, to support inclusive initiatives. This analysis guides efforts to improve land equality and governance, promoting fairness and development in East Africa.
Lived experiences that influence the quality of life among patients with epilepsy at Mulago National Referral Hospital
(Elsevier Inc, 2026-07-20)
Atwijukiire, Humphrey;
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Namutundu, Juliana;
In Uganda, the quality of life (QoL) of patients with epilepsy (PWE) remains poor due to clinical, psychological, and social challenges. While several quantitative studies have documented correlates of poor QoL in Ugandan PWE, the specific mechanisms, contextual meanings, and patient-defined priorities through which epilepsy affects daily life remain poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences that influence QoL among PWE at Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH) in Uganda. We conducted a qualitative study among 12 purposefully selected adult PWE at MNRH. We collected data using in-depth interview guides and analysed the data using inductive thematic analysis with ATLAS.ti software. We used purposive sampling guided by gender and duration of epilepsy care to ensure depth and breadth of perspectives. Data collection continued until thematic saturation was achieved. Three major themes captured the lived experiences that influence QoL. 1)Psychosocial experiences encompassed social support from friends and religious communities, family relationships that functioned as sources of both support and strain, stigma and discrimination, and psychological, cognitive, and coping processes. 2) Economic and daily living challenges encompassed financial barriers to treatment, employment disruption alongside economic adaptation, and seizure-related physical injury. 3) Healthcare and treatment experiences encompassed access to free antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and diagnostic services, provider-led counselling and health education, and medication-related effects. Healthcare services should prioritise a shift to holistic, patient-centred care that integrates psychosocial well-being, economic circumstances, and lived treatment experiences into routine epilepsy management. •Family, peer, and religious relationships influence psychosocial wellbeing.•Stigma, both socially enacted and internalised, limits social participation and reinforces concealment.•Financial barriers and employment disruption compound the daily burden of epilepsy.•Health care and support shape treatment continuity and quality of life.•Holistic, patient-centred epilepsy care is essential in low-resource settings.
Regional signals preceding the 2026 Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak
(Elsevier Ltd, 2026-06-03)
Bhadelia, Nahid;
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Gikandi, Isaac;
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Lassmann, Britta
The Bundibugyo virus circulated undetected for months before outbreak declaration.•Four earlier regional hemorrhagic fever clusters flagged by open surveillance are unresolved.•These clusters warrant urgent reanalysis due to concern for regional spread. The May 2026 Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern after substantial undetected community transmission. We describe regional surveillance signals reported by the Biothreats Emergence, Analysis, and Communications Network (BEACON), our open-access event-based surveillance program, in the weeks preceding outbreak declaration. We reviewed BEACON reports of viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF)–compatible illness clusters detected in the transboundary DRC-Uganda-Burundi-South Sudan region during March-April 2026, before the May 15 laboratory confirmation of Bundibugyo virus (BDBV). BEACON detected four temporally proximal viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) compatible illness signals: (i) March 9, North Kivu Province—suspected Ebola case under investigation with unresolved laboratory results; (iii) March 10, Kasaï Province—fatal hemorrhagic illness with secondary cases and negative Ebola polymerase chain reaction; (iii) March 30, Burundi—35 cases of undiagnosed cluster near the DRC border with five deaths, negative testing for major filoviruses and >200 pathogens, pending metagenomic sequencing; and (iv) April 22, South Sudan—three suspected VHF cases with negative initial testing. All four signals shared a similar diagnostic phenotype: VHF-compatible presentation, mobilization of investigation teams, negative initial testing, and no publicly reported confirmed etiology. None were formally reported to have been resolved. Our detection of four unresolved VHF like signals preceding the confirmed BDBV outbreak highlights possible gaps in follow-up mechanisms for cases negative for common pathogens. In light of confirmed BDBV circulation and Africa Centers for Disease Control’s identification of 10 countries at high risk for spread, these preceding signals warrant urgent retrospective investigation.
Engineered antibodies preserve structural and functionalrecognition of Plasmodium falciparumcircumsporozoite protein
(John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2026-08-06)
Jain, Monika;
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Agrawal, Sashank;
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Cannac, Fabien ;
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González‐Páez, Gonzalo E.;
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Lee, Wen‐Hsin;
Long‐lasting and highly effective malaria vaccines or monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) remain urgently needed, as current interventions show age‐dependent benefits rather than broad protection across all ages. Recently, two highly protective human mAbs 224 (IGHV3‐49/IGLV1‐40) and 7088 (IGHV3‐33/IGKV1‐5), encoded by distinct germline genes, were re‐engineered and renamed MAM01 and MS‐1805, respectively, to extend serum half‐life and enable low‐cost, large‐scale manufacturing in alignment with WHO guidelines. MAM01 completed Phase I and IIb clinical trials (safety/PK/challenge) in US healthy naive adults and is now in Phase I trials (age‐de‐escalation studies) in Uganda. Here, we determined crystal structures of the antigen‐binding fragments (Fabs) of engineered MAM01, MS‐1805, and 7088 in complex with different regions of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), including junctional, minor, and major repeat regions. Notably, Fab 7088 features an extended CDRL3 comprising 10 amino acids (CDRL3:10) instead of the canonical 8 amino acid CDRL3 (CDRL3:8) typically observed in V H 3‐33/V K 1‐5‐encoded mAbs, indicating unique folding within its germline context. In addition, cryo‐EM structures of Fabs 7088 and MS‐1805, in complex with recombinant shortened CSP (rsCSP), revealed a regular spiral configuration stabilized by homotypic Fab‐Fab interactions, whereas 224 and MAM01 did not form such assemblies. Structural comparisons demonstrated that engineered antibodies retained key molecular and hydrogen‐bond interactions without significant conformational changes, thereby maintaining antigen recognition and preserving binding affinity. These findings demonstrate that targeted framework engineering can enhance therapeutic potential while preserving structural integrity and function, providing insights for next‐generation antibody‐based interventions against malaria. CrossRef
Bundibugyo ebolavirus emergence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: The critical role of risk communication and community engagement in strengthening health security in fragile and conflict-affected settings
(Elsevier, 2026-08-11)
Kihanduka, Elie;
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Tague, Christian;
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Nadarajah, Saralees ;
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Rugendabanga, Excellent;
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Akilimali, Aymar;
Since mid-May 2026, a rapidly evolving Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain (Orthoebolavirus bundibugyoense) has been spreading in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (Ituri, North and South Kivu provinces) and Uganda (Kampala and Wakiso areas). Uganda has so far reported 14 imported cases and 5 secondary transmissions according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As of 30 July 2026, 3605 confirmed cases, including 1587 deaths, have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Unlike previous Zaire outbreaks, no specific licensed vaccine or antiviral treatment exists for the Bundibugyo strain, making behavioral and community-based interventions the only line of defense. However, armed conflict, chronic insecurity, massive population displacements (>2.1 million), and profound community distrust of health authorities are crippling the response. This article therefore argues that the current threat is a major warning sign for the Great Lakes region, and that investing in Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) such as involving community health workers, natives, and trusted leaders is the most urgent priority to avoid a regional health catastrophe. Without a humanitarian truce to guarantee access and a coordinated cross-border RCCE strategy, undetected transmission will continue to fuel this outbreak and future zoonotic emergencies.