KAMPALA,Uganda : Cavendish University Uganda is celebrating a major milestone after its Executive Director, David Mutabanura, was named the 2025 recipient of the SMACKOBA Distinguished Alumni Achiever Award, an accolade that not only celebrates his personal excellence but also highlights the lasting influence of St. Mary’s College Kisubi on Uganda’s leadership landscape.
This year’s award goes beyond individual recognition, shining a spotlight on SMACK’s powerful legacy and its role in shaping outstanding contributors to the country’s business and education sectors. Mutabanura’s journey is a testament to this heritage: a former 1991 science student who has grown into a distinguished national leader anchored by values formed at Kisubi.
The award was presented at the SMACKOBA Alumni Awards Dinner held on Friday, 5th December 2025 at Hotel Africana, where alumni gathered to honour a member whose influence now spans academia, industry, and governance.
Organisers commended Mutabanura for his exemplary leadership and steadfast ethical standards, attributes he traces back to his formative years at SMACK.
Receiving the award, he noted, “To be recognised by the fraternity that laid your foundation is profoundly humbling but also gratifying.” He added, “The lessons in discipline, excellence and service learned from Kisubi have been a constant compass throughout my journey.”
Mutabanura’s career reflects the power of a strong educational grounding. Trained in business, science, technology, and engineering at institutions such as Makerere University, ESAMI Business School, and the University of Leeds, he has contributed to key sectors from Oil & Gas at Shell Uganda, to telecoms at Nilecom Ltd, to the food industry at Farmers Creameries Limited.
At Cavendish University Uganda, he plays a pivotal role in driving growth, overseeing operations, finance, and administration with a strong emphasis on quality and customer focus. His dedication to knowledge-sharing is further seen in his teaching and consulting work in engineering and technology.
His leadership influence extends nationally through roles such as Board Audit Chair of the Rotary Club of Kampala and membership in The Africa List, a prestigious network of rising African leaders. His recent completion of the International Association of Universities Executive Leadership Programme (2024–25) further elevates his role in shaping higher education.
A senior SMACKOBA member captured the significance of his legacy: “David embodies the ‘SMACK Boy’ ideal—excellence with humility, ambition with integrity. His journey from a science student to a multifaceted executive leader makes him the perfect exemplar for this award. He is not just building businesses; he is building ecosystems and people.”
While Mutabanura’s award is a personal honour, it also reaffirms SMACK’s powerful heritage a tradition that continues to produce leaders influencing communities, industries, and the nation at large.
