Okumu Denis is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Makerere University, Uganda, with a strong academic background in public administration, policy analysis, and socio-economic development. He holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration and Management from Makerere University, a Post Graduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management from the Uganda Management Institute, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Makerere University.
Throughout his career, Okumu has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to education and research. He has taught various courses in public administration, governance, and socio-economic development, with a particular focus on policy analysis, development discourse, and livelihoods. Okumu has been responsible for supervising several students' research projects, guiding them in their academic pursuits while providing mentorship in both research and career development.
Okumu’s research interests are primarily centered on governance, sustainable development, and innovation systems. He has contributed significantly to the field through his publications, including a study on the numerical modeling of solar salt production at Lake Katwe, Uganda, and collaborative research on enhancing technical skills for artisans in Uganda. His research has focused on improving socio-economic systems and building resilience in communities through innovative development strategies.
He has been successful in securing research grants for various projects, including the enhancement of innovation and competitiveness among Uganda's MSMEs, and the development of technical skills training programs. He has received significant grants, such as USD 50,000 from the Center for Effective Global Action for improving and measuring the impact of technical skills training in Uganda, and UGX 50,000,000 under the World Bank-funded Private Sector Foundation Uganda project to enhance artisan skills in Uganda’s Kasese fish farming and Uganda Quality Basketry clusters. Okumu also acts as a Principal Investigator on several projects aimed at strengthening Uganda’s innovation ecosystem and improving cluster SMEs.
In addition to his academic and research endeavors, Okumu is deeply engaged in community outreach activities. He has worked on multiple projects that foster local development, including his work as a social economist for various water supply and sanitation system projects in Uganda's refugee host districts and his consultancy for UNDP in assessing food system resilience in the Karamoja region.
Okumu is also passionate about innovation and the role it plays in socio-economic transformation. He has facilitated various cluster development initiatives and has been involved in organizing workshops and conferences that bring together stakeholders from academia, government, and the business sector. His efforts to foster collaboration between these groups have led to several successful community and development initiatives aimed at enhancing Uganda’s competitiveness both locally and globally.
