Makerere forestry don Lwanga Ssali dead

By Clare Muhindo

Dr. Jeremiah Lwanga Ssali, a senior lecturer at the department of forestry and biodiversity at Makerere University has died.

He died at CASE Hospital in Kampala on Monday. He was on Wednesday laid to rest in at his country home in Busujju, Mityana District.

His life and work
Born on June 7, 1960, Lwanga is survived by six children.

He served both as a senior lecturer in the Department of Forestry Biodiversity and Tourism, and Director Makerere University Biological Field Station (MUBFS) in Kibale district.

Lwanga was also a long serving researcher and manager of the Ngogo Chimpanzee project, since 1997. The Ngogo project studies and conserves the chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park.

He specialized in conservation biology and tropical forest ecology and his research focused on tropical succession and monitoring of changes in population of forest primates, and ungulates in Kibale National Park, Uganda.

Lwanga had publications on primates, for instance "Primate Populations and their interactions with changing habitats," which was published in the International Journal of Primatology in 2008.

"The influence of forest variation and possible effects of poaching on duiker abundance at Ngogo, Kibale National Park," published in the African Journal of Ecology in 2006.

Others are "Elephants, selective logging and forest regeneration in the Kibale Forest," published in the Journal of Tropical Ecology; "Primate community dynamics in old growth forest over 23.5 years at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda," published in the International Journal of Primatology.

He had his undergraduate and post graduate studies at Makerere University, in 1984 and 1989, respectively. He later graduated with a Doctorate of Philosophy in Forest resources and conservation in 1994.

What other people say about him
Jane Anyango, the Public relations officer of the College of Agriculture and Environmental sciences describes him as a dedicated scientist who would even commit his resources to ensure that his station runs smoothly.

"He nurtured the MUBFS up to its present status with passion.  He loved his workers at MUBFS like his own children and ensured that he brings the concerns of the workers to the attention of management," she said.

The Ngogo Chimpanzee project Inc. in a post on Facebook said throughout his distinguished career, Lwanga contributed immeasurably to the knowledge of Kibale forest and the education of the next generation of Ugandan and foreign conservationists.

"But more than this, he was a kind and wonderful friend, mentor, and colleague to everyone he crossed paths with. He will be greatly missed," the post read.

Daniel Abowe Komagum an environmental scientist at Environ GIS Consult says he has lost his mentor and supervisor, who guided him in writing his dissertation.

"Lwanga was a very hardworking gentle man with no tolerance for dishonesty. He loved his family, and cared for everyone, like they were part of his family," he said.