Dr. Sowedi Masaba is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at Busitema University. He was born and raised in a rural setting in the Mount Elgon region of Eastern Uganda. Sowedi holds a PhD in Environmental Governance and Management from University of Nairobi (2018), Master of Science in Environment and Natural Resources from Makerere University (2002), and Bachelor of Arts with Education (Economics/Geography) from Islamic University in Uganda (1995).
Dr. Sowedi has 30 years of teaching experience at University level where he has taught various graduate and undergraduate courses, including: Hazard and Risk Assessment, Early Warning Systems, Disaster Risk Planning and Coordination, Environmental Policy, Law and Governance, and Climate Change. Sowedi has supervised several graduate students’ research projects, and published peer reviewed articles. His research interests focus on disaster risk reduction policy and governance.
Dr. Sowedi is an excellent facilitator, and is actively involved in community service. He has also held several leadership positions as Faculty Dean,Deputy Dean, Head of Department, and Chairperson of the Faculty Higher Degrees and Research Committee
October 2023 to 2024:
Principal Investigator for Busitema University Research Fund Project titled “Bamboo for Flood Risk Reduction in Butaleja District, Eastern Uganda”. Grant No.
BURIF/MGC/08/2023/4. UGX 20,000,000
January 2023 to 2024:
Principal Investigator for Busitema University, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Funded Research Project titled “Local Community
Response to Flood Early Warnings in Mbale City, Eastern Uganda”. UGX9,870,000.
September 2022 to August 2023:
Co-Principal Investigator for Busitema University Research Fund Project titled “Women, the frontliners of climate change. A case of Butaleja District, Eastern Uganda”. Grant No.7/DGSRI/2022/2023. UGX25,000,000.
September 2014 to 2017:
Principal Researcher for PhD Research Project titled “Evaluating institutional capacity for landslide disaster risk reduction: A Case study of Mount Elgon region, Uganda”. Busitema University/ADB HEST Research Grant. UGX20,000,000
February 2010:
Research Assistant, Lake Victoria Research Initiative (VICRES). I was responsible for collecting field data for a project titled “To conserve or convert Lake Victoria wetlands. An Economic Valuation”.
October 2003:
Research Assistant, Network of Ugandan Researchers and Research Users (NURRU) project titled “Towards privatization of garbage collection in Kampala City, Uganda”. I was responsible for field data collection.
December 1999:
Research Assistant, World Conservation Union, Uganda Country Office. I was responsible for collecting and analyzing data, and updating the Environmental NGOs/CBOs database.
January-December 1998:
Principal Researcher for MSc. Research Project titled “An economic valuation of alternative wetland uses to the local community. A case of Namatala wetlands”.USAID/GMU Research Grant. UGX5,000,000.
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- Turyahabwe R., Andama E., Masaba S., Mulabbi A., Alwin. (2025). Ecological Restoration Capacity of River Nakiyanja Wetland System from the Effects of Motor Vehicle Washing Bays, along River Nakiyanja, Central Uganda.
- Phillipson, M., Moses, I. and Sowedi, M. (2025). Effect of Collaborative Forest Management on Carbon Stocks, Species Diversity and Stem Density in Mabira Central Forest Reserve, Uganda. Open Journal of Forestry, 15, 53-68.
- Nakiyemba A., Kinobe Z., Kakungulu M., Nyangoma I. & Masaba S. (2025). Women’s knowledge and perception of flood disasters in Butaleja District, Uganda. Progress in Disaster Science. 25 (100399).
- Kibira, W. N., Aremu, A., & Masaba, S. (2024). Assessing Wetland Health Through Decomposition in Degraded and Semi-Intact Wetlands in Uganda. East African Journal of Environment and Natural Resources, 7(2), 17-34.
- Nakiyemba A., Musobya M., & Masaba S. (2023). A New Learning Experience of Training in the Social Sciences Using Online Platforms in Low-Resource Settings: A Pandemic Experience at Busitema University, Uganda.
- Andama E., Turyahabwe R., Masaba S. & Makoba P.G. (2022). Impact of Commercial Car Washing Bay on Water Quality of River Nakiyanja in Central Uganda. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. 26 (6).
- Masaba S. (2021). Household preparedness for climate risks: A case study of landslides in Bududa District, Eastern Uganda. The 1st Busitema University Science, Technology and Innovation Symposium.
- Basaliza, E., Nakiyemba, A., Alio, D. & Masaba, S. (2019). Agro-pastoral farmers’ perceptions of drought in Kayunga district, Uganda. RUFORUM Working Document Series (ISSN 1607-9345), 2019, No. 18 (1): 507-514.
- Masaba S., Mungai D.N., Isabirye M. & Nsubuga H. (2017). Implementation of landslide disaster risk reduction policy in Uganda. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 24:326-331
- Masaba S., Mungai D.N., Isabirye M. & Nsubuga H. (2017). Towards decentralized landslide disaster risk governance in Uganda. In Advancing Culture of Living with Landslides (Vol. 5, pp. 415–420).
- Andama E., Turyahabwe R., Masaba S., Makoba P.G. (2022). Impact of Commercial Car Washing Bay on Water Quality of River Nakiyanja in Central Uganda. Andama E., Turyahabwe R., Masaba S., Makoba P.G. (2022). Impact of Commercial Car Washing Bay on Water Quality of River Nakiyanja in Central Uganda.
- Masaba S., Mungai D.N., Isabirye M. and Nsubuga H. (2017). Implementation of landslide disaster risk reduction policy in Uganda. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 24:326-331
- Masaba S., Mungai D.N., Isabirye M. and Nsubuga H. (2017). Towards decentralized landslide disaster risk governance in Uganda. In Advancing Culture of Living with Landslides (Vol. 5, pp. 415–420). Springer International Publishing.
- Buyinza M. and Masaba S. (2008). Bio-economic perspective to fuel wood policy options in Uganda: A demand-supply nexus. Jurnal Ilmu Kehutanan (1) 2:31-47.
- Masaba, S. (2004). Economic valuation of mountain and highland ecosystems in Uganda.
- Obua J., Nakileza B., and Ogwang E. (Eds). Mountain Ecosystems, Resources and Development in Uganda. Mountain Resource Centre, Makerere University. Kampala, Uganda. ISBN 9970-05-017-6.
- July 3rd - 4th 2024: Master Class, Effective Supervision of Masters and PhD Students,organized Busitema University and Mbale Clinical Research Institute.
- August 9-12, 2021: ODeL Training of Trainers Workshop. Busitema University, Uganda.
- July 6, 2018: The East Africa Social Science Translation (EASST) Summit at Fairway Hotel,Kampala.
- March 21, 2016: VLIR OUS Uganda Governance Platform Dissemination Workshop at Gulu University.
- March 5-8, 2016: The 4th World Conference on Humanitarian Studies, presented a paper titled “Effectiveness of Landslide Disaster Risk Reduction Institutions in Uganda”, Addis Ababa,Ethiopia.
- January 15-17, 2014: Workshop on competence and skills training for PhD candidates: Rise to the challenge. Organized by University of Nairobi, AGRA and Wageningen UR. Nairobi, Kenya.
- August 2009: Ecological Society for Eastern Africa Conference. Oral Presentation on “Economic Costs of Wetlands loss in Uganda”, Kampala, Uganda.
- August 2008: The 10th Biennial International Society for Ecological Economics conference on applying Ecological Economics for Social and Environmental Sustainability. Nairobi,Kenya.
- January 2008: The Uganda National Council for Science and Technology workshop on competitive grants proposal writing. Mukono, Uganda.
- July 2007: Workshop on developing minimum requirements for the Bachelor of Environmental Management Programme for Ugandan Universities, organized by the National Council for Higher Education. Masaka, Uganda.
- March 2006: Workshop on Principles and Practices of Economic Instruments in Environmental Management organized by National Environment Management Authority. Mukono, Uganda
- November 2005: Uganda Society Science Conference. Oral Presentation on “Economic valuation: a tool for sustainable wetlands management”. Kampala, Uganda.
- August 2003: Network of Ugandan Researchers and Research Users second NURRU Training workshop on Participatory Action Oriented Research for Poverty Eradication. Kampala,Uganda.
- October 2002: National Workshop on Mountains. 2002. Oral Presentation on “Economic Valuation of Mountain and Highland Ecosystems in Uganda”. Makerere University, Uganda
- Disaster risk
- Disaster reduction, policy and governance.