Cavendish University Uganda is celebrating the recognition of its Executive Director, David Mutabanura, who has been named the 2025 winner of the SMACKOBA Distinguished Alumni Achiever Award.
The honour celebrates not only his professional journey but also the strong influence of St. Mary’s College Kisubi on its former students.
Mutabanura’s story is rooted in his time at SMACK, where he studied in 1991. The school is known for producing many of Uganda’s outstanding leaders, and his achievement is seen as another example of its lasting impact.
He received the award during the SMACKOBA Alumni Awards Dinner at Hotel Africana on 5th December 2025. The event brought together Old Boys who came to celebrate his contribution to education, business, and community development.
Organisers praised Mutabanura for his leadership, integrity, and professionalism—values he says were shaped early on at SMACK. Reflecting on the award, he said,
“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 since then.”
His education and training—from Makerere University to ESAMI Business School and the University of Leeds—have enabled him to work across several sectors, including Oil & Gas, telecommunications, and the food industry.
At Cavendish’s David Mutabanura Honoured with Top SMACK Alumni Award
Mutabanura also contributes to national development through board service, including his role as Board Audit Chair of the Rotary Club of Kampala.
He is a member of The Africa List and recently completed the International Association of Universities Executive Leadership Programme.
A senior SMACKOBA member captured his impact, saying, “David embodies the ‘SMACK Boy’ ideal—excellence with humility, ambition with integrity. His path from a science student to a multifaceted executive leader, inspiring thousands along the way, makes him the perfect exemplar for this award. He is not just building businesses; he is building ecosystems and people.”
For SMACK and its community, Mutabanura’s recognition serves as another reminder of how strong values and solid education can shape leaders who influence society in meaningful ways.
