The country has lost an academic giant and innovator. Prof Banadda may have succumbed to Covid-19 but he had already put up a fight against the pandemic on two notable fronts.
Last year, he was one of the brains behind the development of the parts of the Bulamu ventilator, a ground-breaking gadget to help patients fight off the infection when the lungs fail.
He also led the innovation of the biodegradable face shields to combat Covid-19. And that is just a fraction of the numerous innovations he in a distinguished short career. In July 2016, Banadda unveiled an organic pesticide (Vinegar) from agricultural waste mainly from eucalyptus saw dust that has no human health and environmental effect.
This organic pesticide can be easily used by farmers to control pests like the red ants which are a common menace to Ugandan farmers. The organic pesticide was tested and sprayed on various insects and red ants at the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo, where results were impressive.
The research breakthrough presents business opportunities for organic farming and export. He developed the solar-powered irrigation pump, the multipurpose farmers’ tractor called MV Mulimi. He also started the extraction of fuel from hard plastics.
The innovation was the first of its kind in the country and a step towards utilizing waste polythene bags/ plastics and addressing the problem of the hazards caused by poor disposal of polythene bags in the country.
The diesel can be used in motor vehicle engines, generators, lighting in the house and lighting charcoal stoves, among others. What remains after the chemical extraction of diesel can also be used as manure in gardens to enhance soil fertility.
Such was the influence of Prof Banadda that at CAES, he has left over 10 PhD and master’s candidates under his supervision. He was also an aspiring candidate for the position of principal, CAES.
ACADEMIC GENIUS
Banadda was the first sub-Saharan African to graduate with a PhD in chemical engineering from the Katholiek University Leuven in Belgium, thereby opening many doors for Africans.
He was appointed as full professor in 2012 at the age of 37, one of the youngest persons in the history of Makerere University to achieve the feat.
He was also the first African recipient of the Pius XI golden medal in recognition of his outstanding scientific research in 2018, making him the first African under the age of 45 to be recognized by a sitting pope. There are many other medals for his outstanding performance.
Makerere University and the entire globe have lost a prolific researcher. Prof Banadda held a master’s in processing engineering (2006) as well as a bachelor’s of science in Food Science and Technology (1998).
Through his expertise and experience, Banadda won several projects, fellows and was ranked high by Google Scholar. He supervised several PhD and MSc students and personally authored more than 100 scientific publications.
By the time of his death, Prof. Banadda had in October, 2020 been inaugurated as one of the 10 Oliver Tambo (ORTARChi) chairs, attracting $250,000 annually and an additional £100,000 euros for the next 15 years for graduate research in agricultural waste management on farms, with a target of training 15 PhDs, nine post-doctoral researches and 27 master’s degrees.
Prof Banadda’s research interests are broadly in mathematical modelling, biological systems and renewable energy. In academia, he has served as a visiting professor in universities in Africa, Europe and USA and supervised several Master’s and PhD theses.