Cavendish University Uganda is celebrating a proud moment after its Executive Director, David Mutabanura, was named the 2025 recipient of the prestigious SMACKOBA Distinguished Alumni Achiever Award—an honour that not only recognises individual excellence but also underscores the enduring impact of St. Mary’s College Kisubi on national leadership.
Rather than focusing solely on his personal triumph, this year’s award highlights how SMACK’s legacy continues to shape Uganda’s business and education sectors through its alumni. 
Mutabanura’s story reflects this tradition: a young science student from the 1991 class who has grown into a nationally influential leader guided by a foundation built at Kisubi.
The accolade was presented during the SMACKOBA Alumni Awards Dinner held at Hotel Africana on Friday, 5th December 2025, where seasoned alumni gathered to celebrate one of their own whose contributions now stretch across academia, industry, and governance.
Award organisers noted that Mutabanura was recognised for his exemplary leadership and unwavering ethical standards—qualities forged during his early days at SMACK.
As he received the award, he reflected on the journey, saying, “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.” 
Mutabanura’s pathway demonstrates how a strong educational foundation can shape a multi-sector career.
Trained in business, science, technology, and engineering at institutions including Makerere University, ESAMI Business School, and the University of Leeds, he has contributed to major sectors—from Oil & Gas at Shell Uganda, to telecoms at Nilecom Ltd, to the food industry at Farmers Creameries Limited.
At Cavendish University Uganda, he now plays a central role in steering institutional growth, overseeing operations, finances, and administration with a focus on quality and a customer-first approach.
His commitment to knowledge transfer is evident in his teaching and consulting roles in engineering and technology.
His leadership footprint also extends into national spaces through board service, notably as Board Audit Chair of the Rotary Club of Kampala, and as a member of The Africa List—an elite network of emerging African leaders.
His recent completion of the International Association of Universities Executive Leadership Programme (2024–25) further strengthens his influence in shaping higher education.
A senior SMACKOBA member affirmed the significance of his journey, 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.”
While the award marks a personal achievement, it also reinforces the power of SMACK’s heritage—a legacy that continues to produce leaders whose impact is felt far beyond the school gates, shaping communities, industries, and the nation at large.
