





Chief Guest Dr. Mary Teopista (Center), Amb. Francis Butagira, Registrar General Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho and URSB board members pose for a photo at the URSB ISO Certification External Stakeholders celebration
Hon. Nobert Mao congratulates the Registrar General, Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho, and Board member, Ms. Lydia A. Sekkabira on the ISO 9001:2015 certification milestone
Mr. Hamidu Tumuhimbise, a senior Registration Officer, attends to a client during the UEB claimants exercise at the Uganda Business Facilitation Center, Kololo
A delegation from PACRA led by the Deputy Registrar Mr. Chewe Peter Chilufya (Center) visited URSB for a 3 days benchmarking visit on the Intellectual Property Registry on how systems operate, the digital improvements implemented and how these reforms contribute to reduced turnaround time
A delegation from UNOC visits URSB to benchmark on the Digital Transformation Journey.
Director General WIPO Mr. Daren Tang, Minister of Justice Hon. Nobert Mao, The Registrar General Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho, URSB Board members a delegation from WIPO pause for a photo at the Uganda Business Facilitation Center during the DG’s mission to Uganda

URSB commemorates International Candlelight Memorial Day: A call for renewed HIV/AIDS commitment
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) recently held a powerful commemoration of International Candlelight Memorial Day, united under the theme “Ending AIDS by 2030: Building Sustainable HIV Response.” The virtual event provided a platform to remember those lost to HIV/AIDS while educating staff on awareness and destigmatisation.
Registrar General Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho delivered a compelling address emphasising personal responsibility in combating HIV/AIDS. “Regular testing is essential. Know your status through self-help kits or laboratory visits,” she advised. “If you discover you’re positive, seek help immediately rather than falling into depression or blame.”
Ms. Kainobwisho urged married individuals to maintain fidelity and advised young women against becoming “number two” in relationships. She stressed the importance of open communication with children about HIV/AIDS, stating, “Parents must have candid conversations with their children about protection and making informed choices.”
A moving testimony came from 35-year-old Kuraish Mubiru, representing the 1.4 million Ugandans living with HIV. Kuraish shared his heart-breaking journey of losing his mother to the virus at age 12 and facing immense stigma from his family after learning of his positive status in secondary school.
“The level of stigma from my own family made me want to address and do away with the discrimination that people living with HIV/AIDS face,” Kuraish reflected. With support from his peers and grandmother, his family eventually accepted his status. Today, Kuraish is happily married with four HIV-negative children.
“Let’s not be defined solely by our institutional roles,” Ms. Kainobwisho concluded. “Make an impact in your community every day and show compassion toward vulnerable populations, including orphans and street children.”
The commemoration reinforced URSB’s commitment to building a more understanding society that empowers all those impacted by HIV/AIDS.