By Irene Lamunu
Dr. Pius Ojara is the Director Refugee Law Project, an Author, an Ordained Catholic Decon and a former University Professor. He shared his life’s journey with
Dr. Pius Ojara is the Director of Refugee Law Project. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy and a Master’s degree in Philosophy and MDiv in Theology. His research interests include: conflict, governance, livelihoods and social development. Dr. Ojara’s education’s journey started in Kitgum where he went to Pandwong Muslim Primary School from P1-P6. Later, his family moved to Pakwach where he completed his primary education at Pumit Primary School. Thereafter he went to Sts Peter and Paul Minor Seminary POKEA in Arua for his O’level studies.
For S5-S6, he went to Comboni College in Lira, where he studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. While doing his A’level studies Dr. Pius Ojara wanted to be a pharmacist. When he missed his course with a few points he decided to go back to his first love which was becoming a priest.
Dr. Ojara went to Alokolum National Major Seminary under Arua Diocese to begin his journey to priesthood. He later obtained Diploma in Philosophy and Religious Studies and a B.Ph. (Honors) from Urbaniana University, Rome. From Alokolum he joined the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). He would later be ordained a Jesuit Deacon in in Berkeley, California where he served chaplain at University of Berkeley for four years. Dr Ojara lived as a Jesuit for 15 years.
From 2008-2010, he served as an Administrator and Vocations Director for the Jesuits (Society of Jesus) in Uganda. At the end of 2010, Dr. Ojara left the Jesuits. He then worked with Refugee Law Project as Project Coordinator and Head of Department of Research for a year before joining the UK Department for International Development (DFID) as Post Conflict Recovery Adviser for Northern Uganda where he managed a multi-sectoral programme portfolio of £100m. Dr. He was also the UK budget holder for £1m reintegration programme that was implemented through World Bank by the Amnesty Commission.
After two and a half years with DFID Uganda he moved to DFID South Sudan as Conflict Advisor where he managed programme portfolio of over £50m. After two and seven months, he became the Director for South Sudan NGO Forum where he coordinated work of over 600 NGOs. In this role, Dr. Ojara became a key figure in the Humanitarian response in South Sudan. In discharging his duties in South Sudan, he was privileged to be invited to the White House in 2018 and 2019 to make a case for the continued humanitarian assistance to South Sudan. After six years of service in South Sudan, Dr. Ojara moved to the Bangui, Central African Republic, where he worked as a Project Director before returning to Uganda in April 2014 as the Director Refugee Law Project, School of Law, Makerere University.
Dr Pius Ojara completed his MA and PhD at the University of Zimbabwe University. He also obtained his MDiv from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley of Santa Clara University, California, USA. He taught at Arrupe Jesuit University for five years. He was a visiting Professor at Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin in USA, and the Jesuit School of Philosophy in Ho Chi Mihn City (Saigon) Vietnam. He was a visiting Research Fellow at Georgetown University and at the Jesuit Conference in Washing DC.
Dr. Pius Ojara is a published author. He has published four books; Marcel, Girard, Bakhtin: The Return of Conversion (2004); Toward a Fuller Human Identity: Phenomenology of Family Life, Social Harmony and the Recovery of the Black Self (2006), Tragic Humanity and Hope: Understanding our Struggle to be Scientific, Sapiential and Moral (2007), and Faith, Culture and Church as Family (2009). Other publications include the article, “Deconstruction and Demonisation: The Role of Language in Transitional Justice,” in: Where Law Meets Reality: Forging African Transitional Justice. Nairobi, Kenya: Pambazuka Press, 2012; When Is It Our Turn? Conflict Risk Factors in the Garden of PRDP Peacebuilding (Working Paper). Kampala, Uganda: Advisory Consortium on Conflict Sensitivity, 2011.
Besides teaching, publishing and University chaplaincy, Dr. Ojara is an expert in humanitarian and development with competencies in strategic leadership, program management and delivery, stakeholders’ engagement and partnerships; research, analysis and effective representation skills; knowledge management; and grants’ management including risk management.
