Dr. Halid Kirunda has worked with the public sector for at least 24 years, 13 years of which as a livestock extension work and 12 years as a scientist with the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO). Currently Kirunda is Director of Research, after serving in the position of Head of Department/Programme, Livestock Health Research (2013-2015) at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI). Besides, he has been a Principal Investigator of 4 research projects and Co-Principal Investigator of 2. 

Dr. Kirunda holds a PhD in Epidemiology, MSc in Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, a National Diploma in Dairy Science and Technology and a Veterinary Assistants’ Certificate. Based on the diversity of his knowledge and skills, Halid has been involved in research and planning of projects in a diversity of government programmes. He has also been involved in university teaching at Makerere and Busitema Universities, thereby increasing knowledge essential for development of science and technology in the country. He has for several years been a member of 

Dr. Kirunda has provided expertise to National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) as an Assessor of Curricula developed by Public and Private Universities since 2010; Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) in assessment of Biosafety and Biosecurity of Private and Public scientific establishments in the country; and Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) in development of standards (as a member of Technical Committee 15 since 2010). He is a member of the Project Steering Committee of Presidential Initiative on Development of Anti-tick Vaccine in Uganda (Sept 2017 – To date). Dr, Kirunda is equally a member of Institutional Biosafety Committee of the National Agricultural Research Organisation (January 2017 – To date). Dr. Kirunda is or has been a Chairman of the Committee for Development of Standards and Guidelines for conduct of agricultural research experiments/studies of the National Agricultural Research Organisation (Feb 2016 – To date), Chairman of the Science and Communication Committee of the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (December 2015 – February 2016) and Chairman of Biosafety and Biotechnology Committee of the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (May 2012 – November 2015) and member, Avian Influenza Pandemic Influenza Project Committee, Makerere Uinversity Walter Reed Project (2010 – 2012). He is also the Vice Chairman of the Task Force for Development of Guidelines on use of animals as research subjects in Uganda of the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (October 2018 - To date). His consultancy services to Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has contributed to improvement of poultry production in Uganda. Yet his consultancy with SNV The Netherlands Organisation has been very beneficial in improving the Dairy Sub-sector in South Western Uganda. Halid has published up to 15 papers in peer-reviewed journals in just 10 years, 6 of which in 2014 alone. 

Halid Kirunda is a Regional Advisor (Africa) of Global Alliance for Research on Avian Diseases and a Uganda’s representative of research on the Africa & Middle East Regional Network on Infectious Diseases of Animals and Zoonoses Research and a member of Africa Vaccinology Network. He is the Livestock Research Focal Point for Defense Threat Reduction Agency of the US Department of Defense (2012 - To date).