Summary:
- President Museveni cited personal examples from Rwakitura, where he used solar power and rainwater harvesting when public services were lacking.
KAMPALA: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on the youth to focus on wealth creation as a solution to unemployment, emphasizing that job creation stems from generating wealth.
“When you engage in wealth creation, you create jobs. The source of jobs is wealth creation,” President Museveni stated during a meeting with youth leaders at State House Entebbe on Saturday, 5th October 2024.
He advised the youth not to rely solely on government employment, highlighting that public service jobs are limited.
“Being stuck on the idea that the government must provide jobs is not realistic. The government has about 470,000 jobs in public service, which cannot accommodate all Ugandans. Jobs come from wealth creation,” he said.
President Museveni shared the example of Nyakana, a farmer from Fort Portal, who used one acre for dairy farming and poultry, producing 120 trays of eggs daily and 20 liters of milk. Nyakana created 15 jobs. The President noted that if 7 million acres were similarly utilized, 105 million jobs could be generated—far more than Uganda’s population.
He also urged the youth to distinguish between development and wealth creation.
“You often hear about development—roads, electricity, schools, health centers—that belongs to everyone. What comes to your house is wealth, not development. Even without development, you can still have wealth,” the President explained.
President Museveni cited personal examples from Rwakitura, where he used solar power and rainwater harvesting when public services were lacking.
Despite challenges such as corruption, he reassured the youth that Uganda is progressing due to the sound ideology of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government, which rejects tribal and religious politics in favor of patriotism and national interests.
“We rejected politics of identity. If people focus on tribes and religion, disaster follows. Many African countries have collapsed because of this,” he warned.
He also reiterated the government’s commitment to fighting corruption, reminding the youth of the importance of electing local leaders, such as LC1, LC2, and MPs, who would represent their interests.
The President encouraged the youth to take advantage of government initiatives like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the Innovation Fund under the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
President Museveni mentioned how the government protected the youth by stopping planned demonstrations, which he claimed were being manipulated by opposition forces to incite violence.
Youth Leaders Respond
The Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Hon. Balaam Barugahara, expressed gratitude to the President for entrusting him and Col. Edith Nakalema with mobilizing the youth. He urged the youth to reelect President Museveni in the 2026 elections for a brighter future.
Col. Edith Nakalema, head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), praised the youth as the backbone of Uganda’s economic transformation, citing their innovative potential.
She commended the President for prioritizing youth empowerment through government programs and acknowledged the ongoing challenges, including unemployment, corruption, and limited access to capital for startups.
Nakalema also shared that youths had raised concerns about not having direct access to policy-makers and expressed their willingness to combat corruption at all levels.
Youth Council Demands
Jacob Eyeru, Chairperson of the National Youth Council (NYC), pledged the youth’s commitment to fighting corruption and requested the reinstatement of the youth council budget to support their activities.
Okot Francis, President of the Uganda National Students Association (UNSA), highlighted how corruption is affecting students and called for increased funding for the Student Loan Scheme.
Reagan Mwebesa, Kyambogo University Guild President, also urged the government to release university funds on a semester basis instead of quarterly and to remove late payment fines on tuition fees.
Obbo Johnson Emmanuel, Coordinator of the Nationwide Dialogue Committee, assured the President of the youth’s support in the fight against corruption.
