Col. Nakalema Engages Top Academicians to Address Youth Unemployment and Wealth Creation Challenges
Kampala, Uganda — Col. Edith Nakalema, Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), today held a significant meeting with leading academicians in the country. The meeting, conducted at SHIPU’s offices in Kampala, focused on addressing the pressing issues of unemployment and wealth creation among Uganda’s youth.
Col. Nakalema emphasized the importance of tackling these challenges, noting that Uganda’s population is predominantly young. “The young people from 0 to 35 years are 82 percent of our population. This means the majority of Ugandans are young, and as stakeholders, we must address their concerns if we are to achieve the much-desired socio-economic transformation,” she said.
She highlighted various government interventions, such as the Youth Livelihood Fund and the Presidential Skilling program, aimed at creating jobs and wealth among the youth. However, Col. Nakalema acknowledged that despite these efforts, challenges persist, leading to discontent among the youth. She advocated for a holistic approach to ensure that young people can progressively contribute to national development.
“To ensure the success of interventions designed to address youth challenges, it is critical that targeted and focused solutions are developed to meet their unique needs,” she added.
Commendations and Proposals from Academicians
Col. Nakalema also commended Makerere University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, for maintaining stability at the institution. “It has been over five years without seeing Makerere University students striking,” she noted.
Prof. Nawangwe advised the government to engage graduates through initiatives like national service to keep them productive. He warned that Uganda’s large unemployed graduate population could be a source of instability if not managed properly but could also drive socio-economic development through targeted schemes.
He proposed the Uganda Graduate Employment and Entrepreneurship Transition Scheme (UGEETS) to harness graduates’ skills for grassroots socio-economic transformation. “The main social benefit of this scheme will be the reduction in crime and social tensions, resulting in improved living standards,” he said. He added that economically, the scheme could stimulate economic activity and increase productivity by at least 10%, contributing an estimated Shs1 trillion to Uganda’s revenue by its fifth year of implementation.
Further Insights from Experts
Dr. Ben Mbonye, a healthcare practitioner and consultant, emphasized that youth unemployment, especially among graduates, is a security threat that could destabilize the country. He argued that Uganda’s training system does not meet societal demands, leading to a mismatch between skills and market needs. “We must conduct a market survey to understand what our society requires and align our training programs accordingly,” Dr. Mbonye stated. He also advised the government to establish institutions that offer technical and practical skills to youths, enabling them to create their own enterprises as a preventive security measure.
Associate Prof. Bruce Kirenga, Director of the Lung Institute at Makerere University, discussed the potential of the knowledge economy to drive national development. He pointed out that intellectual property-intensive industries constitute a significant portion of national economies. “In Uganda, we have a sleeping giant that is not being attended to,” he said.
Calls for Policy Review
Prof. Gerald Karyeija, a Senior Lecturer at Uganda Management Institute (UMI) and Policy Analyst, called for a review of the National Youth Policy and Strategy to align with the current needs of the young generation. “We need a complete rethink of the policy to match new trends,” he asserted. Prof. Karyeija also emphasized the need to integrate various initiatives aimed at empowering the youth to make them more impactful.
Finally, former Attorney General, Hon. Fred Ruhindi, suggested that stakeholders should focus on building hope for the young generation. “We should continuously engage the youth in different forums to give them hope,” he concluded.
