Col. Edith Nakalema, the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), met productively today with leading academics in the nation.

The purpose of the brainstorming session, which took place at the SHIPU offices in Kampala, was to come up with ideas for resolving Uganda’s young unemployment and wealth creation problems.

Col. Nakalema advised the academicians that in order for Uganda to undergo the much-needed socio-economic transformation, the country’s youth—who make up the majority of the country’s population—must take the necessary steps to solve issues that impact them as stakeholders.

Eighty-two percent of the population is under 35 years old. This actually indicates that most Ugandans are young people, the speaker remarked.

She said that in an effort to give young people access to jobs and money, the government has developed a number of initiatives throughout the years, including the Youth Livelihood Fund and Presidential Skill Development.

Col. Nakalema pointed out that despite these initiatives, problems still exist and ultimately cause unhappiness.

As a result, she promoted a comprehensive strategy to address the issues and allow young people to gradually contribute to the advancement of the country.

“It is crucial that targeted and focused solutions are developed to address the unique challenges faced by the youth in order to ensure the success of interventions crafted to solve those challenges.”

Col. Nakalema also praised Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the vice chancellor of Makerere University, for ending strikes at the school.

“Madere University students haven’t gone on strike in more than five years,” she stated.

Prof. Nawangwe, for his part, suggested that the government devise a number of useful programs, such as national service, to keep the graduates off the streets.

“Make the most of these grads by interacting with them appropriately. The graduates are the group in our large population that needs to be addressed first because they have aspirations and organizational strength,” he stated.

Prof. Nawangwe further emphasized that Uganda’s high rate of graduate unemployment might both lead to increased instability if left unchecked and serve as a catalyst for it socio-economic development if properly managed through targeted schemes. 

“Grads are the root of every riot I have witnessed in the nation. People take an institution back several years whenever they riot.

The Uganda Graduate Employment and Entrepreneurship Transition Scheme (UGEETS), put out by Prof. Nawangwe, aims to leverage graduates’ abilities to propel socioeconomic transformation at the local level.

“The primary societal advantage of this plan will be the decrease in criminal activity and interpersonal conflicts that lead to peaceful disturbances, along with enhanced living conditions for the populace,” he stated.

By the fifth year of implementation, the program is expected to have generated at least Shs1 trillion in revenue for Uganda by boosting economic activity and productivity by at least 10%.

Healthcare professional and consultant Dr. Ben Mbonye pointed out that youth unemployment, particularly among recent graduates, is a security risk that could cause problems for a nation.

He went on to say that there are many problems facing society today that require expertise to resolve. He did, however, reveal that Uganda’s skill-building program does not meet societal needs.

To find out what our society wants, we need to conduct a market survey. Then, in order to avoid having decaying materials, we line it with the instruction that we would provide, according to Dr. Mbonye.

Additionally, he suggested that the government establish institutions that provide young people with technical and practical skills in order to address the issue of unemployed graduates living on the streets turn they set up their own enterprises. 

He declared, “This is a preventive security measure.”

Associate Professor Bruce Kirenga of Makerere University’s Lung Institute emphasized the useful tactics that can support the nation’s development through the knowledge economy.

A significant component of national economies are made up of the knowledge economy. Over one-third of GDP is attributed to IP-intensive industries, according to the US Chambers of Commerce. Associate Professor Kirenga stated, “We have a sleeping giant in Uganda that is not being attended to.”

Prof. Gerald Karyeija, a policy analyst and senior lecturer at Uganda Management Institute (UMI), demanded that the National Youth Policy and Strategy be reviewed to ensure that it still meets the needs of today’s youth.

“To reflect the new trends, the policy needs to be completely rethought.”

Additionally, he emphasized that in order to have a greater impact, the disparate youth empowerment efforts must be integrated.

As stakeholders, the previous Attorney General, Hon. Fred Ruhindi, recommended that they work to instill optimism in the next generation.

“In order to give the youth hope, we should continue interacting with them on various platforms.”