The Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema has rallied academicians to find lasting solutions to the recurring burden of youth unemployment in Uganda.
According to Col. Nakalema, the rampant unemployment rate in Uganda exacerbated by corruption levels and the failure for the youth to access policy makers, needs concerted efforts of all stakeholders to find both short-term and long-term solutions to tame the likely outcomes.
“When these young people tell us that we are not giving them attention, it is a genuine concern because they now kind of own the country given that they are the majority and it is our duty to ensure that what they are putting to us is addressed,” Col. Nakalema said, while quoting the 2024 preliminary Population Census results which indicated that the youths (0-35 years) in Uganda constitute 82% of the 45.9 million people.
The SHIPU head made the remarks on Wednesday 18th September, 2024 during a meeting with academicians and other leaders at the unit’s offices in Kampala.
The meeting was aimed at discussing and sharing solutions to youth unemployment, a challenge the country continues to deal with.
The academicians included the Vice Chancellor Kyambogo University. Prof. Elly Katunguka, the Director General Uganda Management Institute, Dr. James Nkata, the Dean, School of Management Science, Uganda Management Institute, Prof. Gerald Kagambirwe Karyeija, Ms. Stella Kyohairwe, a lecturer at Uganda Management Institute, Mr. Adrian Bainebyabo also from Uganda Management Institute and Hon. Fred Ruhindi who is the Pro Bono legal advisor at the State House Investors Protection Unit.
“Several factors affect youth unemployment in Uganda, including poor access to quality education and training, a skills gap between job seekers and open positions, a dearth of formal jobs relative to the number of young people entering the labour force and the dominance of the informal sector,” Col. Nakalema noted, adding that whereas the government has spearheaded several interventions to tackle the unemployment challenge such as the Presidential skilling program, the Youth Livelihood Program (YLP), Skilling Uganda, Uganda Youth Venture Capital Fund (VYVCF), Youth Apprenticeship and Skills Development Program, National Enterprise Development Program (NEDP) and the Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) among many others, the problem still persists.
“And the level of disgruntlement against the government is deepening and it is our big concern now. However, the challenge we are facing needs your minds, the researchers and leaders of top academic institutions,” she said.
The meeting was intended to among other key fundamental strategies; reflect on the strategies to expand the job creation capacity in Uganda’s economy, the capacity building priorities of education/training institutions in order to effectively tackle youth unemployment and how to effectively nurture the increasingly non-negotiable soft skills and align the competencies of young people with the demands of the world of work today.
Col. Nakalema further informed the meeting that proposals from other stakeholders including Makerere University to enhance government efforts in tackling the unemployment challenge have already been forwarded to the President.
Among the proposals was to mobilise the youths into categories; the literate/skilled and unemployed and the second category of illiterate/unskilled and unemployed who seem to be a dangerous group.
“But again, also the skilled but unemployed can even be more dangerous because they know what to do to destroy whatever is available. This categorisation will help in national planning to possibly incorporate them in the relevant government MDAs as well as private sector,” Col. Nakalema stated.
Other revolutionary measures already in the proposal include; waiving off taxes from small business startups for the youths in order to ensure sustainability of business startups and for government to support Universities in establishing centres of entrepreneurial skill development to equip graduates with practical competencies to help them generate income other than searching for the limited white-collar jobs.
The Vice Chancellor, Kyambogo University, Prof. Elly Katunguka called on fellow learning institutions to enhance entrepreneurship training in addition to the theories taught.
“I just returned from the University of Iowa State University that specialises in building small business enterprises. Somebody graduates with a business ready to roll out,” Prof. Katunguka said, adding that many graduates can’t find jobs due to the large amount of theoretical content.
The Director General, Uganda Management Institute, Dr. James Nkata called for a national employment policy framework where all stakeholders can contribute strategies to end the problem.
According to Dr. Nkata, this would help the youths conceptualise work and unemployment.
“Most of the youths we have today have a narrow conceptualisation of unemployment by thinking only about white-collar jobs and earning a government salary,” Dr. Nkata noted.
The Dean, School of Management Science, Uganda Management Institute, Prof. Gerald Kagambirwe Karyeija suggested a comprehensive study of the youth policy and structure in the country to ensure that it responds to the current needs and demands of the youth.
“In the long term it’s helpful for the President to consider having a small review commission to look at the youth question comprehensively in view of national employment philosophy, reconceptualization of work and unemployment and opportunity creation but also in terms of their active engagement in both the economy and the governance of this country,” he said.
Ms. Stella Kyohairwe a lecturer at Uganda Management Institute called for talent identification and development as one way of empowering the youths through sports which is a very lucrative venture globally.
The meeting is among the series of engagements Col. Nakalema has had with various stakeholders including youth leaders, the business community among others.
According to Col. Nakalema, after studying the proposals, President Museveni is expected to meet the youth leaders in October to discuss the issue in order to have a landmark contribution towards creating an environment where the youths can thrive and contribute towards economic growth.
