President Yoweri Museveni has urged youth leaders across Uganda to spearhead a mindset shift among young people—from waiting for limited government jobs to actively engaging in wealth creation—arguing that the country’s long-term economic transformation depends on youth participation in productive sectors of the economy.
Speaking to youth leaders from Western Uganda at his Kisozi farm in Gomba District on Saturday, President Museveni emphasized that Uganda’s future lies in young people embracing income-generating activities rather than competing for scarce public sector employment. The meeting brought together youth leaders from the Kigezi, Ankole, Rwenzori, and Bunyoro sub-regions and focused on youth empowerment, leadership inclusion, access to Parish Development Model (PDM) funds, and skilling opportunities.
“The issue of empowerment at the individual level is very important. The idea of distributing heifers or revolving support is good. But when it comes to jobs, we must look for methods that cover many people,” Museveni said.
“The answer is wealth creation. All of you should be involved in wealth creation.”
The President cautioned youth leaders against promoting unrealistic expectations of public sector employment, noting that government jobs cannot absorb Uganda’s rapidly growing youth population. He explained that the public service employs only about 480,000 people, most of whom are already in service, with minimal vacancies created annually through retirement.
“Even if all those retired at once, it would not solve the youth unemployment problem. The solution is what I have been telling you—the four sectors,” he said.
Museveni reiterated that Uganda’s economic transformation strategy is anchored on four key sectors capable of employing millions of young people: commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
He described commercial agriculture as a limitless opportunity, whether practiced on a small scale using intensive methods or on a larger commercial scale. To illustrate this, he cited the example of Johnson Basangwa of Kamuli, who started small in poultry farming and gradually built a successful enterprise.
“The examples I show you during my tours are real. People start small, and they grow,” he said.
In manufacturing and artisanship, Museveni highlighted value-addition activities such as maize milling, animal feed production, and coffee processing, noting that these sectors generate sustainable incomes because markets naturally sustain production.
“If you form groups and say you want support to do maize milling or animal feeds, I can support you. Value addition is where the money is,” he said.
“If you produce a good or a service, there is always demand.”
The President also placed strong emphasis on ICT, describing it as a gateway for Ugandan youth to access global markets without leaving the country. He pointed to Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) as a major source of employment, where professionals can offer services such as auditing, medical consultations, and technical support online.
“You can be an auditor here in Uganda, and a company in Canada sends you its books over the internet. You audit them and get paid online,” he explained.
To reinforce his message, Museveni revealed that most of his own children are engaged in private wealth creation rather than government employment, with the exception of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who serves in the military.
“My children finished their education long ago, but none of them works for the government, except Muhoozi, who likes the army. All the others are engaged in wealth creation, and they started when they were young,” he said.
Turning to the Parish Development Model, Museveni described it as the most effective framework for grassroots wealth creation because it brings resources closer to communities and reduces bureaucracy and corruption. Under the PDM, each parish receives Shs100 million annually, with 30 percent allocated to youth, 30 percent to women, 10 percent to the elderly, and the remainder to other priority groups.
“What I don’t like is people moving from the parish to the district looking for forms. That is expensive and creates corruption. The parish is there—you can walk there,” he said, warning that officials who demand bribes to access PDM funds are being arrested and disciplined.
Youth leaders raised concerns that the 30 percent youth allocation does not always reach the intended beneficiaries, particularly in households where heads of families make final decisions on fund usage. In response, Museveni advised prioritization to ensure fairness.
“If there is a youth in a household where the head has already benefited, and another youth in a household where nobody has benefited, the one where nobody has benefited should take precedence,” he said.
NRM Vice Chairperson for Western Region, Eng. Jonard Asiimwe, acknowledged the concerns and revealed that party leadership had agreed to provide additional funding specifically for local leaders. He said Shs15 million would be added for leaders and included in subsequent PDM disbursements.
Ahead of the 2026 general elections, youth leaders from Western Uganda formally declared their support for President Museveni as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flagbearer. Delivering a joint memorandum, National Vice Chairman of the Western Uganda Youth League, Mr. Mathias Kato, pledged to mobilize youth support across the region.
“We overwhelmingly second you as our party flag bearer for President in 2026 and 2031,” Kato said, praising Museveni’s leadership for maintaining peace and advancing youth-focused programs in education, health, and entrepreneurship.
Other issues discussed at the meeting included cadre identification among youth, strengthening ideological training, expanding presidential skilling hubs, and increasing the number of youths trained per district as part of Uganda’s broader strategy for inclusive economic transformation.
