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Minister for the Presidency Babirye Milly Babalanda has urged greater Masaka residents to continue supporting President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for continued stability.

Babalanda says it is the stability that is now giving rise to the current socio-economic transformation in the country.

According to her, the President’s focus is now on fighting unemployment in Uganda through skilling the youths.

Minister for Presidency Milly Babirye Babalanda being welcomed by the State House Comptroller Jane Barekye, the Director Presidential Projects and Industrial Hubs Raymond A Kamugisha, political leaders and religious leaders. Photo by PPU/Tony Rujuta.

“We are achieving all this because we have a leader with a vision for Uganda. Therefore, support him to do more. The more years we have with him, the more we will have stability and the more these industrial hubs will grow and expand even into universities to accommodate more children. Therefore, I call upon all of you to support President Museveni to lead the country and to transform it into a middle-income status country,” she says.

Babalanda made the remarks on Monday, April 29, 2024, during the graduation ceremony at Greater Masaka Presidential Industrial Hub located at Ndegeya Village in Bugabira Parish, Masaka City.

A total of 447 trainees from the first and the second intakes completed their vocational training and were awarded certificates in seven disciplines: Bakery & confectionery, welding and metal fabrications, leather processing (shoe making), tailoring and designing, hairdressing and makeup, building and construction practice and carpentry & joinery.

A total of 447 trainees from the first and the second intakes completed their vocational training and were awarded certificates in seven disciplines. Photo by PPU/Tony Rujuta

“Today’s graduation is a key achievement of the NRM Government, and it is in line with the President’s campaign to promote the creation of jobs. I commend the President who had this vision of expanding employment opportunities and skills for the young people and state house comptroller Jane Barekye and your staff for successfully implementing his vision and directives and effectively supervising and managing the industrial hubs,” Babalanda said.

She called upon parents to continue supporting their children as they begin their new journey by encouraging them to aim higher.

The chief Guest, the Minister for Presidency Milly Babirye Babalanda delivering his speech during the 1st graduation for first and second intake 2023 of the Greater Masaka Zonal Presidential Industrial Hub. Photo by PPU/Tony Rujuta.

Babalanda also urged the graduands to take advantage of the expanding business sector in Masaka and surrounding areas so that they can open up their own enterprises.

“The people of greater Masaka are hardworking, religious and they have passion for business. That is why you have a lot of coffee here and Masaka city is now booming and busy,” she said.

Job creation initiative

Barekye informed the chief guest that as one of the ways to improve household income in Uganda, President Museveni decided to start up industrial hubs across the country to train youth aged between 18 and 35 years in vocational skills.

Presidential Advisor Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja reading the speech of the Former Vice President Edward Ssekandi during the 1st graduation for first and second intake 2023 of the Greater Masaka Zonal Presidential Industrial Hub. Photo by PPU/Tony Rujuta.

She further stressed that the industrial hubs project was an economic intervention to among others, create jobs among the youth, create job creators not job seekers, reduce criminality in the cities and to bridge the gap between the unemployed and the employed in the economic gains.

“The President is now planning to set up common user facilities with required machines in every district which hosts skilling hubs and other business centres to give opportunity to our youths who have graduated to continue practising their skills,” Ms. Barekye said, before calling upon the district leaders to employ the skilled youths.

“When awarding these contracts to build schools and other works, put a condition for those companies to make sure they employ our skilled youths because they have the required skills,” She said.

Minister for Presidency Milly Babirye Babalanda and the State House Comptroller Jane Barekye admiring the wigs the hair dressing graduates made during. Photo by PPU/Tony Rujuta

“To the graduates, discipline is the highest selling factor of each human being. Even if you have a degree but with no discipline, you won’t go anywhere. As you go out there, represent the name of our presidential hub well. You will succeed and I wish you the best,” she added.

Ssekandi praises Museveni

Special envoy for Political Affairs in the Office of the President, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, expressed gratitude to Museveni for 'a wonderful initiative which has seen the youth of Uganda benefit from life skills'.

“I have been watching and closely monitoring the Presidential Skilling Hubs and I really appreciate the great work done by Barekye. I thank her for diligently overseeing this project which the President put in her hands,” Ssekandi said., who is also a former Vice-President, said.

Minister for Presidency Milly Babirye Babalanda and the State House Comptroller Jane Barekye admiring shoes made by graduates. Photo by PPU/Tony Rujuta

He further congratulated the students upon completing their skilling journey at the Presidential Skilling Hub, saying it is a great achievement not only for them and their families but also the country.

The Kabaka of Buganda representative in Buddu County, Ppokino Jude Muleke, appreciated President Museveni, for not forgetting the youth who are pivotal in the development of any country.

Certificates given

Those who completed the training were awarded the Uganda Vocational Qualifications Level One Certificate by the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT). The certificate is equivalent to the Uganda Certificate of Education level and internationally recognized according to DIT deputy director in charge of qualification standards Safinah Nakyobe.

“This certificate is going to help you join the world of work with ease in the employment sector either by starting up your own business or getting employed. You have really made very good products and I thank you very much. I also thank the Government for this initiative of skilling. Many Ugandans are not skilled and it becomes hard for them to get employment,” Nakyobe said.

The ceremony was also addressed by the NRM Vice Chairperson for Central region, Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi who thanked the State House Comptroller for implementing the NRM’s 2021-2026 Manifesto premised on the theme “Securing your future”.

The Greater Masaka Industrial Hub is aimed at training and equipping youth from the districts of Masaka, Sembabule, Lwengo, Bukomansimbi, Kalungu, Lyantonde, Kalangala, Masaka City, Kyotera, Kalungu, Bukomansimbi and Rakai, in different vocational disciplines.

Testimonies

Namukasa Faridah from Lyantonde, who was skilled in welding and metal fabrication, is among the students that expressed gratitude to the President for skilling them.

The State House Comptroller Jane Barekye giving her speech. Photo by PPU/Tony Rujuta

“Despite the fact that I’m a girl, I did not look down upon myself. Sometimes, the metals would be heavy for me to carry but I did not give up. Now, I’m able to weld anything from windows, doors, fences etc.,” Faridah said.

She called upon fellow youths to take up the skilling programme seriously: "Don’t go back and sit at home. Our parents have done their part and President Museveni has trained us for free. Hit the field and show them what you can do. Long live his excellency,” she added.

Kagimu Abas from Nyendo-Mukungwe division in Masaka city said: “I’m a qualified welder and I’m using the skill to earn money, yet I spent many years in formal education without any skill. I thank the President for this initiative of skilling us. I urge my fellow youth to take this opportunity seriously because it does not discriminate”.

Namutebi Swabra from Lyantonde district also acquired skills in tailoring.

The Excitement of Graduates during the 1st graduation for first and second intake 2023 of the Greater Masaka Zonal Presidential Industrial Hub. Photo by PPU/Tony Rujuta

“I had some bit of formal education, but I could not do anything for myself. I came here to learn tailoring and in six months, I’m now able to do something to support myself. I also have a small boutique. I thank my instructors: Sharifa and Suzan for skilling me. Long Live H.E President Museveni,” she said.

Other speakers at the ceremony, included director presidential projects and industrial hubs Eng. Raymond Kamugisha, Mawogola North Member of Parliament Shartsi Musherure and former defence minister Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja.

Greater Masaka Zonal Industrial Hub is one of the 19 hubs set up across the country with the aim of equipping over 12,000 youths every year under the Presidential Initiative on skilling of the youth to usher them into the money economy.