Museveni to preside over Labour Day celebrations in Buikwe

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President Yoweri Museveni is expected to be the chief guest at this year’s International Labour Day celebrations, slated for May 1, 2026, in Buikwe district.

According to Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Esther Davinia Anyakun, the national celebrations will take place at Nkoyoyo boarding primary school grounds in Matale, Buikwe District, under the theme: “Safeguarding Uganda’s progress: empowering the workforce and promoting decent work for competitive Enterprises.”

Addressing journalists on April 30, 2026, at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala ahead of the national commemoration, Anyakun said Uganda’s labour market presents both opportunities and structural challenges driven by the youthful population.

Citing the National Population and Housing Census (2024), she said Uganda’s population now stands at 45.9 million, with over 73% below the age of 30, describing this as both “a demographic dividend and a policy pressure point.”

“This demographic structure presents both an opportunity and a challenge, as the country must generate sufficient productive and decent jobs to absorb the rapidly growing labour force,” she said.

According to the 2025 Labour Market Survey, the minister revealed that the working-age population stands at 26.4 million, with unemployment at 12%, while labour force participation remains relatively low at 43.2%.

She also highlighted that nearly 42.6% of youth aged 15–24 is not in employment, education, or training (NEET), calling it a critical development concern.

The minister further noted that Uganda’s economy remains heavily informal, with about 88% of workers employed in the informal sector, which contributes 54.5% of GDP.

“As a result, the majority of workers remain in vulnerable employment with limited access to labour protection,” Anyakun said, adding that many still face hazardous conditions and weak enforcement of labour rights.

She also pointed to persistent gender inequalities in employment and income opportunities, saying unemployment rates remain higher among women than men.

Despite economic progress, Anyakun acknowledged that Uganda continues to lag behind regional and global productivity benchmarks.

She revealed that in purchasing power parity terms, Uganda’s real GDP per person employed stood at US$ 6,162 in 2021, compared to US$ 10,278 for Sub-Saharan Africa and US$ 41,510 globally.

“Addressing these gaps through targeted skilling, enterprise development, productivity enhancement, and labour market reforms will be central to harnessing Uganda’s demographic dividend,” she said.

Interventions to improve employment

The minister outlined a series of ongoing government interventions aimed at improving employment outcomes and workforce productivity.

Among them is the National Apprenticeship Programme, which has so far supported 1,134 apprentices and 242 graduate volunteers, with an employment transition rate of 71.73%.

“Since 2022, Government has supported over 1,000 apprentices… The programme will continue to expand placements across districts, cities and municipalities,” she said.

Other initiatives include the Jua-Kali informal sector transformation programme, youth skilling projects, labour productivity enhancement systems, and efforts to expand social security coverage.

She also referenced the National Labour, Employment and Productivity Reporting Programme (LEAP) as part of ongoing reforms to improve labour data and policy planning.

The presence of President Museveni as chief guest is expected to shape the political and policy tone of the celebrations, with the government positioning labour issues at the centre of its development agenda.

Labour Day, according to the ministry, remains a key national platform to recognise workers’ contribution to Uganda’s growth and to reaffirm commitments to decent work standards.

“This year’s theme emphasises that Uganda’s future progress hinges on a workforce that is productive, empowered, protected, and engaged in competitive enterprises,” Anyakun said.

She added that the government’s broader vision aligns with Uganda Vision 2040, which seeks to transition the country into an upper-middle-income economy through industrialisation, skills development, and enterprise growth.

The ministry confirmed that Labour Day activities will run throughout the week leading up to May 1, including workplace inspections, public barazas, workers’ conferences, tree-planting drives, and awareness campaigns in Buikwe District.

“As has been the practice, the event will be broadcast live on major television stations to enable nationwide participation,” the minister said.

She urged Ugandans across the country to actively participate in the celebrations and reflect on the role of workers in national transformation.

“I urge all Ugandans to participate in the celebrations as we recognise and honour the contributions of workers to national development,” she concluded.