Museveni urges youth to create jobs, shun exploitative labour abroad

KAMPALA - President Yoweri Museveni has called on young people to embrace entrepreneurship and wealth creation within Uganda instead of seeking low-paying and often exploitative jobs abroad.

The country’s youthful population, he says, holds immense potential to drive economic transformation through innovation, agribusiness and enterprise development.

In a message delivered by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Aggrey Kibenge, during the 18th anniversary celebrations of Youth Platform Africa (YPA) at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on Saturday, the President said youth-led enterprises such as YPA demonstrate that young people can build sustainable businesses and generate millions of jobs locally.

The President said young people can drive economic growth through innovation, agribusiness, industrialisation and enterprise development instead of relying on low-paying and sometimes exploitative jobs abroad.

Museveni noted that youth-led initiatives such as YPA demonstrate that Ugandans can build sustainable businesses and create jobs locally.

“With trailblazers like YPA, our young people can create millions of jobs and opportunities back home for themselves rather than flock out of the country to work as maids and offering unskilled labour in what are sometimes indecent and very dehumanising conditions abroad,” Museveni said.

He stressed that YPA’s strategic vision aligns with the historic mission of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to transform Uganda from a peasant society into a modern, industrial and prosperous nation through democracy, patriotism, Pan-Africanism and socio-economic transformation.

“Our greatest natural resource is not beneath the soil, but it is the energy, creativity and resilience of our young people,” the President said, adding that countries that invest in youth consistently outperform those that rely solely on natural resources.

Museveni highlighted several government programmes aimed at empowering the youth, including Universal Primary Education (UPE), Universal Secondary Education (USE), Universal Post Primary Education and Training (UPPET), expanded access to tertiary education, and improved healthcare services.

He further linked youth empowerment to the government’s ambitious economic agenda under the NRM Manifesto 2026–2031, the National Development Plan IV and the Ten-Fold Growth Strategy aimed at expanding Uganda’s economy from $50 billion (about sh188.5 trillion) to $500 billion (about sh1,885 trillion) by 2040.

The President’s remarks come amid growing concern over the plight of Ugandan migrant workers in the Middle East, particularly domestic workers. Museveni said the solution lies in empowering young people through entrepreneurship, skills development and productive investment.

The President commended YPA for what he described as remarkable achievements over the past 18 years, including growing its membership to more than 18,000 people, expanding goat farming enterprises, establishing a SACCO capable of lending up to sh500 million, and extending operations to 16 African countries as well as markets in China and India.

According to YPA Managing Director Obed Ben, the organisation’s membership has grown to more than 18,000, with plans to increase the number to one million by 2030.
He revealed that YPA currently owns more than 157,000 goats in Uganda under its flagship goat breeding programme.

The organisation has also expanded into agricultural mechanisation, resulting in the cultivation of more than 7,800 acres of maize. In addition, YPA owns over 15,000 beehives used for honey and bee venom production.

He added that more than 1,700 vulnerable children are currently on full scholarship under YPA support programmes, while over 3,600 people have been lifted from poverty through income-generating initiatives.

“As we step into the next phase of our journey, our focus remains clear. We will continue to build with intention, lead with courage, and shape a future that stands the test of time,” he said.

Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world. According to the 2024 National Population and Housing Census, more than 73% of Ugandans are below the age of 30, while youth aged between 18 and 30 account for nearly a quarter of the population.

Across Africa, the youth population is projected to continue growing rapidly, with the continent expected to account for the world’s largest workforce by 2050.

Over the years, the Ugandan government has rolled out several wealth creation and youth empowerment programmes aimed at improving household incomes and promoting enterprise development.

Among the flagship initiatives are the Parish Development Model (PDM), the Youth Livelihood Programme, Emyooga, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP).

These programmes are designed to provide affordable financing, improve access to markets, support value addition and promote commercial agriculture and small-scale industrialisation.

The Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit and YPA patron, Edith Nakalema, described YPA as a model of youth-driven economic transformation.

“I am so proud that YPA has grown from just 21 members to more than 18,000 members today. This proves that young people can prosper as investors not only in agriculture but also in technological advancement,” she said.

According to Nakalema, YPA’s initiatives demonstrate that commercial agriculture supported through value addition can become a major source of wealth and employment for young people.

Nakalema also encouraged YPA members to embrace innovation and modern technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), while ensuring that technology remains guided by human values and priorities.

The guest speaker, Chief Chamuka VI, the traditional leader of the Lenje people in Zambia, called on African governments and traditional leaders to create opportunities for young people by improving access to land, infrastructure and financing.

“There is no doubt that if given the necessary support, youths have the potential to drive the economies of different countries in Africa,” he said.

Chief Chamuka applauded YPA’s support for education and youth empowerment, saying the organisation deserved recognition for investing in young people and ensuring communities have equal access to opportunities and natural resources.

“YPA is a symbol of greatness,” Chamuka said, expressing hope that youth in Zambia would soon replicate similar initiatives.

He also praised Nakalema for supporting young investors and innovators through YPA.
“This is what leaders should be doing, supporting young innovators so they can become greater than ourselves,” he remarked.

The traditional leader further revealed that he had recently visited a restaurant in Kampala where he tasted Ugandan goat meat, describing its quality as “second to none,” saying the experience further convinced him of the economic potential of the sector.