Kadaga urges graduates to create jobs

PIC: Kadaga (wearing Kitenge cutting cake with the graduates and Watongola (wearing gomasi) during the event. (Geoffrey Namukoye)

EDUCATION | EMPLOYMENT

KAMULI - The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has called upon graduates to stop waiting for jobs but instead create jobs if they are to survive challenges that come with unemployment.

Kadaga was speaking during a graduation ceremony of three children belonging to the Kamuli Municipality MP, Hajati Rehema Watongola, on Saturday at Mayor's gardens in Kamuli district.

Referring to a man she only identified as Talawusi, Kadaga noted that, Talawusi studied catering and did not sit home waiting for jobs to come knocking, but he was entrepreneurial enough to venture into a business in line with his profession.

"Talawusi started a juice-making business. He now employs 72 people and supplies juice on functions every weekend. Yes, he is doing well," Kadaga said.

The trio graduated in community rehabilitation, adult and community education and human resource management.

Kadaga challenged the graduates to form a sauna to partly cater for people who need physiotherapy and earn a living.

She also noted that she prides in students who are patient enough and are not pre-occupied by thinking of how to get quick-money.

"Some students risk their money in sports betting; when graduation time comes, they vanish in thin air, leaving their parents confused," she said.

Kadaga, who doubles as the woman MP for Kamuli district, revealed that Busoga is endowed with gold, diamond and graphite, blessings she needs a strategic plan for on how best Busoga can utilise such recourses.

"We are not poor, Busoga is endowed. We need to map mineral points and devise means on how best to benefit from them," she said.

The minister of state for Karamoja Affairs, Moses Kizige, challenged parents to continuously guide and counsel their children.

"Do not assume your children have outgrown your care and protection, they need it" he said.

Kizige cited a case where President Yoweri Museveni counselled Odrek Rwabwogo, his (Museveni's) son-in-law against participating in active politics for the good of the family.

Baroda Kayanga, the graduate of community rehabilitation from Kyambogo University thanked Kadaga for being a role model, saying she would not have studied with determination if it was not for Kadaga's achievements as a musoga.

Watongola noted that the courage to educate her children was hinged on the string of challenges she faced for not having requisite papers to contest for the position of MP.

"Mama, you know how I suffered, I said my children should never go through the path I braved," she said attracting ululations from the guests.

The event was graced with top religious leaders in the district.