Museveni to grace youth convention on unemployment

AYA Group Chairman Mr Hamid Mohammed said they are expecting about 20,000 to attend the convention. Photo Joseph Kiggundu

Kampala

Every year, a total of 400,000 graduates are released into the job market that has only 90,000 jobs.
With a scaring figure of 78 percent of youth unemployment, a few of the graduates manage to create own jobs while others spend many years on streets looking for employment.
In a bid to address this situation, the Imnaq social development and Dawa in partnership with Aya Group of Companies will on January 10, this year hold a youth convention under the theme
“Youth of Uganda in this contemporary world” at Aya Hotel in Nakasero.

President Yoweri Museveni who is contesting for another term of office on the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket after 30 years in power has been listed as the guest of honour.
The convention will also discuss matters on how to promote behavioral change among the youth and overcoming contemporary challenges.
Mr Museveni has over time said mass industrialization, which is one of his campaign message will help solve the problem of youth unemployment.

While addressing a public rally in Bududa district in Eastern Uganda on the Wealth Creation Campaign to ensure household food and income security in the country Uganda in August last year, Mr Museveni revealed his government has a grand plan of mass industrialization in order to address the unemployment question.

He said that it is through rapid industrialization programme that the country can brace herself to solve job scarcity especially among the educated youth because factories can generate more employment opportunities than any other sector.
Apart from getting rid of poverty, keeping yourself healthy by avoiding HIV/AIDS, shunning alcoholism and drug abuse, among other negative habits, will leave you with your other only need being addition of your support to the National Resistance Movement so that you leave the rest for the government to do,” he said.

Current topical issues affecting the youth to be discussed at this year’s convention will include inter-religious co-existence among the youth, fighting and living positively with HIV/AIDs, positive behavior change and guarding against any forms of violence among the youth.
“We will also discuss social economic youth empowerment, religious views on radicalism and terrorisms and the role of the youth in national security and enhancing patriotism,” said AYA Group Chairman Mr Hamid Mohammed.

The Archbishop of Kampala Cyprian Kizito Lwanga and Mufti Shaban Mubajje will represent the religious denomination while state minister for the youth, Ms Evelyn Anite will represent the youth.

Entrepreneurship will be handled by Mr Hamid who said he needs to share his business experience and interests with youth from different parts of the country to help them know how they should become successful in life.
“We expect about 20,000 youths to attend the conventon which will help them create ways on how they can close the unemployment gap,” added Mr Hamid.