Lack of jobs a recipe for chaos - IGP
Security personel beat up a protester in Kampala recently. file Photo
Masindi.
If the youth unemployment isn’t checked in time, it will require police to have stores of tear gas to establish peace and stability, the Inspector General of Police has warned.
Gen Kale Kayihura made the revelation while talking to students from different tertiary institutions at Police Training School in Kabalye, Masindi District.
“We must address youth unemployment lest I will have to have stores of tear gas [to contain them],” Gen Kayihura told students.
Several figures show that 62 per cent of Ugandan youth are unemployed yet tertiary institutions are releasing more professionals to the job market.
More than 2,700 students are undergoing training in basic counter-terrorism, self defence skills, martial arts, arms drills, physical fitness training, and law safety precautions.
Training of youth in military skills has not been taken well in the country with Opposition leaders accusing Gen Kayihura of recruiting young people to work for the ruling NRM party, in the 2016 general elections.
Gen Kayihura said his focus is to re-orient the youth, who are yet to enter the job market, with skills that will enable them create their own employment.
He said high youth unemployment has been the cause of the recent political instabilities in Ukraine, Libya and the Middle East.
He, however, said he isn’t bothered by militarising “everything” in Uganda if it is necessary to ensure the jobs are created for the youth.
Recently, President Museveni ordered for the takeover of the National Agricultural Advisory Services by the army saying the civilian-led management had failed to combat poverty through agriculture.
“If the country is unstable, it is the police and the army that come in that is why we have a stake to engage the youth on issues that may cause chaos in the future,” he said.
