Broken by joblessness, alcohol: How Uganda’s youth are drowning in despair in bars
Some of the youth in the bar drinking alcohol in Fort Portal City. There is concern over the increasing number of young people consuming alcohol. PHOTO/ALEX ASHABA
What you need to know:
- Young people are the biggest voting bloc. However, bar owners across Uganda are holding sway, deciding on whether to make profits or to fuel social decay among the youth.
- In a country where opportunities are scarce and time is abundant, alcohol is both an escape and a trap. It is now an inseparable part of youth culture - cheap, accessible, and widely accepted. Yet, as Alex Ashaba reports, behind the laughter and loud music lies a sobering question: what future awaits a generation drowning in the bottle?
On a Monday, in a dimly lit bar tucked deep in the outskirts of Fort Portal City, in Kitembe Trading Centre, Brian Businge Amooti, leans on a wooden bench, sipping from a glass of waragi (potent gin).
It isjust after midday, but the bar is lively with chatter, laughter, and the occasional clink of bottles. This is the daily routine of the 25-year-old casual labourer, working in the morning and drinking by early afternoon.
“Every morning, I look for work wherever I can be hired. I can dig, carry bricks, and help at a construction site. When I get paid, the first place I think of is this bar,” Businge says.
He makes between Shs5,000 and Shs10,000 every day, but by the time he leaves the bar, he has only Shs1,000 or Shs2,000 left. Businge admits that he often goes to bed hungry.
“I know I should save for rent and food, but I feel like drinking helps me forget about how hard life is. I never thought this is how I would live, but here I am,” he laments.
Businge completed Senior Four in 2019 but was unable to continue with his education due to lack of school fees. His parents introduced him to casual jobs around Fort Portal City. Over time, peer pressure and boredom led him to alcohol.
Each passing day deepens his alcohol dependence and abuse, dimming his hopes for a better future. “Sometimes, I think about turning my life around. Maybe I should learn a skill, start a small business, or return to school. But without support, those thoughts remain just that - thoughts. I want to change. But I do not know where to start. I am stuck,” he explains.
Brian Mugisha, a resident of Kyakaigo, on the outskirts of Fort Portal City, moves with a flash disk containing photocopies of his academic documents. A holder of a certificate in Business Studies from a vocational institute in Kasese District, Mugisha once dreamed of running a small retail shop or getting employed in a hardware store.
However, six years after his graduation, job offers remain elusive and hope is slowly slipping through his fingers. “I come to town every day, looking for work. I visit supermarkets, shops, construction sites, and other places where someone might need help, in vain,” the 27-year-old says. He sits outside a bar in Kitembe, Central Division, Fort Portal City, sipping from a half-empty bottle of Uganda Waragi.
At the end of his job search, his feet always lead him to this bar. Mugisha adds that the watering hole has become a second home to him and several of his age mates. Here, they share their stories of education, hope, unemployment, and despair.
“Drinking helps me forget the rejection, the shame of asking for transport money, and the burden of feeling like a disappointment to my family. After I graduated, my parents told me to get a job and start a family,” he says. Starting with one drink, which he says is taken to clear his mind, before he knows it, the young man has spent his last coin on alcohol.
“I hate myself. Some people I studied with pass here and buy for me beer or waragi. What else can I do but accept? At least here, no one judges us. I know this is not the life I was meant to live. But now, even if someone offered me a job, I do not know if I would manage to keep it. I have become used to this life,” he says.
The experiences of these two young men echo what several youths in the city are going through.
Money vs promoting alcoholism
Jocelyn Karungi, owns a bar in Rwengoma B Cell. She started operating the business in 2018 after completing Senior Four. She was 18 years old. Since then, the majority of her customers are young people.
“I open the bar at 9am and close late at night. Out of every 10 customers, at least seven are young men, and some of them drink excessively. Because I need money, I do not discriminate between customers, whether young or adult. As long as someone comes with money, I will sell,” she says.
The businesswoman, who plans to expand her bar, says several clients tell her they are unemployed and find it difficult to stay home all day, doing nothing. They would rather come to her. “My brew is cheap. A glass of waragi goes for Shs500. I have heard on TV and radio that alcohol is for people aged 18 and above. But who is enforcing that? Some 15-year-old boys are bodaboda riders and they have money. After work, they come here to drink. Do you expect me to chase them away?” she asks.
Jennifer Katusiime, another pub owner, opens shop at midday and does not close until the last customer staggers out after midnight. The 38-year-old woman admits that her business thrives because young people crave for alcohol.
“Some of my customers are idlers in town. Others are university students. I cannot chase them away. Sometimes, I feel bad. I see the same young faces drinking from morning to night. Some spend their parent’s money. Others drink on credit. What future do they have?” she asks herself.
Katusiime says one of her regular customers was admitted to a clinic after he became unconscious. Another one was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend while intoxicated.
“If you close your eyes to the money, you see the damage. Some of these boys had dreams that fell by the wayside. The government should support these youths with skills training and capital to start businesses. Right now, alcohol is their job,” she notes.
Henry Kyomuhendo Atom, the chairperson of the Ghetto Youth in Fort Portal City, says several young people are turning to alcohol and drugs to cope with unemployment and poverty, forming social clusters where the substances are easily accessible.
“The trend is exacerbated by the rising number of school dropouts who have lost direction. They end up in ghettos where the only thing they can afford is cheap alcohol and before long, they are addicted,” he explains.
With cheap alcohol, teenage pregnancy, rape, and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases are rife. Kyomuhendo says these problems stem from the same root - the lack of meaningful engagement and opportunities.
“The government should act swiftly to create jobs through industrialisation. The Kabarole Agro-Industrial Park must be fast-tracked to offer our youth alternatives to this life of hopelessness,” he urges.
Authorities speak out
Yunisent Mubangizi, the youth councillor for Kamwenge district, has expressed concern over the increasing number of young people consuming alcohol across various trading centres in the district. He also attributes the trend to high levels of unemployment.
“Some of the youth I have spoken to say they are not interested in engaging in agriculture for self-employment. They prefer office jobs, which are not readily available. When you ask where they get the money for drinking, they say the alcohol is cheap,” he says.
The councillor cites an incident that happened in Kahunge sub-county in 2023, where three young alcoholics were accused of staging roadblocks at night to sexually assault women. “They raped several women. One of them was arrested. But to date, the other two are on the run. The government should invest in a mindset change among the youth who see agriculture as a dirty job,” Mubangizi adds. In Kabrungi Cell, Buggy sub-county, Kyegegwa District, young men abandon their farms in favour of bars, throwing Phillip Baguma, the village chairperson, into consternation. “They want to eat but do not want to dig.
I blame the government, which has given the youth so much freedom. This has made it difficult for local leaders to exercise authority. I do not have the power to expel someone from a bar. If I do so, either the police or the parents will come for me,” he laments. Baguma notes that in the past, it was the responsibility of every adult in the community to discipline a child, but that is no longer possible with modern laws and human rights protections. “As a leader, my hands are tied. I do not see their future being as bright as ours. Some girls who frequent these bars become single mothers,” he says.
Jenifer Kahumuza, coordinator of Joy for Children Uganda in the Rwenzori sub-region, says alcohol consumption significantly impacts domestic issues among youth, impairing cognitive functions and reducing self-control. “This often results in poor decision-making, such as engaging in unprotected sex exacerbating existing tensions and conflicts within relationships. From our safe spaces in Mugusu and Kichwamba, we hear testimonies where four out of 10 young people attribute their violent behaviour or early sexual encounters to alcohol consumption,” she explains.
According to the World Health Organisation’s Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health, 2018, it is estimated that Uganda consumes 12.2 litres of alcohol per person annually. This is much higher than the African region average of 6.3 litres, and the global average of 6.18 litres per person per year.
The Uganda Alcohol Report 2022, published by the Uganda Alcohol Policy Alliance (UAPA) estimated that the number of alcohol drinkers had increased from 5.67 million to 12.67 million people. The total volume of alcohol consumed in a year was estimated at 110.6 million litres. According to the report, the average age at which alcohol consumption begins is eight years. Alarmingly, 53 percent of alcohol users began drinking before the age of 18. The report further showed that the Karamoja region ranked highest in alcohol consumption at 46 percent, followed by West Nile (16 percent), Test (14 percent), and Elgon (13.8).
Health consequences
Alcohol abuse is linked to countless health problems, including liver disease, heart disease, cancers, and mental health disorders. These conditions not only reduce quality of life but also incur substantial healthcare costs. Dr Oscar Atwiine Kiiza, a physician in Fort Portal City, explains that the liver plays a central role in processing alcohol, and its prolonged alcohol exposure can damage various body systems.
“It is difficult to reverse the damage caused to the liver. We can only support the patient with treatment, but often, the person eventually dies. In some cases, the patient’s stomach enlarges, and people begin to speculate that they have come into money - which is not true,” he says.
Dr Atwiine notes that alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) often begins with fatty liver, which can progress to cirrhosis. With cirrhosis, the risk of developing liver cancer increases significantly.
“Heavy drinking also damages other organs and weakens the immune system. The end product of alcohol is energy, but if that energy is not used, it is converted into fat. Excess fat in the body is dangerous,” he warns. Alcohol negatively affects mental health by disrupting brain function, causing hangovers, and interfering with sleep. The effects of these problems can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. Young people are the backbone of Uganda’s workforce and form the largest share of the electorate. Local leaders and parents are raising alarm bells yet bar owners seek profits at the cost of entire communities. Health workers are bracing themselves to catch the tail end of the problem - our failure to enact policies that can save future generations.
What happens when we drink?
In the short term, alcohol can make us feel more relaxed and elevate our mood. This happens because drinking alcohol prompts the body to release more dopamine, a chemical that activates the brain’s reward centres, which are responsible for feelings of pleasure and motivation. Because of these temporary mood-boosting effects, some people who struggle with anxiety or depression may use alcohol to try to manage those feelings. But while alcohol may provide brief relief, it ultimately acts as a depressant. It slows down brain function, and as the initial sense of calm fades, feelings of stress, anxiety, and irritability often take over.
These effects can be compounded by the hangover that typically follows heavy drinking, leaving us feeling tired, physically unwell, and emotionally low for hours or even days.
Long-term effects
Over time, the brain adjusts to the extra dopamine it gets from alcohol by producing less of it naturally. As a result, we may begin to feel low or emotionally flat, even when we are not drinking. This can make us more vulnerable to feelings of sadness or depression.
Many people then find themselves caught in a cycle. Drinking becomes a way to escape unpleasant emotions, but the more we drink, the worse those emotions become. Over time, the brain may even lose its ability to regulate mood effectively without alcohol, making it more difficult to cope naturally with stress or negative emotions.This long-term pattern of alcohol use can contribute to worsening symptoms of existing mental health problems and make recovery more challenging.
Source: alcoholchange.org.uk
