Youth leaders across Eastern Uganda are demanding urgent government action to address unemployment and expand vocational training. The plea was announced on Wednesday during a two-day regional workshop held at Mt. Elgon Hotel in Mbale City.
The meeting, convened by the Multi-Party Youth Forum (MPYF), brought together youth leaders from recognized political parties, the National Youth Council, the Uganda National Students Association, and other stakeholders to develop a common policy agenda on issues affecting young people.
Speaking during the meeting, Masawi Ivan, the FDC Youth Leader for Mbale City, who also doubles as the National Youth Treasurer, and Acting Vice-Chairperson of the Multi-Party Youth Forum, said unemployment remains the biggest challenge facing Uganda’s youth.
Citing findings from the Equal Opportunities Commission report and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Masawi said youth unemployment among people aged 18 to 30 stands at 16.1 percent, while an estimated 5.5 million young Ugandans are not in education, employment, or training.
Ssegawa Ivan Sebastian, from the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs, said the forum was established to unite youth leaders across political divides and enable them to advocate for shared solutions to common challenges.
Nakayenze Fenah, the FDC National Vice Youth Chairperson for Eastern Uganda, emphasized the need to establish more vocational skilling centres to equip school dropouts with employable skills. She said many young people could earn sustainable incomes through training in hairdressing, tailoring, welding, mechanics, driving, and other technical trades.
Lynnet Nanyonjo, president of MYF, said the regional dialogue is part of a nationwide consultation aimed at collecting the voices of young people following the 2026 general elections. She noted that the forum brings together youth from different political parties to demonstrate that challenges such as unemployment transcend political affiliations-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
