Uganda needs productive youth not beggars, says Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni has asked leaders to step up their efforts of sensitizing the youth to actively engage in economic production if they are to improve their standards of living.

“You the youth leaders be should be clear because if you are not, you are going to kill your own people.  Stop being polite to people who are not working. Stop wasting your time and engage in production to be able to live purposeful lives,” Museveni said on Thursday during the commemoration of the International Youth Day at Kololo Independence grounds.

The celebrations were held under the theme, ‘Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health’.

President Museveni who made a reference to his own personal journey ‘working while still young’ urged the youth to engage in commercial agriculture, adding that government jobs are so few and cant employ all of them.

He, however, urged them to engage in the four sectors of the economy of including commercial agriculture, industries, services and ICT to help them créate wealth for themselves and not waiting to beg from government.

The president noted that government has been very clear about wealth creation through these sectors.

“The youth will help themselves if everybody understands that they must be engaged in production. Don’t spend so much time crying for this and that. Youth leaders should be clear and not polite or else you are going to kill your people. In your advocacy, be clear that the wealth and jobs are mainly the sources of wealth creation.”

The president highlighted deliberate programs such as peace and security, immunisation, education for all, skills and vocational training programs, infrastructure as well as wealth creation funds as government efforts aimed at creating a conducive environment to empower the youth.

He appealed to the youth leaders to support the parish model and other government programs to consolidate government efforts of creating wealth and fighting poverty saying that the majority of the people live in villages.

He said government is committed to putting more funds to fight poverty.

The Gender and Social Development Minister, Betty noted that the surge in population in the country is due to deliberate government programs to improve the health of its people.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda, Susan Ngongi Namondo thanked applauded the president for always prioritising the youth.

She noted that UN and other development partners have in place programs aimed at sensitizing the people in the fight against poverty in Uganda.

She pledged the UN's total commitment to working with Uganda government and África in general for the common good of the people.

Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with 78% of the country being under the age of 30.

According to reports, in the next 20 years the world’s population is projected to increase by a further 2 billion.