The Ugandan government is set to honour 11 inspiring leaders for their outstanding contributing to the field of mentorship in the country.
The ceremony to be held at State House in Entebbe on September, 18 with President Museveni as the chief guest will see 11 distinguished Ugandans recognized for their contributions in the various fields of science and technology, academia, politics, trade and commerce , military, arts and culture , law, journalism and religion.
Speaking during the launch of this year’s awards, the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development(PACEID), Odrek Rwabwogo said the awards will not only be celebrating the country’s elders but also inspiring young Ugandans to learn from the lives of those who came before them.
“By recognizing these women and men, we are reaffirming that dignity, hard work and selfless service are the true cornerstones of building a strong nation,” Rwabwogo said.
He also underscored the importation of mentorship.
“It helps , especially for the young generation to know what is important in life, what is important in a day, what is important in a year and what is important in the generation, and not mix them. There's so much life ahead of you. So to mentor is basically to share experience across generations, to help build a base for the country, and say what needs to be done in entrepreneurship, what needs to be done in science, what needs to be done in values, in leadership,” Rwabwogo said.
“ When you see our attention to politics and how we conduct elective politics, you see the lack of mentorship for many young people that I cannot meet you at an idea level. I cannot convince you to follow me, and then I choose money or a stick! Now there is a stick. Either I beat you or I pay you or I make you drunk, then you vote me. What is that? Why can we not have a debate?”
According to Mathew Bagonza, the Head of the PACEID Secretariat, the national mentorship awards, now in their third edition honour individuals aged 70 and above who have demonstrated uninterrupted and dedicated service to Uganda , built or strengthen institutions and inspired generations through their character, values and achievements.
"Mentorship is about passing on values that transcend generations. By awarding these leaders, the youths are being signalled to, that success is not measured only in wealth or position , but in the legacy of positive impact one leaves behind," Bagonza said.
He said by recognizing exemplary elderly leaders, the awards aim to ensure national unity and shared identity.
"Honoring a respected elder becomes a unifying act, reminding Ugandans of shared values and a common heritage. It creates a bridge across generations, encouraging citizens from different walks of life to rally around the wisdom and legacy of such figures," Bagonza said.
"Elderly leaders embody experience, resilience, and sacrifice. By celebrating them, we highlight the lessons they offer for today’s challenges. It shows that mentorship is not just about skills transfer but also about passing on values of integrity, service, and nation-building but also recognizing exemplary elders demonstrates to young people that leadership rooted in discipline, humility, and patriotism is worth emulating."
Former Deputy Governor of BoU and former Minister of Finance, Prof .Ezra Suruma said mentorship can be done in many ways, noting that institutions are great sources of mentors.
He reminisced his time at BoU, noting that while he thought he knew everything, a lot reqired him to learn from mentors.
“Learning doesnt stop. As a professor, coming to work in BoU, one would say I knew everything but I had to learn how it works and see how to make a difference. In my case, mentorship is learning from the institution where you are. You have to find yourself learning what the institution does. My sense of mentoring is learning from the people you find, some friendly and others hostile but learn from both,” Prof.Suruma said.
“Eve those that are hostile to you, they make you learn to do better and how to deal with them. Institutions play a great role in mentorship. If you are lucky to find an institution you will be lucky to be shaped by it. Be humble to be able to learn since nobody knows everything .The role of institutions is very important, both private and public institutions.”
Pius Kiyemba, the founder for Alliance for Youth on Environment Transformation, a non-profit organization said mentorship plays a great role in shaping the young generation.
“Mentorship illuminates the path for the young ones. How? Because you see the old ones when they are speaking and what they do. Some of us, don’t really get read books physically, but we read books through the elders. So they tell you what happened in the in the past, and then they tell you where they are. I believe that when we get to be mentored by people or by elder people, we are basically creating our own path. We are rewriting our own stories.,” Kiyemba said.
