GOV’T SEEKS SOLUTIONS AS YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT PRESSURES MOUNT

DAILY MONITOR

Uganda is facing mounting pressure to create jobs as growing numbers of young graduates struggle to find employment, with many shuttling between offices only to be told there are no vacancies.

Speaking at a media briefing in Kampala on Tuesday, State Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations Esther Anyakun acknowledged rising unemployment, particularly among youth, and said the government is seeking ways to respond.

“Yeah, of course, as the Minister of Gender, you know when I was young, we only used to have Makerere University, by then the graduates were very few, but now the competition is shooting up because every private university is releasing, every private institution and institute is releasing labour force into the market there,” she said.

Uganda’s population is estimated at about 45.9 million, with more than 75 percent under the age of 30. While a large share is of working age, over 80 percent of the labour force operates in the informal sector, characterised by low productivity, job insecurity and limited social protection.

Anyakun said youth unemployment stands at 13.3 percent, affecting millions, while many others are underemployed or stuck in unstable work. She stressed that harnessing the country’s youthful population is critical for long-term economic growth.

As part of government efforts, she said at least Shs10 billion has been allocated in the 2026/27 financial year through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to support fresh graduates as they search for jobs.

“As a government, we are trying our best to see; that’s why you’re seeing the apprenticeship, we are putting people at the district level to be able to go and work in the office, to work as community development officers (CDOs), we pay them as Minister of Gender sh500,000 just to keep them busy, and then they are also looking for jobs instead of being redundant at home,” she said.

The programme is designed to give graduates work experience while easing the financial burden of job hunting, particularly by placing them in their home districts where the cost of living is lower.

“Why do we want to do it at your district? Because you don’t have a serious source of income. You know, like if you come to the city you’re going to increase expense of renting, so this sh500,000 that ministry gives you will not be enough,” she added.

Funding for the initiative has increased from Shs2 billion in previous years, a move expected to expand the number of beneficiaries, although details on district allocations remain unclear.

“Government has just added as part of this money to sh10b, and we are very grateful, so it’s going to expand, and it will have more people to be in position to get this,” she said.

Anyakun added that new zonal hubs are beginning to ease pressure on the labour market and expressed optimism that Uganda will gradually overcome its unemployment challenge.