Labour Day: Museveni says wealth creation is pathway to sustainable employment

________________

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on Ugandans to focus on wealth creation as the pathway to sustainable employment.

Presiding over International Labour Day celebrations in Buikwe district on Friday, he said job opportunities already exist within agriculture if properly utilised.

The national celebrations took place at Nkoyoyo Boarding Primary School in Matale under the theme: “Safeguarding Uganda’s Progress: Empowering the Workforce and Promoting Decent Work for Competitive Enterprise.”

Museveni cited the example of Richard Nyakana of Fort Portal, who operates on 1.2 acres of land and earns over sh200 million annually, employing 12 people through poultry and dairy farming. 

He said if citizens emulate such models, job creation would naturally follow in a country with about 40 million acres of arable land.

“The issue is not jobs, it is about following government advice,” he said, urging Ugandans to adopt the four-acre model or even smaller-scale ventures like that of a one Basangwa in Kamuli, who started poultry farming on a 50-by-100 plot of land and now earns significantly.

The President cautioned citizens against rushing into business without proper planning, advising them to avoid high-interest commercial bank loans.

Instead, he encouraged borrowing from the Uganda Development Bank, which offers lower interest rates. He also highlighted government support through the Parish Development Model (PDM), revealing plans to double its funding in the next government term, while urging beneficiaries to repay loans to sustain the initiative.

Addressing workers’ welfare, Museveni pledged that the government will secure land near industrial parks to construct affordable housing, adding that if private investors are unavailable, the National Housing and Construction Company will be tasked with undertaking the project.

On education, he acknowledged concerns about irrelevant courses and said the education ministry would provide clearer guidance. 

“We are really going to take it up."

Reflecting on industrial growth, Museveni attributed the rise of over 5,000 factories to sustained peace and strategic investment in electricity. He recalled the 2005–2006 load shedding crisis and his directive to prioritise power generation.

He urged Members of Parliament to support key infrastructure projects, including electricity expansion, oil refinery development, water transport initiatives with Tanzania, and railway construction, alongside increased funding for agriculture through PDM.

He further stressed the need to transition more Ugandans into the money economy, urging legislators to assess how many of their constituents are productively engaged.

On fisheries, the President called for stricter regulation of fishing activities, warning that not everyone can depend on lake resources. In the same spirit, he also warned against wetland encroachment, advocating for sustainable use.

He cited Limoto Wetland, where farmers shifted from rice growing to fish farming at the edges, earning over sh70 million per acre.

He explained that preserved wetlands support irrigation, pointing to a government farm in Bushenyi using irrigation and fertilisers to produce 53 tonnes of bananas, compared to just five tonnes by neighbouring farmers using traditional methods.

On savings, Museveni raised concerns about underutilisation of funds under the National Social Security Fund Uganda (NSSF), suggesting investment in infrastructure such as toll roads, including the planned Kampala–Jinja expressway.

Vice President Jessica Alupo thanked the President for prioritising workers’ issues.

Labour minister Betty Amongi praised the government for ensuring peace and security, describing it as a foundation for jobs, development, and food security. 

She also highlighted Buikwe’s growing status as an industrial hub.

Musa Okello, the chairman-general of the National Organisation of Trade Unions, commended the rollout of the Public Service Pension Scheme set for July and the increase in the PAYE threshold. 

He, however, raised concerns about worker accommodation and the mismatch in the education system.

Fred Bamwesigye, representing the Federation of Uganda Employers, lauded the government’s Third National Development Plan and the proposed increase in PDM funding from UGX 100 million to sh200 million, as well as the amended Employment Act.

The State Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations, Esther Anyakun, appreciated the President for assenting to labour-related legislation.