 shares a light moment with Mr Farid Belbouab (R) from the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry after a meeting at Nakasero on Sunday. PPU Photo.jpg)
PRESIDENT MUSEVENI ENGAGES NRM YOUTH FROM NORTHERN REGION, CALLS FOR PROSPERITY-DRIVEN MOBILIZATION
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday called on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) youth leaders in Northern Uganda to focus their mobilisation on peace, prosperity, health and skills development. While meeting the group which was led by Hon. Hamson Denis Obua, NRM Vice Chairperson for Northern Uganda and Government Chief Whip, at his Kisozi farm, the President said security and economic empowerment remain the foundation of Uganda’s progress. The NRM youth leaders were drawn from Lango, Acholi and West Nile sub-regions. President Museveni emphasized that political mobilisation should go beyond slogans and instead demonstrate how Ugandans, especially the youth, can achieve prosperity. “The mobilisation you should do is to show everybody, including the youth, how they can be prosperous. The first thing you should tell them is to support NRM because they need security,” President Museveni said. He reminded the youth of Uganda’s past instability, urging them to use history to explain the value of peace. “You can give the history of Uganda and show pictures of what happened in the 1980s, the dead bodies and chaos and compare that with countries like Sudan, Congo and Somalia,” he said. President Museveni cautioned young people against confusion and misinformation, stressing that youth are capable of understanding national issues deeply. “You should stop confusing yourselves. You are not babies. You are people who should understand even more than elders. Before lightening the moment: When you see me wearing a hat, it is Muhoozi who told me to put one on because I have a bald head.” President Museveni also warned against irresponsible lifestyles, emphasizing health as a pillar of productivity. He reminded the youth that the government and parents fulfilled their responsibility through childhood immunisation. “We immunised you when you were young together with your parents. That is why you don’t have polio and measles. All the immunisation was done—thank the government and your parents,” he said. He added that adulthood comes with responsibility. “Now it is time for you to immunise yourselves. Life is in your hands. If you are irresponsible, you will suffer from the health point of view,” President Museveni cautioned. President Museveni strongly defended the Universal Primary and Secondary Education (UPE/USE) policy, blaming sections of the local elite for weakening it. “The problem we have is the local elite—teachers, PTAs and foundation bodies. They did not care much about the poor people,” he said. He criticised the reintroduction of school charges, saying this contributed to school dropouts. “When we brought UPE, the elites did not follow it up. They brought back school charges, and that is how we got dropouts,” President Museveni explained. He urged the youth to defend the policy across the political divide. “Whether you are in opposition or not, tell the people to support free education. Those who dropped out, I am now taking them to the Presidential Skilling Hubs,” he said. President Museveni further explained that once peace, health and education are secured, the next challenge is employment. “Once we have peace, health and education, the next question is jobs,” he said. He noted that jobs will mainly come from four sectors: commercial agriculture (crops, livestock and fisheries), manufacturing, artisanship, services and ICT, supported by industrial hubs across the country. He reiterated the importance of the four-acre model for household wealth creation. President Museveni urged the youth to take interest in government budgeting priorities. “My priority sectors of budgeting are defence and security, roads, electricity, schools, health centres and wealth funds,” he said. He also endorsed door-to-door mobilisation at village level, saying it is more effective than previous methods. On industrial parks, he advised communities to avail sufficient land. “If your people want industrial parks, tell them we need land at least a square mile,” President Museveni said. He added that youth SACCOs will support such initiatives and pledged continued investment in sports infrastructure, noting that more stadiums will be constructed. Dr. Mercy Lakisa, the Vice Chairperson for the Northern Region of the NRM Youth League, thanked President Museveni for sustained engagement with young people across the country, saying the youth feel recognised and included in the national development agenda. “We thank you for not forgetting us. You started meeting youth groups across the country, and we appreciate you for considering us in your busy schedule. We pray that the Lord continues to guide you as you lead this country forward,” Dr. Lakisa said. She welcomed the ongoing parish-level mobilisation, noting that the youth, being the largest population group, require targeted facilitation to carry out effective mobilisation. “We appreciate the parish mobilisation that is ongoing, but the youth who are doing the mobilisation need a special package because we are the biggest population,” she said. Dr. Lakisa described NRM youth as the backbone of grassroots mobilisation, particularly in responding to opposition narratives. She thanked President Museveni for the establishment of industrial parks, citing the Mbale Industrial Park, which she said is employing over 10,000 young people. “We thank you for the Mbale Industrial Park that is employing over 10,000 youth, and we request that these industrial works be extended to other sub-regions,” Dr. Lakisa said. Dr. Lakisa also applauded the rollout of Presidential Skilling Hubs in the northern region, saying they are already yielding results. However, she appealed for expanded access. “We thank you for the Presidential Skilling Hubs that have been introduced in our zones. We request that the intake of beneficiaries be increased and, if possible, that the skilling hubs be extended down to district level,” she said. She further requested increased support for NRM Youth League SACCOs, saying they remain a key pillar for youth economic empowerment. “We request for your support under the National NRM Youth League SACCOs, and we trust that there will be more support,” she added. Dr. Lakisa also asked for broader access to leadership and ideological training at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) to equip youth leaders with more ideas and skills. On sports development, Dr. Lakisa thanked President Museveni for continued investment in the sector, particularly the construction of Akii Bua Stadium in Lango Sub-region, which she said is progressing well. “We thank you for your continued support towards sports development. The construction of Akii Bua Stadium is underway, and our region is blessed with diverse talent,” she said. She appealed for similar infrastructure in other parts of Northern Uganda. “After AFCON, we request that West Nile and Acholi sub-regions also get stadiums,” Dr. Lakisa added. She noted that many youth leaders are beneficiaries of Universal Primary and Secondary Education (UPE/USE), which she credited for empowering the current generation. She concluded by reaffirming the youth’s commitment to President Museveni’s leadership and electoral victory. “We are very confident that we shall deliver come 15th January 2026. Where we are right now, President Museveni is the most fit individual to lead this country. We look forward to delivering over 95 per cent victory. Long live the President,” she said.
 is deputy Speaker and Hon Minsa Kabanda (2nd R). P.jpg)
