President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has promised fresh lifelines for Uganda’s jobless youth, unveiling a plan to bankroll unemployed graduates with start-up capital if re-elected in 2026.
The pledge came on Tuesday at Kololo Independence Grounds, shortly after Museveni was formally nominated as the NRM flag bearer. In a fiery speech to thousands of cheering supporters, the 79-year-old leader vowed that no graduate would be left stranded.
“For graduates who finish university and cannot find work after two years, there will be capital to help them start productive activities,” Museveni told the rally.
The proposed Graduate Fund will target young Ugandans who have failed to secure employment two years after completing university. It joins a raft of campaign promises, including:
- Expansion of the Ghetto Youth Fund across the country.
- Skilling hubs in all 171 districts and municipalities.
- Special financial support for fishermen at landing sites.
- Boosted resources for religious and cultural institutions.
Museveni said the measures would speed up Uganda’s drive toward middle-income prosperity, boasting that the country’s GDP had already doubled from $34bn to $66bn during his last term. But he admitted that a third of households still remain outside the money economy.
First Lady and Education Minister Janet Museveni also took to the stage, hailing achievements in education — from doubling the number of primary schools under UPE to tripling secondary schools since 1986 — while urging voters to “give Museveni another mandate to finish the work.”
Top NRM figures, including Moses Kigongo, Speaker Anita Among, Richard Todwong and former Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, rallied behind the President, branding him a “tested leader” who has delivered peace, stability and growth.
With nomination secured, Museveni set the tone for his campaign: defend past gains while promising new opportunities for Uganda’s restless youth.
“Together, we protect what we have built and take a bold leap forward,” he declared, signalling that the Graduate Fund will be a centrepiece of his 2026 manifesto.
