Youth Unemployment, Job Creation and Governance in Uganda

INTRODUCTION

Youth unemployment is a state of lacking a job or and being unemployed but looking for a job.  Governance can be defined as: “The system by which entities are directed and controlled.  It is concerned with structure and processes for decision making, accountability, control and behavior at the top of an entity (Governance Today, 2021)

Many developing countries are grappling with the challenge of finding employment for their bulging youth population. While Uganda has witnessed positive economic growth over the last two decades, it has not translated into employment opportunities enough for the youth. The (MGLSD, 2019), estimates that about 40,000 youths are released annually into the job market to compete for about 9,000 jobs presenting a job deficit of more than 31,000 youths, this is no wonder the share of Ugandans living in poverty increased from 19.7 percent in 2012/13 to 21.4 percent in 2016/17, most of the poor being women and youths given their limited access to factors of production (UBOS, 2017).

This among other factors can testify the increased rate of youths in betting centers, bars, prostitution and other dubious activities (Daily Monitor, 2018).

INDEPTH CAUSES OF THE INCREASED UNEMPLOYMENT TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN UGANDA

Uganda has the second youngest population in the world with over 78% below 30 years, second only to Niger’s 83% (UN, 2019).  

(Daily Monitor,2019), reported the leadership structure of the country, in its reports, it noted how first top 15 leaders of the country from the president, vice president in that order, are people beyond the age of 60 years. Their argument was how such categories of leaders are able to decide for a country with the majority being young people in between 15-30 years. We can possibly relate the high number of the unemployed youths to the leadership. Somehow somewhere, the leadership may not be pro the young souls. As a young African leader who aspires to change this narrative and create jobs for the unemployed jobs also see that there is no enabling environment to enable creators and innovators to cause changes for example is it very expensive to register a startup or any business venture in Uganda and if at all there is success in registration, there is high rate of taxes imposed on such innovations. This proves why the rate of new innovations and startups for Uganda specifically Kampala rated by other cities in African continent still stand at about 3.08% (Techloy, 2021).

(The Globe, 2021)

Growing up, we were told, that we are leaders of tomorrow. A number of tomorrows have so far passed and we do not see ourselves taking up at the helm of leadership.. The assumption is that this youth or youths will have a feeling of how and what most young people go through. The Late President John Pombe Magufuli once said and I quote, “I was raised in poor housing and in slums of Dodoma, therefore, I know what an ordinary poor citizen goes through. This phrase can give us an indication that it is fairly possible for a youth to think about fellow youths.”

Uganda Forum against Corruption Entities noted that there is tribalism and nepotism while giving jobs. The citizens cannot get the advertised jobs freely and fairly.  Some jobs are state owned and dominated and not independent at all. Most of this sectors are politicized are have more than 90% of the workers from one region, western region where the president hails from. Not only public sectors but also key very important state areas in like Judiciary, Executive and Legislature that it typically meant to be equal opportunities for all Ugandans. (Ugface.org. 2021)

Though jobs are advertised with the intentions to show that interviews has been carried out. Most jobs are advertised after already being felt with their own people. In the advertised jobs in Kyotera District, more than 100 people accused District officials for soliting bribes from them in exchange for jobs which weren’t given to them. (Daily Monitor, 2019). This habit of extorting money from young people who apply for jobs have made them more jobless and poorer since they will need to find possible ways of paying for these borrowed moneys used to bribe officials. Same to the above, some applicants have paid up sums of money that guarantee them to work for about six months before gaining back their money even if they are given the job they applied or bribed for.

(Tejvan, 2019), notes that some universities and schools do not teach the necessary skills needed in the job market. Most schools focus on the theoretical part of the study than practical part that could make the students do some of the important things on their own even if before being employed. He adds several reasons that cause youth unemployment is lack of the needed qualifications, geographical unemployment, real wage unemployment, inadequacy in graduate jobs, cyclical unemployment to mean the demand-deficient unemployment, fictional unemployment that means that some school leavers may just take time to find the right work which may not be available, cultural/social factors brought about in deprived areas where is pessimism over job prospects,

The solutions to the above key causes of the increased rate of youth unemployment could be as listed here within;

(Jitoleze baseline survey, 2019) notes that there is need to empower both in school and out of school youths with employable practical skills in order to enable them create up their own ventures.

The ALU mission of creating a team of three (3) million ethical leaders and entrepreneurs will solve this narrative. To create employment for the youths of this continent will lead a youth or youths taking up at top positions and seats in most African country or countries. Education should be rational and it could have radical solutions to address African prevailing challenges hence the students should declare missions not majors. (Fred, 2015)

(PEP, 2019), Youths should learn to volunteer in order to get the necessary experience needed for job markets. Volunteerism also enables an individual to be noticed with his or her abilities.

Hire the youth Uganda proposes that the best alternative to fighting youth unemployment is to encourage Entrepreneurship, Reassessing the Value of Unpaid Internships, . Reevaluating the distribution of welfare, All secondary schools should have active partnerships with employers,  Earlier Career Guidance,  Modernizing apprenticeships, Providing fair opportunities for disadvantaged youth, Increased uptake of work-related learning and qualifications in the senior phase of school, A national levy scheme for skill shortage areas, (Kenn, 2017)

Government should learn the principles of corporate governance and orient all the key sectors an institutions to uphold some standards. This will enable free and fairness while employment both government and private servants. (New Vision, 2019)

As a young African leader, I think that the youths being the majority hence the key stakeholders should be involved in matters concerning the leadership of the country and their thoughts captured for the development of the country. If we are to develop as a country, we can play and win a football match if key players are left on the bench.

GOING FORWARD

I am already working with an organization known as Jitoleze Foundation in Eastern Uganda, an organization that aims at transforming the mindset of young people into better persons. This organization was founded on the background of solving the key problems that youths basically face either after school in case they went to school or out of school. The key interventions here include skilling programs that aim at empowering out of school youths with practical employable skills so that they are able to open up business ventures of their own hence fighting poverty and unemployment as an individuals. We also do career talks for the school going youths so that they determine their passion right from the word go. Youth summits/ seminars or and conferences are also meant to help the young people meet inspirational speakers who can change their life and also make them confident in whatever they have to decide for their life. Jitoleze Foundation has since 2016 done these interventions. We as an organization have seen a number of young people change their lives and startup businesses of their own. The impact has not so much spread out to the communities because of a number of challenges in the community development world. Our hope is that by your partnership and support both technically, morally and financial will enable us create an outstanding generation of young people with a changed attitude and ability to challenge the status quo. Creating a better community needs all of us and I believe all of us wish see our young people empowered and ready to be self-reliant now and in the near future. If this speaks to you then, reach us facebook page or Email at: jfoundationinternational@gmail.com

REFERENCES

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   2. Daily Monitor. 2021. Job seekers accuse district officials of soliciting bribes. [online] Available at: <https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/job-seekers-accuse-district-officials-of-soliciting-bribes-1838872> [Accessed 28 March 2021].
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