Counsel Paul Mugoya Wanyoto aspiring Member of Parliament for Northern City Division Mbale City, has called for greater involvement of the youth in practical skills development as a pathway to self-reliance and national growth.
Speaking with this publication in an exclusive interview over the weekend Hon.Wanyoto stressed the need to empower young people with hands-on skills that can help them secure meaningful livelihoods and reduce dependency.
He further urged residents to position themselves strategically to access and effectively utilize government funding opportunities, particularly under programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM). “It’s not just about receiving the money, but also knowing how to use it wisely for long-term benefit,” he emphasized.
Counsel Wanyoto also called on leaders to prioritize community sensitization about government programs to ensure their intended impact is achieved. He expressed concern over cases where beneficiaries misuse funds due to a lack of guidance. “Some people spend the money on unnecessary items, like buying five mattresses for a small house where they can’t even fit. This defeats the purpose of economic empowerment,” he explained.
He therefore encouraged leaders at all levels to play a more active role in promoting socio-economic transformation through education, accountability, and responsible investment.
However president Museveni piloted a skilling programme for the youth and women throughout the country . He established centres to train the youth and women that many people had dismissed as abataasoma/bamisomo gyalema (the uneducated). The centres train these youth in carpentry, fabrication and welding, shoemaking, embroidery, tailoring, weaving, hairdressing, knitting, bakery, crafts and stone-cutting (for the areas with stones). In addition, we are going to introduce financial literacy for them to manage their enterprises better.
The programme has so far skilled and funded 14,448 youth (12,564 girls and 1,884 boys) and 36,300 women. The training is free of charge and requires no prior education qualifications and local languages are used for instruction. Having registered commendable success in Kampala, NRM went ahead to roll out the skilling project throughout the country through the establishment of the zonal industrial hubs. Each centre have an intake capacity of between 200 and 300 with dormitories to accommodate those coming from far .
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