The state minister for youth, Sarah Nakiwala Kiyingi, says tackling the volatile issue of youth unemployment should be prioritised by different stakeholders before youth frustration turns to widespread unrest.
With a population of 35 million, young people below the age of 30 account for 78% of the population making it one of the youngest countries in the world.
Every year, 400,000 graduates are released into a job market that only has a 90,000 job capacity, which means most of them will not be absorbed into the formal economy.
Initiatives that have been in place before like the 2011/2012 youth capital venture fund, an enterprise development fund worth Shs25billion, and the youth livelihood programme, targeting the poor and unemployed youth in all districts worth Shs265billion advanced to youth interest groups in form of a revolving fund were both misunderstood and mismanaged by the beneficiaries.