By HICGI News Agency at 1456 EAT on Friday 21 August 2026

By Dr. Rumanzi Benita Bushari
Director, Africa Population Institute
Former Parliamentary Candidate, Rukiga County (2026–2031)

Uganda is not short of problems, nor is it short of speeches about them. What the country lacks is action that delivers lasting results.

Walk through Kampala, Gulu, Mbarara or Arua and you are likely to hear the same concerns: unemployment, corruption, the rising cost of living and failing public services. While these problems may appear different, many are rooted in a handful of structural weaknesses.

If we fix the roots, we can begin to fix the country.

Uganda needs more than survival strategies. It needs practical shifts that put production, accountability, transparency and national ownership at the centre of development.

The question is no longer whether Uganda can change. It is whether Ugandans are ready to make the choices required to change it.

1. Shift From “Job Seekers” to “Problem Solvers”: Build a Production Economy

The Problem

More than 800,000 young Ugandans enter the job market every year. However, many available opportunities remain concentrated in informal and low-productivity activities such as boda boda riding, small-scale retail and other forms of subsistence work.

At the same time, Uganda continues to consume more than it produces in many critical sectors, creating pressure on household incomes, foreign exchange and the wider economy.

The Solution: “Buy Uganda, Build Uganda” — With Teeth

Skills for real work: Boot camps and technical institutions should work closely with factories, farms and technology companies to align training with actual labour-market needs. Instead of relying primarily on years of classroom theory, young people could receive focused, practical training in areas such as coding, welding, agro-processing and solar installation.

If a company in Namanve needs 200 welders, for example, training institutions should be equipped to train 200 qualified welders.

Fund producers, not just traders: Banks and SACCOs should expand access to affordable financing for people producing goods and services, including food processors, furniture makers, textile manufacturers, technology firms and other local producers. Financing should not disproportionately favour businesses focused mainly on importing and reselling goods.

Government must lead by example: Public institutions should prioritise quality Ugandan-made goods and services where they are competitive. Government hospitals, schools and other public institutions can become major customers for local manufacturers, helping create a reliable domestic market.

When Uganda produces more of what it consumes, money circulates within the local economy. A productive factory, for example, can generate additional opportunities in transport, packaging, maintenance, logistics and retail.

2. Shift From “Blame” to “Tracking”: Fight Corruption With Transparency

The Problem

Corruption is not limited to major scandals. It can also take the form of everyday demands for unofficial payments to speed up files, missing medicines at health facilities, inflated contracts and poorly executed public projects.

These practices erode public trust, divert resources and weaken the quality of essential public services.

The Solution: Make Public Money and Performance Visible

Follow the money: Every district budget should be published online and displayed on public notice boards in simple, accessible language. Citizens should be able to see how much money was allocated, who received contracts and what has actually been delivered.

Reward and protect whistleblowers: People often have first-hand knowledge of where public resources are being misused. Strong reporting systems, confidentiality and meaningful protection for whistleblowers can encourage responsible reporting and improve the recovery of public funds.

Introduce service-delivery scorecards: Hospitals, police posts and schools can be assessed regularly against clear, measurable standards. The results should be communicated through newspapers, radio and digital platforms so that citizens can monitor performance.

Corruption thrives in darkness. Reliable data, transparent processes and citizens who ask questions can make the misuse of public resources significantly more difficult.

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3. Shift From “Aid” to “Ownership”: Fix the Basics Ourselves

The Problem

Power interruptions, poor roads, expensive internet and gaps in healthcare continue to affect the daily lives of millions of Ugandans.

Government has a central role in addressing these challenges, but communities and private businesses can also become part of the solution rather than waiting indefinitely for government intervention.

The shift toward ownership means encouraging Ugandans to identify problems, develop practical solutions and take responsibility for improving the communities in which they live and work.

Beyond Survival: Building the Uganda We Want

Energy

Uganda should expand solar mini-grids and support community-owned energy initiatives to improve access to reliable and affordable electricity. Productive-use energy businesses, including boda boda charging stations and other local enterprises, can be organised through SACCOs and community-based businesses.

Health

Health Centre IIIs should be equipped to deliver the services they are expected to provide. Routine medicine stock management should also be strengthened, while community health workers equipped with mobile phones can help report stockouts quickly and enable authorities to respond before shortages become critical.

Digital Access

Uganda should encourage greater competition and investment in digital infrastructure to help reduce the cost of internet and mobile-money services. A digital economy cannot grow sustainably when connectivity remains unaffordable for a large section of the population.

We do not always have to wait a decade to see meaningful results. A functioning health centre with essential medicines, adequate equipment and a qualified health worker can improve the lives of thousands of people in a community.

What Can Be Done in This KISANJA NO SLEEP 2026–2031?

Change does not start in Parliament. It starts with us.

As a consumer: Buy at least one quality Ugandan-made product. Supporting local producers helps strengthen domestic businesses, create jobs and keep money circulating within the Ugandan economy.

As a citizen: Ask one constructive question. For example: “Where was the money allocated for this road spent, and what work was delivered?” Where possible, attend local council and community meetings and participate in discussions about public services.

As a young person: Learn at least one practical skill that addresses a real problem. Smart agriculture and other market-driven skills can create value and employment when they are matched with genuine market demand.

The Uganda We Want

Uganda’s greatest resource is not oil. It is its people — particularly the millions of young Ugandans who are educated, connected, ambitious and increasingly tired of waiting for opportunities.

We have tried aid. We have tried anger. Now, let us try production, transparency and ownership.

The Uganda we want will not be built by simply complaining about the Uganda we have. It will be built by Ugandans who choose to produce, participate, demand accountability and take ownership of their country’s future.

For God and My Country.

Dr. Rumanzi Benita Bushari
Director, Africa Population Institute
Former Parliamentary Candidate, Rukiga County (2026–2031)

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