Ntoroko — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reaffirmed that Uganda’s real path to liberation and prosperity does not lie in politics alone, but in equipping its people, especially the youth, with practical skills, technology, and hands-on education.
“Skilling hubs have two main purposes. One is to create wealth. And wealth comes from people,” President Museveni said while commissioning the Presidential Zonal Industrial Hub in Ntoroko District.
Reflecting on Africa’s colonial past, Museveni explained that the continent’s subjugation was not due to a lack of leadership or culture, but the absence of practical technology and industrial know-how. “During colonial times, we had kings, priests, poets, and even witch doctors, but no technology. That’s how the Europeans defeated us,” he said.
Museveni praised the skilling hubs as transformative tools, particularly for young Ugandans from underprivileged backgrounds who lack access to formal education. The hubs provide free accommodation, meals, healthcare, and vocational training. “These children were like food without salt. Now, I have added salt—and it’s tasty,” he remarked.
The President also reflected on past government education reforms, lamenting the poor implementation of Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) due to resistance and sabotage by local leaders and school administrators.
“We said education must be free. But some people started doing things they were not told to do—charging fees in government schools. I looked for medicine for the poor, and people rejected it. So I returned to Luweero thinking. That’s how these hubs came up,” Museveni said. “These children are government property. They must study—and now, they are becoming important members of society.”
He urged religious and political leaders to repent for past mistakes that denied education to the poor and called for a renewed commitment to building more schools, hiring teachers, and delivering on the NRM’s education vision.
To support graduates of the industrial hub, the President donated Shs 10 million to each cohort member and challenged them to become job creators, not job seekers.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa hailed the skilling hubs as a game-changing intervention against youth unemployment and rural poverty. “After UPE and USE, this is the missing link—equipping young people with real-world skills. These hubs are not just projects, they are statements of faith in the potential of Uganda’s youth,” he said.
Tayebwa pledged continued parliamentary support and urged communities to protect the initiative. “What we are seeing here are not just numbers—they are real lives transformed. A girl who owns a salon, a young man constructing houses, another saving to build rentals—these are stories of hope,” he added.
Mr. William Kasozi, Zonal Chairperson for the Ntoroko Industrial Hub, thanked the President for bringing the facility to the region, noting that it has triggered a shift from subsistence to income-generating activities. “This hub has created job opportunities and sparked a real economic awakening among the youth,” Kasozi said.
The current intake has 897 students—378 girls and 519 boys—from Ntoroko, Bundibugyo, and Fort Portal City. The hub provides free vocational training, meals, accommodation, and startup capital. Kasozi announced the formation of a SACCO to support graduates and promote entrepreneurship.
He further outlined a series of directives inspired by the President’s vision, including increasing instructors from 240 to 400, expanding accommodation, and introducing new courses in weaving, plumbing, electrical installation, and automobile mechanics. With rural electrification at only 8% in Ntoroko, the addition of electrical training is expected to have a significant local impact.
Voices from the Beneficiaries
Robinah Byamukama, a tailoring graduate from Bundibugyo, shared how she started with Shs 30,000, borrowed a sewing machine, and after impressing her local leaders, saved enough to buy her own equipment. She now supplies school uniforms and is constructing rental units.
“Thank you, President Museveni, for this program. May you live forever,” she said.
Moses Mutegeki from Ntoroko trained in construction in 2024. After completing the program, he used his certificate to gain employment with an NGO, training others in his community. His alumni group also secured Shs 8 million in Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) funds and now runs a construction firm and a salon.
“If this hub had come ten years ago, I’d be much further in life. But even in this short time, I’ve achieved a lot,” Mutegeki said.
Christine Sanyu, who trained in hairdressing, began with just Shs 2,000 in savings. She now owns a salon and employs others. “This programme gave me the knowledge and confidence I needed to start a business,” she said.
The event was also attended by ICT Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi, State House Comptroller Ms Jane Barekye, Members of Parliament, and local leaders.
