Uganda’s President Lauds Catholic Church for Nurturing Youths as “wealth creators”, Addressing Socio-Economic Issues

To ensure that young people are part of the sustainable development initiatives, the Ugandan President said, there is need to include programs that address “ideology, spirituality, and socio-economic engagement.”

“This is what the Catholic Church is doing and I'm very happy with that,” he further said during the conclusion of the National Conference that brought together over 15,000 youths from Uganda’s Catholic Dioceses.

President Museveni challenged Uganda’s youths to actively participate in what he referred to as “money economy”, which he contrasted with “working only for the stomach.”

“Up to 1962, only 9 percent of the people were in the money economy. When we came in and kept talking and struggling, by 2013, only 32 percent were in the money economy and others were working only for the stomach,” he said.

He added, “When we checked the last census, we found that at least 67 percent of the people are now in the money economy, 33 percent are still outside the money economy.”

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The President of Uganda since January 1986 advocated for having a plan of action, lamenting that “the danger is that even those in the money economy, go there without ekibaro (strategy).”

He called upon the country’s youths to fight poverty by engaging in high-value agricultural activities, including coffee, fruits, and dairy farming.

In his December 15 address, President Museveni went on to caution Uganda’s youths against “politics of identity”, which he said are barriers to national development.

“One of the misdiagnoses in the past was to think that identity was more important than interests. That was the biggest disaster for many parts of the world including Uganda,” he said during the event that had representatives from various sectors, including government Ministers, legislatures, and faith-based leaders, among others, in attendance.

While identity is important, President Museveni said, “it's personal to you; it should not be externalized to conflict with other people.”  

He went on to emphasize identify patriotism, Pan-Africanism, socio-economic transformation, and democracy as pillars for progress, adding that the highlighted principles are necessary to address the challenge of “politics of identity.”

Also speaking during the December 15 event, Bishop Vincent Kirabo of Hoima Diocese said the conference that brings together Catholic youths from across the country fosters dialogues among young people through exchange of ideas. 

The National Catholic Youth Conference, Bishop Kirabo said, “creates a vibrant platform for the youths aged between 12 and 35 years to share perspectives, exchange ideas, and tackle modern challenges.”

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.