The Assistant Resident City Commissioner for Kampala, Mr. Geoffrey Sserwadda proposed a license fees waiver for all Kampala-based entrepreneurs who graduate from the Presidential Initiative on Skilling the Girl/Boy Child (PISGBC).
Mr. Sserwadda said a licence fees waiver for at least six months to enable all the graduates from the Presidential Skilling Initiative to gain momentum in their new enterprises.
“I am a product of skilling, the President got me from Kisenyi before I took on this role where I am now in charge of five divisions. If foreign investors can be given a grace period before they begin paying taxes, why can’t we do this for our very own citizens?” Mr. Sserwadda stated.
He said in the past, students used to get start-up capital and financial support of sh1m but this offer was retracted by State House after many of the graduates misused the capital to buy smartphones and other luxury items at the expense of their budding enterprises.
Mr. Sserwadda said he has had talks with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and other district leaders regarding this issue and pledged his support to rescue any alumni of the PISGBC from detention centres if he or she gets arrested by KCCA officials over unpaid licences.
He made these remarks on Wednesday 26th February, 2025 at Nakulabye Skilling Centre, one of the nine centres in Kampala during the showcasing of the students’ work after six months of free training.
The former operation wealth creation coordinator for Kampala Central division also noted that many local council chairpersons have been accused of asking for bribes to stamp letters of verification for potential students who are seeking entry into the State House-sponsored programme.
He said this move is counterproductive because the Shs10,000 that the LC chairpersons ask for is not affordable for most of the ghetto youths aged between 16 to 35 years who reside in Kampala’s urban slums.
The Special Presidential Assistant on Skilling and Education and Head of PISGBC project, Dr. Faith Mirembe Katana commended the State House Comptroller, Ms. Jane Barekye for her support, which she said has enabled the six-month-long programme to move on smoothly despite the various setbacks and challenges that are involved in running the project.
She also thanked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his visionary leadership and for allowing the Kampala ghetto youths to revive their hopes and dreams through the project.
The nine skilling centres within Kampala are each hosting showcasing events in their various centres with each centre scheduled to exhibit its students’ products within two weeks.
Ms. Joyce Athieno, who heads the Nakulabye centre said her centre opened in August 2017 and was the third centre to be established after Wandegeya and Subway.
“I thank President Museveni, Sabalwanyi Jjaja for initiating this magnificent project which is impacting the future of these youth,” Ms. Athieno stated.
“I also thank the State House Comptroller for availing the money which we utilise efficiently.”
According to Ms. Athieno, her centre which started the current intake on August 5, 2024, after conducting registration in July last year (2024), enrolled a total number of 430 students in various courses such as tailoring (138), hairdressing (145), Knitting attracted 42 students, all male, while embroidery had 46 students.
Chris Kakeeto, the guild president of Nakulabye Skilling Centre who confessed to have been a gangster and a thief before joining the centre, noted that he is now a transformed person who now earns a living through skilling.
“We now produce shoes, I no longer have time for crime,” he said.
According to Kakeeto, his gang consisted of about five thugs, who had all enrolled but due to expenses beyond their means like daily transport to attend the course some dropped out.
His friend Morris Nsubuga also testified: “Initially my motive for joining this programme was to come and steal sewing machines and phones from students but I don’t know how I got transformed. I am now a born-again Christian. I commend our counsellors. They have done a commendable job.”
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