President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni today held a candid and wide-ranging dialogue with young Ugandans (Bazukulu) during the Jazz with Jajja conversation at State Lodge, Nakasero.
The interactive engagement, hosted by the First Daughter, Mrs. Natasha Museveni Karugire, brought together content creators, journalists, digital entrepreneurs and influencers.
The event offered the attendees a rare opportunity to directly question the President on leadership, motivation, the digital economy, regional integration and youth livelihoods.
In his remarks, President Museveni urged young people to look beyond entertainment and short-term pleasures and instead focus on the fundamentals of economic transformation.
“It is interesting that many young people talk about dancing and football, which are good, but rarely talk about the regional market,” President Museveni said.
“Those things are pleasure, but you must first have the basics. When I was also young , I would also dance, fight and study. The problem today is dancing all the time.”
Responding to a question by TikTok influencer Sean Ibrahim, popularly known as Sean Styles, on what drives his long political journey, President Museveni traced his motivation to identity, history and a deep desire to protect Africa’s freedom.
“What motivates me is that I love myself — as a Munyankore, as a Ugandan, and as an African. I love you people. I see you as my children and grandchildren,” he said.
He cautioned that history has shown the world can be unforgiving to weak societies, stressing that his generation’s struggle was driven by the need to prevent Africans from disappearing or returning to servitude.
“My motivation is freedom for the black race,” he said.
The President also attributed his personal stamina and resilience to traditional African livelihoods, particularly cattle keeping, which he said instilled toughness and self-reliance.
Broadcaster Isaac Katende, alias Kasuku, raised concerns about limited government support for digital media, particularly following the shutdown of social media platform; Facebook, despite the sector providing livelihoods for many young people.
In response, President Museveni explained that Uganda had deliberately invested in undersea fibre-optic cables to reduce the historically high cost of the internet, which had previously relied on expensive satellite communication.
“There were attempts by telephone companies to monopolize, and we said no,” he said, noting that government intervention significantly lowered data costs by expanding infrastructure.
On Facebook, the President maintained that the shutdown was prompted by misuse of the platform.
“We closed it because some people thought they could insult and play around with us,” he said, adding that the government remains open to engagement if platforms operate responsibly.
President Museveni also revealed ongoing discussions with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk on the possibility of introducing Starlink satellite internet to Uganda, should it prove affordable.
“If the satellite becomes cheaper, we shall allow it,” he said.
In a question posed by journalist Simon Kaheru, the President reiterated that prosperity lies at the heart of the National Resistance Movement’s ideology, warning that Africa faces danger if young people fail to understand how wealth is created.
“Prosperity does not come from begging. It comes from producing a good or service and selling it sustainably, with calculation — ekibaro.”
He explained that Uganda’s diverse, multi-tribal structure created natural economic complementarities, which later informed the NRM’s ideological pillars of Patriotism , loving Uganda as a market , and Pan-Africanism , embracing the wider African market.
“Uganda alone is not enough,” he said, noting that the country now produces surplus milk, maize, bananas, cement and steel, which rely on regional and continental markets to remain viable.
Economy, Skills and Structural Transformation:
Responding to questions from Christine Mawadri on Uganda’s youthful population, the creative sector and innovation, President Museveni traced the country’s economic challenges to the narrow colonial enclave economy based on raw exports.
By independence, he said, Uganda’s economy revolved around the 3Cs- Cotton, Coffee and Copper and the 3Ts- Tobacco, Tea and Tourism covering only about four percent of homesteads.
“When the NRM came to power in 1986, even that small economy had collapsed,” he said, explaining that the government had to rebuild from scratch.
He outlined progress made since then, including restoring and expanding traditional exports, diversifying into dairy, fisheries, fruits and manufacturing, adding value to raw materials, and transitioning into a knowledge economy with local production of vehicles, vaccines and computers.
However, he noted that by 2013, 68 percent of homesteads were still outside the money economy, prompting the introduction of Operation Wealth Creation and later the Parish Development Model (PDM).
“The key is guiding people into enterprises that make economic sense for their land size,” President Museveni emphasized.
On youth migration for work, raised by content creator Osman Kaweesa, popularly known as Jobless Billionaire, the President said many young people had not fully understood where jobs come from.
“Jobs and wealth will mainly come from four sectors , commercial agriculture, manufacturing/ artisanship, services and ICT,” he said, once again stressing the Four-Acre Model as a practical pathway to household income.
President Museveni also highlighted the role of Presidential skilling hubs and the ongoing education curriculum reform, saying Africa’s biggest challenge remains mindset.
“We export coffee at $2.5 per kilo, but after value addition it can earn $40,” he said, noting that while coffee is a $460 billion global business, Africa earns a small fraction because it exports raw materials.
“That is the mindset change we are struggling with,” he added.
Closing the session, Mrs. Natasha thanked the President for opening space for dialogue and assured participants that similar engagements would continue.
“There shall be more interactions like this. Thank you, Your Excellency, for allowing us to have this conversation,” she said.
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