Category: Daily Monitor

Despite 2026 being an election year, the Uganda Stanbic Purchasing Managers’ Index released on January 6 indicates that Ugandan companies remain optimistic, expecting business activity to expand over the coming year.

The business outlook represents collective expectations of business leaders regarding future growth, profitability, and economic stability.

The surveyors of the Uganda Stanbic Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) state that the confidence in the outlook was underpinned by investment in advertising, new product releases and spending on outreach to new customers and that positive sentiment regarding output expectations was broad- based by sector covered by the PMI survey in December 2025.

Specifics on how the business conditions in Uganda were in December, Stanbic PMI states that the Ugandan private sector remained in growth territory in December 2025.

The survey results revealed that business conditions continued to improve amid sustained expansions in output and new orders.

Firms were also upbeat regarding the outlook for output in the coming year, which spurred greater input buying and efforts to build stocks.

The headline figure derived from the survey is the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). Readings above 50.0 signal an improvement in business conditions on the previous month, while readings below 50.0 show a deterioration.

The Stanbic survey showed that the headline PMI in Uganda stood at 54.0 in December, the headline PMI was up slightly from 53.8 in November and signalled a further upturn in the health of the Ugandan private sector. The latest data indicated an eleventh successive monthly improvement in business conditions.

Commenting on the Stanbic PMI in Uganda, Mr Christopher Legilisho, an economist at Stanbic Bank, said: “Conditions in Uganda’s private sector were upbeat as the Uganda Stanbic Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) remained in expansion territory in December, implying that strong consumer demand conditions drove new orders and boosted output in the private sector.’

Mr Legilisho said the state of employment was healthy, with staffing levels broadly steady following a ten- month period of growth, while backlogs mounted due to capacity pressure from increasing orders. Adding that this was evident in further expansions in quantities purchased and inventories held by Ugandan firms.

“The rise in input prices was linked to elevated water and electricity costs in December. Purchase prices also increased due to concerns about construction costs, among other factors. Wage costs were broadly flat, while output prices increased due to robust customer demand. On the whole, this suggests that the economy is performing briskly, which should be confirmed when official growth data is released,” he explained.

Employment

The stanbic PMI indicates that during the period, staffing numbers at Ugandan businesses were broadly unchanged at the end of the year, thereby ending a ten-month sequence of job creation. Where employment increased, survey respondents stated this was linked to greater use of temporary workers.

Stocks of purchases

In line with greater new order inflows, Ugandan companies registered a further expansion in stocks of purchases during December.

Inventory levels have increased for ten successive months. Where a rise was noted, firms linked this to healthy demand conditions and anticipated upturns in output.

Input prices

As has been the case for almost four-and-a-half years, Ugandan businesses recorded another monthly rise in operating expenses at the end of the year. The report states that higher overall input prices were due to increases in fuel and utility costs, especially electricity and water. Total input costs rose in each of the five tracked sectors.

Purchase prices

Ugandan private sector companies saw another monthly increase in purchase costs during December. Purchase prices have risen in successive months since August 2021.

In line with reports regarding total input costs, fuel price increases were a common driver of higher bills, alongside greater charges for construction materials and sugar. The report states all monitored sectors registered higher purchase prices.

Staff costs

Weighing on the increase in total input costs was a renewed decrease in wage bills at Ugandan companies at the end of the fourth quarter.

The decline followed a 21-month sequence of inflation. Lower staffing costs in the construction and wholesale and retail sectors contrasted with increases elsewhere.

Output prices

In line with a sustained upturn in new business, Stanbic PMI reveals that Ugandan private sector firms noted a further rise in output charges during December.

Accommodative demand conditions enabled companies to pass through higher costs to customers via an increase in selling prices. Higher output charges were seen in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail and service sectors.

As President Yoweri Museveni orders investigations into persistent poverty in Busoga and Bukedi sub-regions despite numerous government interventions, cocoa farming has emerged as a potential game changer.

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has identified cocoa as a high-value cash crop capable of lifting households in Busoga out of poverty.

According to a survey conducted by the ministry, an investment of Shs1 million in cocoa farming can potentially generate returns of up to Shs17 million after about three and a half years.

Dr. Joshua Isiko, an official from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation under the Office of the President, said the findings followed a five-day engagement with leaders and stakeholders across Busoga.

“We have been in Busoga for five days planning specifically for the region, to identify which commodities or value chains a Musoga should be rallied to make money and get out of poverty,” Dr. Isiko said.

He explained that the team held consultations with cultural leaders, political leaders and other stakeholders, and is midway through compiling documentation to guide the region’s economic transformation.

“During these engagements, different ideas were suggested on how people in this region can move out of poverty, including growing cash crops. But for people to benefit, they must sell these crops, earn money and then buy food,” he said.

Dr. Isiko noted that cocoa stood out as the most viable option.

“Our assessment shows that investing Shs1 million in cocoa can yield up to Shs17 million in returns,” he said. “A farmer’s investment in cocoa has the potential to grow 17 times.”

He added that coffee emerged as the second-best option, with the potential to multiply investment by nine times, while palm oil ranked third, generating between Shs4-5 million from a Shs1 million investment.

“These are the three crops we have prioritized: cocoa, coffee and palm oil on top of the food crops people already grow. We want households to have at least one crop that brings in money,” Dr. Isiko said.

He linked the initiative to President Museveni’s four-acre model.

“In the four-acre model the President has been advising one can plant cocoa, coffee or palm oil. These are the three crops we have zeroed in on,” he said.

Dr. Isiko said the ministry will document the findings in a way that enables ordinary people to understand which activities to engage in and who to contact for support.

“We also plan to engage with villagers to validate these calculations on the three selected crops with the farmers who will use this information,” he added.

He explained that Busoga won’t be assigned specific crops since it mostly has the same environmental conditions.

“Busoga has similar climatic conditions. Variations in performance are mainly due to soil factors such as acidity, nitrogen and potassium levels, which are simple problems to solve using science and technology,” Dr. Isiko said.

He added that rainfall, humidity and temperature are fairly uniform across the region.

“There is no part of Busoga that is significantly drier than another. That is why we shall not zone the region for these crops,” he said.

Dr. Isiko further revealed that demonstration sites will be established to teach best farming practices.

“We shall have demonstration sites where people will learn how to make the best money from whichever crop they choose. That will happen during implementation,” he said.

According to Dr. Isiko, the strategic plan is expected to be completed by January next year and will include mapping, technology sourcing and input supply mechanisms.

“When someone reads this document, it should clearly guide them on where and how to make money,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Monica Musenero, said Uganda’s development planning increasingly focuses on sub-regions to ensure inclusive growth.

“The President has for a long time emphasized planning around sub-regions so that each one can be deliberately brought into the money economy,” Dr. Musenero said.

She explained that while Uganda’s economy is growing, assessments show disparities in growth rates among different sub-regions.

“The uptake of government programs has not been uniform. Some regions are moving very fast into the money economy, while others are lagging behind,” she said.

Dr. Musenero noted that Bukedi and Busoga were prioritized because they have not been keeping pace with national development.

These regions are among the underperforming areas; in many cases, people see government programs as belonging to the government, not to them, she said.

She added that some national government programs failed to yield results in certain regions because they were designed uniformly for the entire country.

“As science and technology, our role is to find out what works best for each region. That is why we adopted this strategic planning approach, which is a concept developed by the President,” Dr. Musenero said.

Mr Abdul Kimbowa, General Secretary of the youth from Buyende District, welcomed the initiative led by State House, saying he believes it will drive Busoga’s transformation because of its unique approach.

He said that people in Busoga have lacked crops that provide consistent yields, like cocoa and coffee, which can be harvested repeatedly without replanting.

Mr Isaac Kambugu, a sugarcane farmer from Namutumba, welcomed the idea but noted that its success depends on the government’s good intentions.

“I’m cautious about government projects because, for a long time, the same government has sourced crops that could transform areas, only for prices to drop at harvest,” he explained.

The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has asked President Yoweri Museveni to remove the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Betty Amongi, from the Lira City Woman Parliamentary race.

Among made the appeal on Thursday in Lira, where Mr Museveni was concluding his campaign rally in the Lango sub-region. President Museveni, the NRM presidential flag bearer, had launched his campaign trail in Amolatar in October last year before temporarily suspending rallies in Kole and Lira to campaign in other parts of the country. He returned to Lira to conclude the regional engagements yesterday.

Ms Amongi, who is contesting on the ticket of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) led by her husband Jimmy Akena, is facing off with the NRM candidate and Minister of Health, Jane Ruth Aceng, in the Lira City Woman MP race.

The Speaker urged the President to exercise his authority as the appointing authority to compel Amongi to step aside from the parliamentary contest.

“I am speaking as the second national vice chairperson. I know I am your vice but I must do wok for you to get a good party. We cannot continue hobnobbing with people who do not believe in us and I want to thank the UPC members who love us genuinely. And your excellency I want to thank you for believing in politics of ideology and not identity. Your excellency, that patience of yours, may be enough is enough. We cannot allow people to step on a plate that has fed you,” said Ms Among amid loud cheers and handclaps.

The Bukedea Woman MP argued that Ms Amongi was using government resources provided by an NRM-led administration to politically fight the same party.

“When we created Lira City, you wanted it to be under the leadership of NRM where you can have full control. In the interest of promoting NRM and in the interest of making sure that we are in charge of Lira City, we want to request you your excellency that you request your daughter, Amongi to leave Dr Aceng in Lira City because when you appointed her as a minister, the same facilities she gets as a minister under your government are the same facilities that she uses to fight your people,” Ms Among said.

She emphasised that the ruling party would not tolerate such conduct, noting that party loyalty must be upheld, especially by those entrusted with government responsibility. According to Among, accepting an appointment under NRM comes with an obligation not to undermine the party’s political interests.

While acknowledging that some opposition members genuinely support the NRM and its ideology, the Speaker cautioned the President against being overly accommodating, warning that excessive leniency could be politically costly.

She concluded by praising the President for his patience and inclusive leadership, but stressed that the election period was a defining moment for identifying true allies. She rallied the people of Lango to turn out in large numbers to vote for President Museveni as a gesture of appreciation for the fulfilment of his pledges to the region.

Despite the pointed request, the President did not directly respond to the Speaker’s appeal during his nearly one-hour address. Instead, he focused on highlighting the NRM’s historical role in restoring peace and stability to Uganda, noting that national unity had been undermined in the past by sectarian divisions.

‘Uganda had become unmanageable with political instability, cattle rustlers, but now Uganda is peaceful from one corner to another. This is because of our ideology. We believe in politics of interest rather than politics of identity,” said Mr Museveni who has been in power since 1986 and plans to extend his rule to 45 years in the January 15, 2026 General Election.

Earlier, the Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang, called on voters in Lango to support Dr Jane Ruth Aceng. He praised her performance, saying she had delivered more tangible results for the region compared to other legislators.

Dr Aceng has been serving her first term in Parliament since her election in 2021 as the Woman Member of Parliament for Lira City.

About 21 million registered voters are expected to file at polling stations next Thursday, to pick Members of Parliaments and a President, who is country’s chief political executive.

Seven men are bidding to oust Yoweri Museveni Tibuhaburwa, himself fighting to retain his seat and extend his time in office to 45 years, which would be historic in Africa and beyond. Although voters will on January 15 pick hundreds of lawmakers, and in weeks after choose thousands of local government leaders, it is the presidency where the Ugandan laws most concentrate power.

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When I was in Primary Five, three boys ran for school timekeeper. Two handed out sweets. The third, James, walked onto the stage with the confidence of a boy who had nothing to lose and everything to promise.

He grabbed the microphone and declared: ‘I’ll buy each of you a watch. You won’t have to wait for me to ring the bell. Just check your watches, and when it’s break time, walk out.’ The school erupted. It didn’t matter that the plan made no sense. That same day, James won in a landslide.

President Museveni has hinted at future discussion involving the development partners and investment companies about the minimum wage and deliberate employment policies that favor locals for jobs.

In his message delivered by the Vice President of Uganda Jessica Alupo at the launch of the greater Luweero Investment Forum and investment expo held at Kasana ground in Luweero Town Council between January 6th and 7th 2026, Mr Museveni hailed the robust industrialisation programme that is offering hope for employment while boosting economic development in the country.

‘At an appropriate time, we shall be discussing with our development partners about the minimum wage. I have also taken note that we need to take a deliberate effort to get the youth from Luweero triangle to work in the factories. We shall design a policy that ensures that majority of the workers are youths from these area,’ he said.

The president explained that the more than 500 industries located in the different parts of the districts of Luweero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola are in line with the four pillars that he has been emphasizing majorly from well-planned commercial agriculture, manufacturing industries, services that include, tourism, hotels and transport.

‘The other sector is ICT where jobs can be done through outsourcing. In the Kapeeka area alone located in Nakaseke District, we have over 40 factories,’ he said.

The Greater Luweero Investment Forum, according to the chairperson of the organising committee, Ms Rose Namayanja Nsereko brings together industrialists, investors, entrepreneurs among other key stakeholders to discuss and promote sustainable development initiatives in the region.

‘By holding an investment expo, we want our people to come and witness, buy and also get knowledge and skills from the exhibiting firms and experts. We are talking about 500 factories but it is also possible that some of our people have never had the chance to see some of the products manufactured at the different factories within the greater Luweero region,’ she told this publication on January 7, 2026.

Greater Luweero now hosts some of the country’s largest industries, including the region’s leading tile manufacturing industry (Good Will) and Afro Chic, producing one million eggs per day.

‘The region is doing well in boosting export and import substitution in Uganda,’ Ms Namayanja explained.

The architects of the Greater Luweero Investment Forum (GLIF) say that the forum will play a crucial role in promoting dialogue, collaboration and strategic planning among various regional stakeholders to achieve sustainable development in Uganda.

Senior Presidential Advisor on Defence and overall coordinator of the Operation Wealth Creation, Gen Caleb Akandwanaho, also known as Salim Saleh in his message delivered to the exhibitors, guests and people of Luweero attending the investment expo revealed that the new forum aligns well with Uganda’s strategic path to economic prosperity while emphasizing rural transformation.

‘Through industrialization and establishing industrial parks like Namunkekera rural industrial park, Uganda has been able to manufacture goods locally, create jobs and reduce imports, shifting from over dependence on agriculture. Uganda has stepped into a new era of industrial strength,’ he said.

Recently, President Museveni commissioned Victoria Sugar Industry and PRO Ethanol plant located in Butuntumula Subcounty, Luweero District.

According to management at PRO Industries, the Ethanol plant is the largest in the East African Region with a production capacity of 120,000 liters of ENA and 35,000 liters of Ethanol per day and works directly with over 2,000 farmers in Luweero supplying the maize seeds used in the manufacturing process.

At Namukera industrial park(LIAO SHEN), the more than 35 manufacturing industries produce a range of items including the ceramics, tiles, electronics, fabrics, fruit processing, foot wear among many other products for both export and home sale.

In Nakasongola District, the government owned NEC industries produce a range of products including fabrication. Luweero Industries recently launched the armored vehicles fabricated at the NEC industries Nakasongola. Authorities in Nakasongola say that the District has more than 35 industries. The will also host the pioneer BioScience Park now under construction at Kakooge Subcounty in Nakasongola District.

The Electoral Commission (EC) yesterday started to dispatch voting materials to the 146 districts across the country ahead of the General Election that commences on Thursday. The EC chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, flagged off the first batches of electoral materials at the EC warehouse in Ntinda, on the outskirts of Kampala. He said the EC has deployed enough security to escort the material to their district offices and that it would be stored safely.

The materials that included ballot papers and biometric voter verification machines would first be dispatched to Mitooma, Hoima City, Yumbe, Mbale, Masaka City, Luweero, Bundibugyo, Bukedea, Dokolo, Wakiso, and Namayingo. Justice Byabakama, who was flanked by six EC commissioners and other technical officers, said the distribution of the voting kits would be done in phases and not simultaneously ahead of the polling day. He assured Ugandans and all political players that the polling kits would not be delayed, lost or tampered with but transported under tight security and delivered in time for polling.

Justice Byabakama, who looked upbeat, said the materials would be kept at the EC district offices until issued to polling stations on polling day. ‘All voting kits are kept at the district EC offices under security until polling day. Each kit belongs to a respective polling station, and if any kit is misplaced, it will affect that polling station because it is allocated to only one polling station, Justice Byabakama told reporters. The dispatch comes barely a day after the EC concluded receiving ballot papers for presidential, parliamentary, and local government polls. They were printed and delivered by a Dubai-based firm, Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company.

Justice Byabakama yesterday said each voting kit is uniquely assigned to a specific polling station, making accountability critical throughout the distribution process. He said the phased distribution was informed by manpower and logistical constraints and the need to maintain strict security during the movement and storage of the sensitive election materials.

He said districts are scheduled to receive the materials on different days, depending on their logistical readiness and security arrangements. Justice Byabakama promised to deliver a smooth, secure, and credible electoral process that kicks off on Thursday with the presidential and parliamentary polls, followed by those for cities, municipalities, and local government across the 146 districts.

A decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw the United States from 66 international organisations has sparked sharp reactions across the globe.

Some critics branded the move ‘outrageous,’ while others insisted it would not derail the fight against climate change. The withdrawal stems from Executive Order 14199, issued on February 4, 2025, in which Mr Trump pledged to cut funding to certain United Nations bodies and reassess US support for all international organisations.

He subsequently directed the Secretary of State, in consultation with the US representative to the UN, to review every intergovernmental organisation, convention, and treaty involving US membership or funding, and to identify those deemed contrary to American interests. ‘The Secretary of State has reported his findings as required by Executive Order 14199. I have considered the Secretary of State’s report and, after deliberating with my Cabinet, have determined that it is contrary to the interests of the United States to remain a member of, participate in, or otherwise provide support to the organisations listed in section two of this memorandum,’ Mr Trump declared.

‘Consistent with Executive Order 14199 and pursuant to the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby direct all executive departments and agencies to take immediate steps to effectuate the withdrawal of the United States from the organisations listed in section two of this memorandum as soon as possible. For United Nations entities, withdrawal means ceasing participation in or funding to those entities to the extent permitted by law,’ he added.

The announcement drew swift backlash from affected organisations. The Sustainable Energy and Environmental Coalition Institute (SEEC Institute) condemned the decision, adding that the US exit from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Renewable Energy Agency, UN Oceans, UN Water, and other treaties amounted to a continuation of the administration’s assault on climate and clean energy efforts.

‘It isolates America, damages our credibility, and ultimately hurts every American. Climate change is real,’ the institute stated. Founded in 2024 to complement the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), a congressional caucus established in 2009, the SEEC Institute connects lawmakers with the private sector, civil society, and academia to strengthen dialogue and accelerate progress on climate and energy policy. Mr Max Frankel, the executive director of SEEC Institute, emphasised that the impacts of climate change are undeniable.

‘Far from protecting America’s interests, leaving these agreements gives up our seat at the international decision-making table. We heard loud and clear at COP 30 in Brazil that the world is moving forward with decisive action that will allow them to seize the economic opportunities of a low carbon future, with or without the US. Today’s action only makes it more likely that we will be left behind,’ he said. He added, ‘SEEC Institute was created to find the biggest, most durable solutions possible, and we will continue to do just that alongside members of congress, state and local leaders, and civil society and private sector partners, regardless of any roadblocks.’ Mr Trump added that the secretary of state would provide further guidance to agencies on implementing the memorandum.

Financial fallout

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the move, arguing it would end taxpayer funding for entities that advance ‘globalist agendas’ over US priorities. He said many organisations waste resources on ineffective or hostile programmes.

‘Many of these bodies promote radical climate policies, global governance, and ideological programmes that conflict with US sovereignty and economic strength. American taxpayers have spent billions on these organisations with little return, while they often criticise US policies, advance agendas contrary to our values, or waste taxpayer dollars by purporting to address important issues but not achieving any real results. By exiting these entities, President Trump is saving taxpayer money and refocusing resources on America First priorities,’ Mr Rubio said.

Yet David Widawsky, director of the World Resources Institute, called the decision a ‘strategic blunder.’ He warned that abandoning the UNFCCC undermines decades of international climate cooperation and forfeits US influence.

‘Pulling out of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is a strategic blunder that gives away American advantage for nothing in return. The 30-year-old agreement is the foundation of international climate cooperation. Walking away doesn’t just put America on the sidelines, it takes the US out of the arena entirely,’ Mr Widawsky said.

First Lady and Minister for Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, has emphasised the need for stronger partnerships between government, industry players, and professional bodies to ensure Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) system produces a skilled workforce that meets local and international labour market standards.

Ms Museveni stressed that closer collaboration with industry is critical for aligning curricula and assessment with global standards, supporting the country’s industrialisation agenda.

“The industry’s input will ensure that curricula and training packages are not only relevant but also meet the highest global standards. This alignment is essential for producing employable artisans, technicians, technologists, and other professionals that can contribute to our industrialisation agenda,” Ms Museveni said during the commissioning of the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) Assessment Centre at Kyambogo hill in Kampala on Friday.

The centre, worth Shs25.6 billion, houses UVTAB headquarters and TVET council offices, previously scattered across multiple locations. Museveni said the co-location is expected to improve efficiency and quality assurance in skills training.

“May these UVTAB headquarters reflect the mandate that the TVET Policy 2019 and the TVET Act, 2025 granted UVTAB as an institution of the State. Previously, the Curriculum and Assessment responsibilities of the TVET Sector were scattered… Now that the TVET Policy and TVET Act brought these two related functions together, our hope as government is that we shall see greater efficiency in TVET Curricular and Assessment work,” she said.

Ms Museveni reiterated the government’s commitment to expanding TVET infrastructural facilities, making skills training accessible and affordable for young people, noting that over 82,000 youth have graduated from 19 presidential skilling hubs.

UVTAB Executive Secretary Onesmus Oyesigye said the centre marks a major milestone in implementing the TVET Act 2025 and positioning Uganda to develop an industry-ready workforce.

“This is a unique government project, completed on time, within cost, and meeting quality and standards. This is also a testimony that the fundamental change as envisaged in 1986 by NRM has taken place,” Oyesigye said.

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Kedress Turyagyenda, said integrity, credibility, and relevance remain central to the ministry’s goal of using skills development to drive productivity, job creation, and innovation.

We are entering the core of the election season, that time when the world appears to fray at the edges, consumed by its own political fervour. In the clamour of campaigns and the static of ceaseless debate, it is easy to forget the silent observers among us, the children. I was reminded of this while scrolling through an application on my phone. The application is called Ground News. Its function is aggregation and disclosure; it gathers reports of an event and tells you, coldly, the bias of the source. It shows you what the left saw, what the right saw, what the center failed to notice. I use it to maintain a kind of equilibrium, to resist the vortex of a single narrative.

The realisation arrived without sentiment; this is our assignment now. Our children are by design, loyal. They possess a terrifying faith in the narratives presented to them. Our role, then, is not to provide an answer, but to become the function of the application. We must be the aggregator. The revealer of spectrums. The quiet, insistent voice that says; look at how the story changes depending on who is telling it.

Here is how one might proceed.

Begin with the specific, brutal fact

Consider a hypothetical. You run for office. You lose. The reason you lose is not conspiracy, not bad luck, but a failure of your ideas to compel. A failure of your strategy to connect. Would you tell the child this? Would you look at them and say, I was not the best choice? It is a difficult thing.

One wants to offer conspiracies; it is cleaner. But the difficult thing is the truth. It teaches two things; that trust resides in the unflinching fact, and that loss is not always an injustice. Explain to them that in politics, a side loses because its vision fails to become a shared reality.

Give them comparisons

As parents, our natural instinct is to say; this is good, that is bad. Resist the instinct. Instead, say; let us examine the claims without bias. Here is what this person says they will build.

Now, here is what another person says will happen if they build it. Who is right? Who is wrong? This will help us avoid raising children who are easily swayed by the wind. We will nurture people with the ability to critically analyse issues for themselves and decide to do what is right.

Permit the passion, but insist on common sense

Children are drawn to the new, the vivid, the sound of something shattering. This is a necessary force. It must also be tempered by the laws of consequence. Tell them; wanting change is a moral energy.

But change is not annihilation. You can remodel a house. If you burn it down for the spectacle of the flame, you will be left with the ash, and the cold, and the permanent, weary labour of rebuilding what you did not know how to value until it was gone. Certain structures: trust, civil peace, the fragile consensus of a society, are not like toys. They do not snap back together. To say this is not to traffic in fear. It is to traffic in cause, and effect.

Disabuse them of the savior narrative

This is perhaps the central lesson. Say it plainly; no government, present or wished-for, will save you. Your life will be constructed from your own choices; the diligence you apply, the character you cultivate, the respect you accord to the person beside you. Think less about what the politician in the distant building promises to give you. Think more about what you can build, regardless of who is in the building.

Define the non-negotiable boundary

Teach them that they may disagree to the point of exhaustion. But they must never hate. They must never reduce the other to something less than human. Politics, at its root, is a transaction of ideas.

When it becomes a transaction of violence, you have left the realm of politics altogether. Warn them, explicitly, against the intoxication of the front line. Their future cannot be claimed from a stretcher. Their life is not a prop in someone else’s drama.

Reveal the game

Pull back the curtain, as you would for any complex illusion. Politics is a grand and intricate game. You must pull back the curtain to see it for what it is: a staged arena of strategies, not a natural law. It has its unwritten rules, its practiced moves, its careful gambits. There are masters who see the whole shifting board, and there are pawns who believe the space they occupy is the entire world.

One plays with immense seriousness, for the stakes are real, power, policy, the direction of a society. The objective is to win, but a true player understands that the most essential rule is knowing how to lose. Explain to them that to concede with grace is not weakness; it is the ultimate affirmation of the game itself, an acknowledgment that the structure is more important than any single player’s triumph. Play it fiercely, but remember, it is a contest of wills and ideas, never a holy war. The game is a reason to debate, to struggle, to persuade. It is never, itself, a reason to die.