President Museveni has raised concern over Uganda’s housing deficit while commissioning a Shs418 million skilling hub in Tororo District.
The project, established by the Rotary Club of Innsbruck, Austria, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Uganda, honours the late Rotary International president-elect Sam Owori.
Through a message delivered by Vice President Jessica Alupo, Museveni revealed that the country faces a shortfall of more than two million housing units and praised the hub for supporting government efforts to spur socioeconomic transformation and improve living conditions.
‘Vocational training is one of the key concepts that the NRM government has put emphasis on,’ the president said, adding: ‘Since 1986, our message has centred on ensuring every adult in Uganda has an area of economic specialization that earns them money.’
Museveni traced Uganda’s focus on productivity to pre-colonial systems, where communities encouraged members to join productive groups such as blacksmiths, carpenters, and clay makers.
He said contemporary households must adopt manageable enterprises in commercial agriculture, manufacturing, and goods and services to eliminate poverty and unemployment.
‘Some youth have gone into offering services like boda boda, taxis and music,’ Museveni noted, ‘but we need to encourage them to join manufacturing to stop importation of textiles, electronics, leather, alcohol, and beverages that can easily be made locally.’
He emphasized that skilling hubs would transform the youth from being a liability to an asset, spurring the economy through import substitution and export promotion. ‘Now that we have enough electricity, good roads, peace and security, the government is prioritising industrialisation to cut down costs associated with excessive importation,’ he said.
Museveni warned that importing goods means exporting both money and employment, leaving Ugandans jobless, and stressed that local industries would create jobs and generate taxes to fund development projects.
The Paramount Cultural Leader of the Tieng Adhola Cultural Institution, Kwar Adhola Moses Stephen Owor, welcomed the initiative, highlighting that Tororo’s high poverty levels require projects targeting mindset change.
‘Once communities acquire life skills and put them into practical use, they will not remain the same. This will position beneficiaries to be job creators,’ he observed.
Tororo Municipality MP Yeri Apollo Ofwono urged government support to expand the hub, allowing it to serve the wider Bukedi South region.
Evelyn Francis Aguti, programmes director at Habitat for Humanity Uganda, explained that the hub will train masons in twist block making and construction to help address Uganda’s housing deficit.
The event also saw participation from Tororo South MP Frederick Angura and Budama North MP Max Ochai, among others.