Balaam Barugahara, the newly appointed Minister of State for Gender in Charge of Youth and Children Affairs, has assured the public that his focus will be on resolving the challenges faced by young people in Uganda.
During a press briefing on Monday, March 25, 2024, following his vetting process by the Parliament’s appointments committee, Balaam expressed his commitment to tackling the issues that affect the country’s youth.
“I’m not in cabinet to recruit youth for the MK Project or PLU. I’ve come to fix challenges affecting young people,” Balaam stated confidently.
He emphasized his determination to combat the rampant unemployment that plagues Uganda’s young population.
“I want to fix the problem of unemployment among the young people in Uganda. I will reach out to young people in every region,” he added.
Barugahara highlighted the key challenges faced by the majority of young people in Uganda, pointing out that around 75% of the population is composed of youth. Shockingly, he revealed that 83% of these young people are unskilled, uneducated, and unemployed. Only a mere 17% possess essential skills for the job market.
To address this situation, Barugahara explained his vision of advocating for strategic skilling opportunities that align with each region’s economic strengths.
“We don’t have to skill people for everyone to be skilling for making bricks, chapatti, etc.,” he noted.
“Each sub-region has its core; Karamoja has minerals, so the youths in Karamoja should be skilled in mining. Bunyoro has oil; our youths in Bunyoro should focus on oil and gas. Similarly, the youths in Buganda are good coffee farmers.”
During his parliamentary vetting, Barugahara also took the time to interact with pupils, assuring them that their concerns would be handled effectively. The Minister expressed his enthusiasm about working closely with young people and emphasized the importance of their voices in shaping policies.
The Parliament’s appointments committee, chaired by Speaker Annet Anita Among, has begun the vetting process for the newly appointed ministers, following the recent cabinet reshuffle by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on March 25, 2024.
Notably, Dr. Kenneth Omona was vetted as the new Minister of State in Charge of Northern Uganda, while Lillian Aber, the Kitgum woman Member of Parliament, underwent vetting as the Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, among other appointments.
According to the Constitution of Uganda, parliamentary vetting is a necessary step for the approval of ministers appointed by the President. The vetting process ensures that the appointees possess the requisite education, work experience, competence, temperament, vision, and integrity to serve effectively in their designated positions.
It is important to mention that non-parliamentary appointees will also be required to take the oath of office before becoming ex-officio members of Parliament. However, this is contingent upon their successful clearance by the committee.
With the newly appointed Minister of State for Gender at the helm of youth affairs in Uganda, there is renewed hope for the country’s young population. Balaam Barugahara’s commitment to addressing the challenges faced by the youth and his focus on strategic skilling endeavors based on regional strengths offer promising prospects for the future.
