The Youth Problem is Mindset, not the Government.

I joined Makerere University six years ago to pursue a degree in Journalism and Communication. I knew very little about the city, various people, customs, and how to live when I left the countryside. I was fortunate in that I was able to meet and study with students from many walks of life, including those from wealthy homes, those from impoverished families, those from the city and other metropolitan regions, and those from rural areas like myself. Many of these folks were my age mates, and others were older than I was.

I am fortunate. My secondary school's friendly leadership culture was not forgotten. I had it with me and was ready to go. I served as a sports minister in my second year of university, and in my third year, I competed for the position of Guild Representative Councilor, which is roughly similar to a Member of Parliament in national politics. I only needed a few things to win the four gentlemen with whom I stood. The capacity to demonstrate leadership qualities such as loyalty, trust, and self-assurance. When I arrived at the so-called Guild Council, I was greeted by my comrades, the elected Guild Representative Councilors, who were eager to tell me about the university, national politics, the economy, social welfare, and other topics.

Several times throughout our discussion, fellows emphasized how the government has failed to help the youth by failing to provide employment, develop initiatives for them, or provide complete support. One of the most contentious subjects with which I disagreed till my period in office ended was whether the youth had become unproductive as a result of the current government. This is, in my opinion, one of the most controversial topics in my own country, and it has grabbed my curiosity.

Ugandan youth have been waiting for the government to feed them with their arms folded. They feel that the government should consider them and transform their suggestions into actionable plans. The youth have blamed the government for their lack of employment, food, shelter, and riches. In order to live, people are departing my country to work as slaves or maids in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen, Lebanon, and Jordan. Because the government has failed to provide them with work, youth are selling their farmland to raise money for visas to hustle in a foreign nation. Uganda's brilliant and energetic youth are occupied with gambling, begging and filching phones on the streets, and making outrageous claims that the government has failed them.

Did you know that a normal Ugandan youth would rather pay 3000 Ugs for a daily data bundle to watch internet videos, criticize the current regime, and produce hilariously comic Tiktok videos than engage in productive work? Are you aware that the number of Ugandan youth currently leaving their rural homes with land, resources, food security, and other amenities to run to Kampala city is rapidly swelling? I am delighted to inform you that the answer is yes.

Uganda's young currently account for the vast majority of the country's population. With 77 percent of the population under the age of 25, Uganda has the world's highest proportion of young people. This may not appear to be a rising issue, but it is the sort of area where the youth congregate to blame the government for their woes. It's a problem in the sense that the youth, who are co-authors of their woes, haven't come up with a solution and instead keep groaning in one of Uganda's indigenous languages, "Gamumenti Etuyambe," which means "the government should help us." In this piece, I argue that this is a work of fiction and that Ugandan youth should change their opinions.

However, having a toothless bulldog as a youth league has an impact on the government, the youth, the younger generation, the old, and the surrounding communities. The fertile soils and constant climate of the nation have not been adequately exploited, and locals are complaining about a lack of job prospects. What's worse, recent grads have gone so far as to put up posters along the roadside with wording like "What's Next?" Despite this, we have all the time in the world to consider and promote ideas, show change, and construct the society we desire.

A shift in perspective and philosophy should be a viable answer. The youth must sit down and recognize that they live in the finest nation in the world, with abundant and diversified resources. When there is a need, yes, it is advantageous to consider government assistance. Secondly, rather than lamenting, the youth need to have a more realistic attitude to tackling their difficulties. The proper use of the internet, which includes research and innovation, should be implemented. Ugandan youth should embrace technology and develop skills in order to succeed. Instead of exploiting the internet and producing jokes, they could utilize it to follow lessons on how to improve their skills. Instead of lamenting about the lack of jobs, why not create jobs? The time the youth spend surfing the internet is enough to equip them with different skills.

The Ugandan youth are disturbed by mindset, not by the government. They will achieve a lot if their minds are transformed to see things differently and to see every situation as an opportunity.