By Our Staff Reporter

JINJA, UGANDA — October 3, 2026
State House has announced plans to establish a new Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Bugiri District as part of efforts to expand access to vocational and industrial training for young people in Busoga.

The State House Comptroller, Jane Barekye, said President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had directed the establishment of the new hub and urged leaders in Bugiri to identify suitable land to enable construction to begin.

Barekye made the announcement on October 2, 2026, during a stakeholders’ engagement at the Busoga Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Jinja City.

“If you have land in Bugiri, we are ready to start construction. It is the President who directed that the hub be constructed in Bugiri,” Barekye said.

The meeting brought together State House officials, Resident District Commissioners and local government leaders from across the Busoga region to assess the performance of the skilling programme and discuss ways of improving its impact.

Iganga District LC V Chairperson Shabiru Isabirye, who also chairs the Busoga Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub, praised President Museveni for introducing the skilling programme.

Isabirye, who was elected on the National Unity Platform (NUP) ticket, said political differences should not prevent leaders from supporting government programmes that benefit citizens.

He said the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs had given young people who were struggling to find employment an opportunity to acquire practical skills for employment and self-reliance.

“I stood on the NUP ticket, but I was voted in by the people, so I give credit where it is due. We have to appreciate President Museveni for this programme that has uplifted our people,” Isabirye said.

He also called for the establishment of another hub in Iganga and urged leaders and hub managers to avoid discrimination based on political affiliation.

Isabirye further raised concerns about alleged encroachment on land belonging to the Busoga Zonal Hub and asked State House to support the acquisition of a land title and fencing of the property.

Barekye said government programmes should benefit Ugandans regardless of their political background, pointing to the leadership of the Busoga hub by an opposition politician as an example.

However, she raised concerns over alleged interference in the selection of beneficiaries at some skilling hubs.

She said some well-connected individuals were reportedly being included on admission lists, potentially denying opportunities to vulnerable young people who are the intended beneficiaries.

Barekye said State House would strengthen the verification process by conducting additional checks, including visiting the homes of selected applicants before they are finally admitted.

She also urged local government leaders to monitor graduates who receive start-up funding through hub SACCOs to ensure the money is used for its intended purpose.

According to Barekye, government plans to inject more funds into the SACCOs to strengthen their ability to support graduates in starting businesses.

Godfrey Longa, the Hubs Project Coordinator for Eastern and Northern Uganda, urged district selection committees to identify suitable young people for the training.

He stressed that the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs are designed to provide vocational and industrial skills and should not be treated as rehabilitation centres.

Four new courses introduced

State House has also expanded the range of courses offered at the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs.

Eng. Raymond Kamugisha, Director of Presidential Projects and Industrial Hubs at State House, said the programme was established partly in response to youth unemployment, limited access to formal education and the increasing economic burden associated with population growth.

He said the hubs admit young people regardless of their formal education background and equip them with practical skills to enable them to create employment and establish businesses.

The existing courses include welding, carpentry and joinery, bakery, tailoring, hairdressing, shoemaking, and building and concrete practice.

Kamugisha said President Museveni had directed the introduction of four additional courses: electrical installation, knitting and weaving, mechanical engineering, and plumbing.

“With all the challenges we have as a country, many can be solved through skilling,” Kamugisha said, adding that graduates were performing well in their respective fields.

He urged local governments to consider qualified graduates from the hubs when awarding suitable contracts, while encouraging the graduates themselves to actively seek opportunities.

Kamugisha also announced plans to establish another Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Luweero to serve the Greater Luweero sub-region.

During a separate stakeholders’ engagement at the Mengo Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Kayunga District on October 1, leaders discussed training expansion, employment opportunities, SACCO financing and agricultural production.

Mukono Resident District Commissioner Hajjat Fatuma Ndisaba challenged graduates to become more self-reliant and make use of the opportunities provided by the government.

She urged graduates who had received training and access to SACCO financing to take responsibility for building their businesses rather than continuously waiting for additional support.

Ndisaba also called for government agencies to create opportunities for qualified graduates to access small contracts within local governments.

She said such contracts would help graduates build businesses and increase their capital alongside the start-up financing available through the hub SACCOs.

Karangwa Charles, Vice Chairperson of the Mengo Zonal Hub, commended the Presidential Industrial Skilling programme, saying it was helping young people improve their livelihoods.

He urged communities to embrace the initiative as one of the measures that can help address youth unemployment.

Kirabo Agnes Nantongo, Vice Chairperson of the National Women Council and Luweero District Women Council Chairperson, also welcomed the programme.

She encouraged young people to stop relying on complaints and instead make use of the skills and start-up opportunities available to them.

Kirabo offered land she had previously acquired for a skilling centre to State House for consideration as a possible site for the planned Luweero hub.

The Jinja and Kayunga engagements are part of State House efforts to evaluate the performance of the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs, address challenges affecting trainees and graduates, and strengthen the transition from training to employment, entrepreneurship and wealth creation.