Posted on November, 29, 2018 at 10:42 am
By David Lukiiza
The Youth Member of Parliament, Sarah Babirye Kityo Breeze has promised to facilitate youths in the central region to earn a living from agriculture.
Babirye, who was speaking to university students at Kampala International University (KIU) during the National Resistance Movement (NRM) public lecture on Friday, said university students often waste time in unproductive activities such as gambling and drug abuse, among other.
“Agricultural produce such as water melons, mushroom and cabbages are some of the easiest to start with because they need less capital,” she said.
Babirye noted that she is an expert in agriculture and that she is ready to share with the youths these skills, because agriculture is the only investment that has ready market in Uganda.
“Come up with organised groups, I will take you on a two-week retreat, where experts in agriculture will speak to you free of charge,” she added.
Babirye said students always fall prey of opposition leaders who lead them into breaking the law because of their selfish interests.
“Opposition groups are using you to engage in activities, which earn you nothing, and when some of you are imprisoned, they are nowhere to bail you out,” she warned.
Babirye said the NRM government came up with projects like Youth Livelihood programmes (YLP) so that youths become more productive.
“The Government wants youths who are productive in societies where they live, that is why the President came up with YLP so that you are never idle,” she added.
Oliver Mutesi, the secretary students’ affairs at National Youth Council, said youth should get involved in activities that bring them money other than wasting resources in gambling like sports betting.
“This song of Government should help us must stop because, government has put so many avenues for youths to make money, but we are not using them,” she said.
Mutesi cited YLP and Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) as some of the projects which the President put in place to support the youths. However, they shun them claiming that they are intended for only NRM supporters.
Kajabago-Ka-Rusoke, a lecturer at National Leadership Institute Kyankwazi asked government to put in place a labour college where all workers have to be trained and sensitised on issues to do with labour injustices.
Source: New Vision