AMPALA, Uganda (UGNEWSLINE) – The government has challenged university students from the Kigezi sub-region to shun unproductive behaviour, embrace discipline and focus on academic excellence, entrepreneurship and responsible leadership as they prepare to become future leaders and contribute to community and national development.
The call was made by the Minister of Health, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, last week during the fourth annual International Community of Banyakigezi (ICOB) Uganda Chapter Youth Dialogue and the official launch of the Kigezi Youth Strategic Plan 2026–2031, held at Statistics House, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) headquarters in Kampala.
The half-day engagement attracted more than 300 university students from various institutions across the country under the theme, “The Role of the Youth in the Implementation of the Strategic Goals of the Kigezi Youth Strategic Plan 2026–2031.”
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Baryomunsi urged the students to desist from unproductive activities, including the misuse of digital communication platforms, reckless sexual behaviour and greed for resources, warning that such conduct could jeopardise their future.
“Be resilient, be intentional about what you want to do and work towards your goals and objectives. Be disciplined, live a responsible life and avoid acts that put your life in jeopardy,” he advised.
He congratulated the ICOB Uganda Chapter leadership, headed by Grace Mugabirwe Mutebire, and the entire team for supporting and encouraging university students to pursue academic excellence and plan for a better future for the Kigezi sub-region.
Dr. Baryomunsi also pledged to explore opportunities for higher education scholarships through government-to-government arrangements, ministerial initiatives and development partners to enable students to pursue advanced academic and professional qualifications before returning to serve their respective communities.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda, Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba, the Director of Internal Audit at the Bank of Uganda, Ivan Matsiko Amagaraga, described young people as a critical component of Uganda’s national development agenda, emphasising the need to prioritise their access to employment opportunities.
He expressed concern that job creation was not keeping pace with the growing number of young job seekers, leaving many unemployed, out of education or without meaningful access to vocational and skills-training opportunities.
Amagaraga further lamented the limited participation of young people in decision-making positions and government institutions, noting that this had constrained their ability to articulate their concerns at the policy level and access state resources intended to support strategic economic empowerment programmes.
The Chairperson of the Organising Committee, Dr. Andrew Turiheihi, welcomed participants drawn from Makerere University, Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Kyambogo University, Uganda Christian University (UCU), Kampala International University (KIU), King Ceasor University and Metropolitan University, among other institutions.
He commended the students for embracing the chapter’s capacity-building programmes, which are intended to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and networks necessary to contribute meaningfully to society.
Dr. Turiheihi also highlighted the history of the chapter and its newly launched 2026–2031 strategic plan, which seeks to foster unity in diversity, preserve Banyakigezi culture and heritage, empower members with economic skills and promote integrity within the community.
ICOB Uganda Chapter President Grace Mugabirwe Mutebire reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to engaging government and development partners in advancing the socioeconomic development agenda of the Banyakigezi community.
She said the chapter would continue lobbying for improved infrastructure, including better road networks, access to education for all children, quality healthcare and other essential social services for communities in the Kigezi sub-region.
Mutebire commended senior citizens from the region, including Prof. Mondo Kagonyera, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, the late Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, former Governor of the Bank of Uganda, and Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba, among others, for their instrumental contribution to the development of the Banyakigezi community both within Uganda and in the diaspora.
She noted that the chapter would continue strengthening the technical capacity of university students from Kigezi by linking them to employment opportunities, facilitating access to product markets, promoting entrepreneurship and supporting vocational skills-development programmes.
Mutebire also thanked the Executive Director of UBOS, Dr. Chris Mukiza, for providing the venue and technical logistical support for the event, describing him as a patriotic son of Banyakigezi who remains committed to supporting the community’s development agenda.
