President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has promised a dedicated Graduate Fund to support young Ugandans struggling to find employment, moments after being officially nominated as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential flag bearer for the 2026 elections.
Speaking to thousands of supporters gathered at Kololo Independence Grounds on Tuesday, Museveni said the fund will target university graduates who remain jobless two years after completing their studies. He argued that the initiative is part of a broader plan to ensure that no group is left behind in Uganda’s economic transformation.
“We shall create funds for each respective group. For the graduates who finish university and cannot find work after two years, there will be capital to help them start productive activities,” the President explained.
The Graduate Fund is among several new facilities Museveni outlined for the next term. Others include:
Expansion of the ghetto youth fund, first piloted in Kampala.
Establishment of skilling hubs in all 171 districts and municipalities.
Special financial support for fishermen at landing sites, whose start-up needs often exceed the scope of the Parish Development Model (PDM).
Resources for religious and cultural institutions to strengthen their development work.
Museveni said these targeted funds will bring practical solutions to the needs of young people and other marginalized groups, while speeding up Uganda’s progress toward middle-income prosperity.
The President reminded Ugandans that the country’s GDP has doubled over the last term—from about $34 billion to $66 billion—thanks to investments in infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, and human capital.
He added that while many households have joined the money economy, about 33 percent remain outside it. “Everybody must be a wealth creator, either as an owner or as a worker,”he urged.
First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni used the occasion to reflect on gains in education, citing the growth of primary schools from 6,880 at the start of UPE to 12,549 today, and the rise of secondary schools from 454 in 1986 to 1,400. She asked Ugandans to give Museveni another mandate to finish the work that remains.
NRM leaders, including Vice Chair Moses Kigongo, Speaker Anita Among, Secretary General Richard Todwong, and former Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, all endorsed Museveni’s candidature, describing him as a tested leader who has delivered peace, stability, and socio-economic progress.
With his nomination confirmed, Museveni said the next phase will focus on consolidating achievements and opening new opportunities for Ugandans—especially graduates entering a difficult job market.
“Together, we protect what we have built and take a bold leap forward,”* he told the crowd, signaling that the Graduate Fund and other targeted programs will be central to his 2026 campaign message.
