President Museveni urges Youth to stop spending their time on European football and focus their energy on wealth creation

GOMBA; President Yoweri Museveni has urged Ugandan youths to stop spending their time on European football and instead focus their energy on wealth creation, saying opportunities for jobs and prosperity lie in production, not passive entertainment. 

Addressing young people during the second edition of Jazz with Jjajja at his Kisozi farm,  Museveni said the starting point for anyone seeking to escape poverty is to produce a good or service for the market. 

“The market wouldn’t mean much if you don’t produce a good or a service to sell there. That’s where we should start,” Museveni said, urging youths to identify what they can produce for Uganda, East Africa and, if possible, the wider African market. 

According to the President, wealth and jobs can only be sustainably created in four key sectors: commercial agriculture, manufacturing or artisanship  either as an owner or worker services such as hospitality, tourism, music and creative arts, and ICT. 

He noted that once young people identify where they fit, government support is available, especially for those without capital. Museveni cited various government initiatives introduced over the years, including Entandikwa in 1996, the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, aimed at extending financial support closer to communities. 

“That money is there,” he said, adding that many of the programmes are managed at sub-county and parish levels by leaders elected by the people. 

However, he faulted youths for failing to follow up on these funds, saying some have allowed the resources to be diverted because of their lack of interest. 

“The weakness I see on your side is you don’t care or you despise,” he said. “The money is now diverted by other people because you are not following up.” 

Drawing from his own youth, Museveni described himself as once being deeply involved in mobilization and development work, even during the time when the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) controlled government and he was active as a Democratic Party (DP) youth leader. 

“You are talking to a former young man and nobody can challenge my youngness,” he said. “We changed people in the cattle corridor in our 20s because we were aware of government programmes.” 

He contrasted that activism with what he described as today’s obsession with European football, singling out English club Arsenal as an example. 

“You are busy with Arsenal,” Museveni said. “Somebody asked me which club I support. I told him, me Yoweri Museveni, a general? I have never even watched a European match. I am a footballer and if I wanted to participate, I would play myself.” 

While acknowledging that available funds may not always be sufficient, the President encouraged youths to organize and demand more resources in a united voice, rather than disengage. 

He also stressed the importance of infrastructure in expanding markets, citing the example of improving roads such as the Kasese–Kisangani route to ease trade with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

He urged Ugandan youths to work with their counterparts in neighboring countries to advocate for better transport networks that would enable them to sell their products in larger regional markets. 

“The money will not be enough, but it can be enough if we demand in unison voice to do first things first,” he said. 

Museveni concluded by reminding young people to prioritize productive activities over leisure. 

“The market would be there but people are busy with Arsenal,” he said. “You should take part in things getting you out of poverty health first, then pleasure next.”