Sebei presidential industrial hub graduates 456 youths

"Ugandans to be grateful for what the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Government under the stewardship of President Yoweri Museveni has done for the country including free education. To the people who have ever lacked school fees or to parents who have failed completely to pay school fees for their children and to some of us who did not go to school because we didn’t have shoes, we do appreciate this huge investment by the government,” William Chemonges Member of Parliament for Kween County, said on Friday.

Addressing huge crowds at the graduation ceremony held at Sebei Presidential Industrial hub in Kwen district, Chemonges noted that through the skilling hubs, President Museveni is extending free education and employment to the biggest population in Uganda who are the youths and are yearning to have a skill.

A total of 456 trainees from the second and third intakes completed their vocational training in seven disciplines namely; bakery & confectionery, welding and metal fabrication, leather processing (shoemaking), tailoring and designing, hairdressing and makeup, building and construction practice and carpentry & joinery.

Kween County MP Chemonges William (in tie) and State House Comptroller Jane Barekye (in yellow) and other officials inspect some of the products made by the youths at Sebei zonal hub in Kween district.

Each of the graduating students received a Certified Uganda Vocational Qualifications Level One Certificate from the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) which is equivalent to the Uganda Certificate of Education level and internationally recognized.

Chemonges, who said that he closely monitors the developments of the Sebei Presidential Industrial Hub called upon the youths to remain focused on the skills which they have acquired.

“No government will come and employ everybody. Even if another government comes tomorrow, unemployment will always be an issue. The jobs are within us. We need to take very serious affirmative action in the Sebei region and ensure that we support these children. In Sebei we are constructing over 10 seed schools. All of them need builders, welders, carpenters for desks and others. Let’s begin from there,” he stressed. 

He further called upon leaders in the region to set up a joint workshop per district where skilled children can operate after training as they are looking for capital.

The State House Comptroller, Jane Barekye, informed the gathering that President Museveni initiated the skilling hubs with the intention to among others, create jobs among the youths, train them to be job creators, not job seekers, reduce criminality and above all improve household incomes.

“As you have heard the testimonies, most of your children who graduated are doing something for themselves and that is the intention of the President. The President is now planning to set up common user facilities with required machines in every district which hosts a skilling hub to give the opportunity to our youths who have graduated to continue practising their skills,” Barekye said.

The Director of Industrial Hubs and Presidential Projects at State House, Eng. Raymond Kamugisha appreciated partners, the Ministry of Local Government, the Directorate of Industrial Training and the Uganda People’s Defense Forces with whom they work to ensure the success of the program.

The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Kween, Atuhaire Hope, said since the establishment of the skilling hub, there's been a big change in the communities, especially among the youths who had been nearly wasted.

“Having an industrial hub here was not a mistake. We have had a lot of hustles with youth and unemployment. I want to thank H.E. the President for bringing these people together to learn so that they add to the development of this country. I am here to confirm that Sebei is ready for the President, all of them are going to vote.”

The Chairperson Zonal Management Committee, Toskin Silvester Bomet who is also the District Commercial Officer Kween District called upon the government to improve the road network in the district, especially the one leading to the skilling hub.

Dignitaries at the events also included officials from the three districts of Kween, Kapchorwa and Bukwo who included; Resident District Commissioners, LCV chairpersons, security officers, District Commercial Officers and District National Resistance Movement-NRM chairpersons.

Presidential Industrial Hub initiative

Sebei Presidential Hub is one of the 19 hubs established across the country with the aim of equipping over 12, 000 youths every year under the Presidential Initiative on skilling of the youths to usher them into the money economy.

Other beneficiaries include Greater Mbarara, Greater Masaka, Kigezi-Kabale, Kayunga, Kampala, Kyenjojo, Kasese, Ntoroko, Adjumani, Gulu, Lira, Mbale, Kibuku, and Jinja districts.