Connections still main source of jobs in Uganda - UBOS

The term connections in Uganda loosely refers to the circle of people one is acquainted with.

The 2021 report further indicates that 19% of people got their jobs directly from their employers, 2% from brokers and 16% through newspaper adverts.

UBOS notes that Uganda’s current working population stands at 18 million of which 50% earn less than 200,000 per month.

The unemployment rate itself currently stands at 12%.

According to UBOS, this calls for an urgent need to increase the number of the working population by creating more jobs.

According to Gender Ministry permanent secretary Aggrey Kibenge, the report will be used to review some of the Government programs, which have been set up to curb unemployment.

Unemployment remains a huge challenge among the Ugandan population and it is mostly manifested when youths remain jobless even after completing the University.

Evidence to this was the infamous ‘what next’ protests by Makerere University graduates who expressed grievance at the possibility of remaining jobless even after attaining their degrees.

A social media survey further reveals that older professionals mostly encourage young university leavers to prioritize having connections as they can present opportunities that not even their qualifications would.

According to a twitter user identified as Mulondo, he jests that in addition to studying for over twenty years, one still needs connections to get a job in Uganda.

While many parents still perceive education as the key to success, youths in school are encouraged to start cultivating a connection base in order to navigate the current realities of the employment sector.