President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed the establishment of a new Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Bugiri District. This initiative expands access to vital vocational and industrial training for young people across the Busoga sub-region, scaling up the government’s youth empowerment strategy.
The directive was confirmed by State House Comptroller Ms. Jane Barekye on Friday, October 2, 2026, during a regional stakeholders’ engagement held at the Busoga Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Jinja City. The high-level meeting brought together State House officials, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), and local government leadership from across the region.
Ms. Barekye called upon Bugiri district authorities to immediately secure suitable land to facilitate the prompt commencement of construction.
“If you have land in Bugiri, we are ready to start construction. It is the President who directed that the hub be constructed in Bugiri,” Ms. Barekye announced.
The engagement highlighted a strong spirit of bi-partisan cooperation. Ms. Barekye commended Iganga District LC V Chairperson Shabiru Isabirye, who also chairs the Busoga Zonal Hub committee, for prioritizing national development and citizen welfare over partisan political interests.
Mr. Isabirye, who was elected on the National Unity Platform (NUP) ticket, openly praised the President’s skilling initiative. He emphasized that political affiliation should never hinder leaders from acknowledging state programs that directly benefit citizens.
“I stood on the NUP ticket, but I was voted in by the people, so I give credit where it is due. We have to appreciate President Museveni for this programme that has uplifted our people,” Mr. Isabirye stated. “I will not fail to continue thanking the President for all the development and good stewardship. Mzee has done us well, and my Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and I are asking for a hub in Iganga.”
According to regional leaders, the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs have become a critical socio-economic safety net. The program offers a vital second chance to vulnerable and unemployed youth by equipping them with practical, market-ready skills. This practical training bridges the employment gap and fosters self-reliance through entrepreneurship, transforming young people into productive contributors to the local economy.
The Presidential Initiative on Skilling began as an urban intervention in 2017, initially targeting vulnerable youth in Kampala to address widespread youth unemployment nationwide, the initiative was officially expanded into the Presidential Zonal Industrial Skilling Hubs program, rolling out heavily across the broader regions of Uganda.
There are currently 19 operational Presidential Zonal Industrial Skilling Hubs spanning the country’s sub-regions.
The program is undergoing massive scaling. State House has approved 3 new hubs (in Ntungamo, Bushenyi, and Kalangala) along with a directive for a new hub in Bugiri District and a broader blueprint to construct 17 additional hubs to meet the overwhelming public demand
The program equips more than 12,000 vulnerable youth annually with free, internationally recognized vocational skills
