The landlocked nation of 39 million will head to national elections on Thursday, in which incumbent president Yoweri Museveni will be contesting another five-year term in office, possibly extending his stay in power beyond 30 years.
Uganda, the youngest country in the world with more than 78 percent of its people below the age of 30, has experienced peace and security under Museveni’s leadership.
However, with an average of 500,000 new university graduates entering the workforce, the country is facing a massive unemployment problem.
Almost two thirds of the unemployed are youths, according to government data. Non-governmental organisations estimate the figure to be much higher.
Uganda’s youths, dubbed as “Museveni babies”, are increasingly frustrated over the government’s failure to ensure job security while the older generation still remembers Museveni’s contribution to ensure peace during the war of the 1980s.