Eddie Bazira outlines ambitious plan to create employment opportunities through infrastructure and waste management projects
KAMPALA - Eddie Bazira, independent candidate for Lord Mayor, today launched his "One Million Jobs" initiative, an ambitious plan to create massive employment opportunities for Kampala's youth through strategic infrastructure development and environmental management projects.
The initiative forms the centerpiece of Bazira's economic development platform, targeting the creation of at least 1,000,000 well-paying jobs within two years of taking office.
"Our youth are not just the future of Kampala - they are its present. Yet thousands remain unemployed or underemployed," Bazira stated during the launch event attended by hundreds of young people at the Old Taxi Park. "This initiative will harness their energy, creativity, and potential to build the Kampala we all deserve."
Key Employment Sectors:
Infrastructure Development: 50,000 jobs annually through construction of wider roads, modern drainage systems, and public facilities. Positions will include engineers, technicians, construction workers, and support staff.
Solid Waste Management: Over 200,000 jobs in comprehensive garbage collection, sorting, recycling, and processing systems. Employment opportunities for garbage collectors, truck drivers, recyclers, and environmental technicians.
Affordable Housing Construction: 200,000 jobs in slum upgrading and new housing construction projects across all divisions of Kampala.
Public Transit System: Tens of thousands of jobs in the new efficient public transport network including drivers, maintenance staff, and administrative positions.
Small Business Support: Allocation of 25% of city tenders to youth, women, and persons with disabilities to stimulate entrepreneurship and create sustainable business opportunities.
"We will set up Job centers in all divisions that make up Kampala City Council to connect our youth with these opportunities and provide necessary training," Bazira explained.
The candidate emphasized that these would be "well-paying jobs" with proper compensation and working conditions, not temporary or exploitative positions.
Youth leaders welcomed the initiative. "Finally, we have a candidate who understands the urgency of youth unemployment and has concrete plans to address it," said a representative from the Kampala Youth Council.
Bazira also outlined partnerships with technical institutions and vocational training centers to provide skills development programs aligned with the job creation initiative.
"We will work with existing educational institutions to ensure our youth have the skills needed for these new opportunities," he said. "This includes apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training."
The initiative also includes specific support for vulnerable groups, with enhanced government support for peasants, the working poor, food vendors, bodaboda riders, and the unemployed through targeted skill-retraining programs.
"We shall concentrate on building socio-economic independence and financial security for residents; not dependency," Bazira affirmed. "Every hard-working Ugandan deserves respect, support and empowerment."
The "One Million Jobs" initiative has been incorporated into Bazira's comprehensive manifesto, which is available for public review on his campaign website.