Impunity, Decay & The Youth Exodus: How Governance Failures Are Hollowing Uganda Ahead Of 2026

By Herbert Kayongo | Diaspora Connect International

As Uganda moves toward the January 2026 general elections, the cracks within its governance systems have grown into deep fissures. From hospitals where mothers die of preventable complications, to universities churning out graduates who end up on motorcycles, to thousands of young people boarding flights to the Gulf for domestic work, the story is the same — a nation bleeding potential through impunity and mismanagement. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (2024), Uganda ranked among the most corruption-prone nations in East Africa, with a score of 26/100. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS, 2024) reports that youth unemployment remains a staggering 41.9%, and that 7 out of 10 working youth survive in the informal sector — mostly unregulated, unsafe, and untaxed.

The Collapse of Public Accountability

Uganda’s governance institutions — from procurement boards to district service commissions — have been eroded by political patronage. The Inspectorate of Government’s Biannual Report (2024) revealed that up to 30% of government contracts were irregularly awarded, often to shell companies connected to politically exposed persons. Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority audits consistently cite “unjustified direct procurements” and “collusion” among suppliers. “Government contracts have become a reward system for loyalty rather than competence,” says Dr. Julius Mukasa, an economist at Makerere University. “That’s why even simple projects like rural health centers are perpetually incomplete or abandoned.”

Economic Decline Behind the Boda-Boda Boom

Uganda’s boda-boda industry — once a symbol of innovation in urban transport — has become an emblem of economic stagnation. The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA, 2024) estimates over 350,000 motorcycle riders operate within the capital alone, with 65% holding tertiary qualifications. A 2024 report by the African Development Bank noted Uganda creates only 100,000 formal jobs annually against over 600,000 new job seekers. For many riders, this is survival, not choice. “I graduated in 2021 with a diploma in accounting,” says 27-year-old Ronald from Kawempe. “I applied for dozens of jobs, but the only thing I could get was this motorcycle. It feeds my family — but every day on these roads, I risk my life.” Traffic Police data shows that boda-boda-related accidents claim over 4,000 lives yearly.

Neglect Becomes a Death Sentence

The health sector mirrors this systemic collapse. Despite budget allocations of over UGX 3.2 trillion (FY 2024/25), reports from UNICEF and WHO confirm that one in every 49 mothers still dies due to pregnancy-related causes. Health workers’ strikes over delayed pay, drug stock-outs, and lack of basic equipment have become common. At Mulago National Referral Hospital, patients often buy their own surgical gloves, blood, and oxygen. In rural districts like Nakaseke and Moroto, entire wards remain closed for months due to staffing shortages. According to The Observer (2024), a full 34% of the national drug supply never reaches public facilities due to theft and ghost deliveries by politically connected suppliers.

Churning Degrees, Not Skills

Once known for academic excellence, Uganda’s education system is now a production line of unemployable graduates. World Bank Education Review (2025) found only 28% of university graduates transition into jobs relevant to their fields. Public schools struggle with inadequate funding, teacher absenteeism, and collapsing infrastructure. In 2023, the Ministry of Education reported over 35% of public secondary schools lacked functional laboratories, and nearly 20% operated without permanent teachers in science subjects.

Uganda’s New Slave Trade

Thousands of Ugandans — mostly young women — migrate to the Middle East as domestic workers. Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (2024) estimates over 180,000 Ugandans are employed in Saudi Arabia, Oman, and UAE, earning UGX 600,000–1,000,000 per month. IOM Migration Report (2024) confirms that Uganda remains one of Africa’s top sources of exploited migrant domestic workers. “Our girls are treated like exports,” laments activist Sarah Auma.

While the government touts an expected 5.6% GDP growth rate (IMF, 2025), Uganda’s debt has risen to UGX 96 trillion, consuming nearly 40% of revenue in repayments. This has left critical sectors like health and education underfunded. Inflation at 6.8% erodes household incomes, and large infrastructure projects rarely benefit the rural poor.

Ahead of the 2026 elections, governance failures threaten democratic legitimacy. Opposition leaders accuse the regime of ‘weaponizing poverty’ as political control. The controversy over the $80 million Biometric Voter Verification tender deepened distrust. Civil society warns free and fair elections cannot exist where impunity and economic hopelessness silence the people’s will.

Reversing the tide requires structural reforms: full transparency in public procurement; empowering oversight bodies like the Auditor General and IGG; investing in vocational skills and local entrepreneurship; restoring meritocracy in civil service appointments; and redirecting public spending toward frontline services.

Data

Sources: UBOS (2024); Transparency International CPI (2024); WHO (2024); UNICEF (2024); IOM (2024); World Bank (2025); IMF (2025); Ministry of Gender (2024)