HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I President Yoweri Museveni has agreed to participate in a town hall meeting with young Ugandans, providing him with an opportunity to directly engage the country’s youth on African integration, environmental protection and issues affecting their generation.
The proposed meeting follows a request by Natasha Ahereza, the National Secretary of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Youth League, which Museveni accepted on October 3, 2026.
In his response, Museveni said he had been informed that many young people had actively engaged with his recent national messages, making a direct conversation with them appropriate.
“Natasha Ahereza, National Secretary NRM Youth League wants what she calls a Town Hall meeting with me to discuss all this. I totally agree,” Museveni said.
The President also thanked Ahereza and other youth leaders for their interest in African integration and environmental preservation, two issues that have featured prominently in his political and economic messaging.
Reaching the youth directly
Museveni’s decision comes against the backdrop of efforts by the NRM to maintain direct engagement with young Ugandans, commonly referred to by the President as the “Bazzukulu”.
The town hall format would allow young people to ask questions, raise concerns and seek explanations directly from the President rather than relying solely on messages delivered through political structures.
The proposed discussions are expected to focus particularly on regional integration, which Museveni has consistently promoted as important for expanding markets and strengthening Africa’s economic position.
For young people, regional integration has implications for employment, trade, entrepreneurship, investment and movement across African markets.
Environmental protection is the other major theme identified for the engagement. Bringing the subject into a youth dialogue creates an opportunity to discuss the responsibilities of the younger generation in protecting natural resources while pursuing economic development.
Building on Jazz with Jajja
The planned town hall will also build on Museveni’s previous attempts to engage young Ugandans through less formal and more interactive platforms.
His “Jazz with Jajja” sessions brought together content creators, journalists, digital entrepreneurs and influencers for direct conversations with the President.
At the January 4, 2026 gathering at State Lodge, Nakasero, participants questioned Museveni about leadership, the digital economy, regional integration and livelihoods. The event was organised by his daughter, Natasha Karugire.
A second edition held at his Kisozi farm combined discussions on economic transformation with a farm tour. During that engagement, Museveni also pledged Shs5 billion to organised content creators.
The town hall therefore continues a model in which young people are given opportunities to interact directly with the President.
Natasha Karugire to organise meeting
Museveni has directed Karugire to work with Ahereza in organising the proposed youth meeting. “Let her work with Ahereza to organise the meeting you want. I will be happy to participate,” Museveni said.
Karugire’s previous role in organising “Jazz with Jajja” makes her involvement significant, as the new meeting is expected to retain some of the direct-interaction elements that characterised the earlier gatherings.
However, the eventual impact of the town hall will depend on how it is organised, including who attends, how questions are selected and whether young people from different backgrounds are given opportunities to participate.
Political and economic engagement
Beyond the immediate discussions on integration and the environment, the meeting fits into the NRM’s broader effort to engage Uganda’s youthful population on political, economic and ideological questions.
Young people constitute a major constituency in Uganda, while unemployment, entrepreneurship, access to markets and economic opportunities remain important issues for the generation entering the workforce.
By agreeing to a direct youth dialogue, Museveni is creating another platform through which his administration and the NRM can communicate their positions while hearing concerns from young people.
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