Kyabazinga Launches Shs50bn Framework to Combat Teenage Pregnancy and Poverty in Busoga

The Kyabazinga of Busoga, His Majesty William Gabula Nadiope IV, has officially launched an ambitious five-year regional framework aimed at confronting pressing social and economic challenges across the sub-region. Valued at an estimated Shs50 billion, the Busoga Regional Multi-Sectoral Partnerships and Accountability Framework 2026–2030 was unveiled at Igenge Palace in Jinja City.

The launch convened an array of stakeholders, including government ministries, district leaders, religious and cultural institutions, civil society organizations, teachers, and students. According to the Kyabazinga, the sub-region faces a web of interconnected crises that threaten its younger generations, prominently highlighting teenage pregnancies, child marriages, school dropouts, and youth unemployment.

Presenting findings from the foundational study, James Mukwaya, Programme Coordinator for Kyabazinga Initiatives, noted that monetary poverty in Busoga stands at 18.9 percent, while teenage pregnancy is estimated at 28.4 percent—notably higher than the national average of 24.5 percent. Furthermore, data indicates that over 60 percent of young people in the area are neither employed nor engaged in education or training. Experts cited parental negligence and fading community cultural values as leading catalysts behind these statistics.

Laura Lafuente Criado, speaking on behalf of the UNFPA Country Representative, praised the new strategy for moving away from fragmented approaches toward a unified, whole-of-society model. The United Nations has committed technical and financial backing to integrate the framework into local district development plans across 11 districts, while also enhancing clinical services and joint monitoring systems.

Cultural leadership is set to play a pivotal role, utilizing community-based structures like village safeguarding committees and the Abasaadha N’Empango campaign to engage men and boys in safeguarding families. Security and education sectors within the region have also pledged full cooperation to ensure the initiative reaches its goals. Read the full story on Nile Post.