OPINION
The recent “Jazz with Jaja” gathering at Kisozi farm, where a group of bloggers and TikTokers met President Museveni, has stirred more debate than inspiration. What was meant to be a platform for dialogue between the youth and the Head of State instead turned into what many have called a “begging session.”
This was the second edition of the program organized by Natasha Karugire, the First Daughter. Ideally, such a forum should have been a golden chance for young people to articulate the challenges they face, unemployment, access to capital, digital innovation, and the future of education. Instead, the questions raised were largely personal requests, leaving the broader issues untouched.
The name “Jazz with Jaja” is symbolic. In African tradition, time with grandparents was sacred, an opportunity to learn values, hear stories, and gain wisdom for life. The program’s branding suggests a continuation of that cultural practice. Yet, the reality fell short. Rather than channeling the spirit of mentorship and collective responsibility, the session reflected a generation more eager to seek favors than to engage in constructive dialogue.
Public platforms like these are rare. They offer direct access to power, a chance to influence policy, and to spotlight the real struggles of ordinary youth. When squandered, they reinforce the perception that young voices are unserious or unprepared. That is dangerous, because it risks sidelining the very generation that should be shaping Uganda’s future.
The problem may not lie in the program’s name but in the mindset of its participants. “Jazz with Jaja” should be more than a casual chat it should be a forum of accountability, where the youth bring evidence, ideas, and solutions to the table. If African tradition teaches anything, it is that wisdom flows from dialogue, not from handouts.
Uganda’s youth must ask themselves: when given the microphone, do we speak for ourselves, or for the nation? The next “Jazz with Jaja” will only matter if it becomes less about favors and more about the future.
