KAMPALA — President Yoweri Museveni is set to meet garage operators and mechanics from across Central Kampala on Sunday, December 28, to discuss challenges affecting their trade and opportunities for skills and financial empowerment.
The meeting, which will be held at Kololo Airstrip, was confirmed on Saturday afternoon by the Commissioner of the National Patriotism Corps, Ms Hellen Seku, during a press conference in Kampala.
Ms Seku said the closed-door engagement will bring together mechanics and garage operators drawn from the five divisions of Kampala — Kawempe, Rubaga, Makindye, Nakawa and Central Division — who have been seeking direct interaction with the President to present their concerns.
“The President will listen to their challenges as they operate in the informal sector and will also guide them on financial literacy and money management,” Ms Seku said.
She noted that many mechanics possess practical technical skills but lack access to heavy-duty working tools and modern equipment, which limits productivity and income growth.
According to Ms Seku, the mechanics have appealed for government intervention to support them with appropriate tools and structured support.
“For many of these artisans, the skills are there, but the tools are not. This is one of the key issues they want to raise with the President,” she said.
Ms Seku revealed that over the past month, she has been holding consultative meetings with mechanics and garage operators in the five divisions to document their challenges and expectations. During these engagements, the mechanics unanimously requested an opportunity to meet President Museveni and directly share their concerns.
“The meetings we have had over the last one month were aimed at understanding their real challenges on the ground. They asked for a meeting with the President so that they can be guided and supported,” she added.
The Kololo meeting is expected to focus on practical solutions for improving working conditions for mechanics, promoting financial discipline, and integrating skilled artisans into government programmes aimed at wealth creation and economic transformation.
Officials said the engagement forms part of broader efforts to organize and empower informal sector workers, who constitute a significant portion of Kampala’s urban workforce.
