He’s wearing a faded Makerere hoodie under his yellow reflector jacket. Helmet in one hand, phone in the other. Between rides, he’s checking WhatsApp for clients.
Two years ago, he was walking across the graduation stage with a degree in Business Administration. Today, he’s riding boda from Ntinda to town for UGX 3k a trip.
“My father sold two cows to pay my tuition,” he says. “Now when I go home, he asks me ‘my son, where is the office job you were talking about?’”
That’s the new reality in Kampala, ssebo. And it’s breaking hearts from Gulu to Mbarara.
So the question now is not just “are there no jobs?” The real question is “is a degree still worth it in Uganda, or are we just wasting time and money?”
Let’s talk about it. Not as professors. As Ugandans.
The Dream We Were Sold
Twenty years ago, if you had a degree, you were sure. You’d finish campus, do internship for 6 months, then get a job in a bank, an NGO, or government. Parents would slaughter a goat. Neighbors would clap. “Our son is a graduate now.”
That dream worked when there were 2 universities and 200 graduates a year.
Today we have 50+ universities and 40,000+ graduates every year. But the jobs? They’re still 500. Maybe 800 if you’re lucky.
So now we have a traffic jam at the job gate. And the people at the back? They’re riding boda. Or selling airtime. Or doing mobile money.
That’s not failure. That’s math.
What Ordinary Uganda Is Saying On The Ground
Go to the boda stage in Kisenyi and you’ll find 4 graduates there. One studied Education. One studied IT. One studied Social Work. One studied Accounting.
Ask them why they’re riding boda and they’ll tell you straight: “Boss, I applied to 40 places. No reply. Or they say ‘we’ll call you’. They never call.”
For the mama in Owino selling tomatoes, this is painful. She saved for 4 years to pay tuition. She told all her friends “my daughter is in campus.” Now her daughter is home with a certificate and no job. And the neighbors are starting to whisper “maybe she was just going to campus for boyfriend.”
That’s the shame that’s killing parents more than poverty.
And for the S6 leaver in Mbale right now, this is confusing. Teacher says “study hard, go to university.” But cousin in Kampala says “don’t waste money, just learn welding or driving.” Who do you believe?
What Elite Uganda Is Arguing In Boardrooms
The HR manager in Kololo sees it different. He says “we have jobs, but we don’t have the right skills.”
He’ll tell you he advertised for a marketing officer. 200 applications came in. 180 had degrees. But only 5 could write a proper email. Only 3 could use Excel beyond opening it.
So the problem ain’t just lack of jobs. It’s mismatch. Universities are teaching theory. Companies need practical skills.
The investor will also tell you: “Why should I hire a graduate at UGX 800k when I can hire a diploma holder at UGX 400k who can actually do the work?”
Harsh. But that’s business.
And then there’s the other thing elite Uganda won’t say out loud: Connections matter more than certificates now. If your uncle is a commissioner, you’ll get the job before the first-class graduate. That’s the uncomfortable truth.
The Hidden Cost Nobody Talks About
Getting a degree in Uganda isn’t just tuition. It’s rent in Kikoni. It’s handouts to lecturers for coursework. It’s printing 50 pages of dissertation. It’s transport to and from campus.
Total? UGX 8M to UGX 15M for 3 years.
Now imagine your father is a peasant farmer in Luwero. He sold his land to pay that 15M. And two years later, you’re still at home. Or riding boda.
That’s not just disappointment. That’s debt. That’s regret. That’s family pressure.
And that’s why you see many graduates with depression. Not because they’re lazy. But because they feel they failed their whole family.
But Hold On — It’s Not All Doom
Let’s be fair. A degree is not useless. It’s just not a guarantee anymore.
The graduate riding boda today might be saving UGX 500k a month. In one year, he can open a small shop. Or buy another boda. Or start a poultry project.
Meanwhile the graduate sitting at home waiting for “office job” is eating through his father’s savings and getting more frustrated every day.
So the real question is: What are you doing with that degree while you wait?
Some of the most successful young people in Kampala today started as boda riders. They used the money to build something else. One guy I know now owns 5 bodas and a small hardware shop in Kawempe. He still has his degree on the wall. But he doesn’t wait for it to feed him.
So Is The Degree Worth It? Here’s The Real Answer
If you think a degree = automatic job: No. It’s not worth it anymore. You’ll graduate and suffer.
If you think a degree = knowledge + network + discipline: Yes. It’s still worth it. But only if you use it as a foundation, not as a finish line.
The problem is not the degree. The problem is our mindset. We treat university like a factory that produces office workers. But Uganda’s economy is not producing enough office jobs.
So we need to change. Universities need to teach skills — coding, plumbing, mechanics, tailoring, digital marketing — not just notes and exams. And graduates need to think like entrepreneurs, not just employees.
What Should Change Right Now
One: Universities must be honest. Stop selling “guaranteed job” dreams. Start partnerships with companies so students do real internships, not just 2 months of photocopying.
Two: Government must support skills. Give more money to vocational schools. A welder in Namanve is earning UGX 1.5M a month. A graduate sitting at home is earning zero.
Three: Graduates must be flexible. If there’s no office job, start something small. Sell clothes online. Do graphics. Teach tuition. The boda is not a prison. It can be a starting point.
Four: Parents must change expectations. Don’t pressure your child to bring home a job title. Pressure them to bring home dignity and effort. Whether that’s through boda or office work.
The Last Word: The Certificate Is Not The Curse
Ssebo, the problem is not that you went to university. The problem is that we made university look like the only road to success.
In Uganda today, there are many roads. Boda is one. Shop is one. Farming is one. Tech is one.
A degree is like a good pair of shoes. It helps you walk better and faster. But if you just sit with the shoes and wait for a car to come, you’ll still be stuck.
So to the graduate riding boda: Don’t feel small. You’re hustling. You’re feeding yourself. That’s more than many “office workers” who don’t get paid for 3 months.
And to the S6 leaver wondering whether to join campus: Think hard. If you’re going to campus, go with a plan. Not just to get a paper. Go to learn a skill you can use even if there’s no job.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not the certificate that feeds you. It’s what you do with your hands and your brain.
