Young people are the biggest voting bloc. However, bar owners across Uganda are holding sway, deciding on whether to make profits or to fuel social decay among the youth. In a country where opportunities are scarce and time is abundant, alcohol is both an escape and a trap. It is now an inseparable part of youth culture – cheap, accessible, and widely accepted. Yet behind the laughter and loud music lies a sobering question: what future awaits a generation drowning in the bottle?
On a Monday, in a dimly lit bar tucked deep in the outskirts of Fort Portal City, in Kitembe Trading Centre, Brian Businge Amooti, leans on a wooden bench, sipping from a glass of waragi (potent gin). It isjust after midday, but the bar is lively with chatter, laughter, and the occasional clink of bottles. This is the daily routine of the 25-year-old casual labourer, working in the morning and drinking by early afternoon.
“Every morning, I look for work wherever I can be hired. I can dig, carry bricks, and help at a construction site. When I get paid, the first place I think of is this bar,” Businge says. He makes between Shs5,000 and Shs10,000 every day, but by the time he leaves the bar, he has only Shs1,000 or Shs2,000 left. Businge admits that he often goes to bed hungry.
“I know I should save for rent and food, but I feel like drinking helps me forget about how hard life is. I never thought this is how I would live, but here I am,” he laments. Businge completed Senior Four in 2019 but was unable to continue with his education due to lack of school fees. His parents introduced him to casual jobs around Fort Portal City. Over time, peer pressure and boredom led him to alcohol.
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