The main causes of unemployment in Africa
In Uganda, unemployment is caused by various economic, social and political factors.
1. Poverty – some people are too poor to afford school education which in most cases, is a basis for job qualification.
2. Widespread sectarianism for example jobs being offered on tribal basis, favouring certain individuals while others are not favoured.
3. International forces for example IMF advising governments of poor countries to reduce the number of civil servants.
4. Existence of relatively large subsistence sector with low employment opportunities.
5. It is also caused by rural-urban migration where there is an influx of rural inhabitants towards towns to look for jobs, which are not there.
6. Improvement in technology has led to the use of machines for example computers, which have led to the laying off or retrenchment of human labour.
7. Seasonal factors in some productive sectors for example agriculture, fishing, building, etc. In some seasons for example dry season (drought), less people are employed in agriculture.
8. Structural unemployment where some people become jobless due to changes in productive economic structure for example in industry.
9. The Education system in Uganda trains job seekers not job makers.
10. There is a problem of school dropouts at all educational levels who flock to towns looking for white collar jobs which do not exist.
11. The rapid population increase is not proportionate to the development of the available economic resources.
12. There is under-utilization of economic resources due to lack of capital i.e low level of resource exploitation.
13. There is frictional unemployment where some people leave jobs because of various reasons for example grievances and social problems.
14. Natural disabilities for example physical and mental handicap, age, etc causing residual unemployment.
15. Employment of expatriate staff on a large scale in all sectors has been another cause of unemployment in Uganda.
16. Political instability has continuously paralyzed the economic development leading to unemployment.
17. Many Ugandans are not economically employed because of lack of education and skills. There is voluntary unemployment where some people wish to be unemployed.
18. The immobility of labour both occupationally and geographically. This is due to the bad infrastructure in terms of transport and communication.
19. The bad land tenure system where by some people are dangerously rich, owning large chunks of land while others have nothing. The landless remain unemployed.
20. Reliance on the export of agricultural raw materials that do not fetch much on the world market.
21. Lack of proper manpower planning
22. Exhaustion of some natural resources in some parts of the country for example copper at Kilembe, timber and fish leave some people properly unemployed.
1. Poverty – some people are too poor to afford school education which in most cases, is a basis for job qualification.
2. Widespread sectarianism for example jobs being offered on tribal basis, favouring certain individuals while others are not favoured.
3. International forces for example IMF advising governments of poor countries to reduce the number of civil servants.
4. Existence of relatively large subsistence sector with low employment opportunities.
5. It is also caused by rural-urban migration where there is an influx of rural inhabitants towards towns to look for jobs, which are not there.
6. Improvement in technology has led to the use of machines for example computers, which have led to the laying off or retrenchment of human labour.
7. Seasonal factors in some productive sectors for example agriculture, fishing, building, etc. In some seasons for example dry season (drought), less people are employed in agriculture.
8. Structural unemployment where some people become jobless due to changes in productive economic structure for example in industry.
9. The Education system in Uganda trains job seekers not job makers.
10. There is a problem of school dropouts at all educational levels who flock to towns looking for white collar jobs which do not exist.
11. The rapid population increase is not proportionate to the development of the available economic resources.
12. There is under-utilization of economic resources due to lack of capital i.e low level of resource exploitation.
13. There is frictional unemployment where some people leave jobs because of various reasons for example grievances and social problems.
14. Natural disabilities for example physical and mental handicap, age, etc causing residual unemployment.
15. Employment of expatriate staff on a large scale in all sectors has been another cause of unemployment in Uganda.
16. Political instability has continuously paralyzed the economic development leading to unemployment.
17. Many Ugandans are not economically employed because of lack of education and skills. There is voluntary unemployment where some people wish to be unemployed.
18. The immobility of labour both occupationally and geographically. This is due to the bad infrastructure in terms of transport and communication.
19. The bad land tenure system where by some people are dangerously rich, owning large chunks of land while others have nothing. The landless remain unemployed.
20. Reliance on the export of agricultural raw materials that do not fetch much on the world market.
21. Lack of proper manpower planning
22. Exhaustion of some natural resources in some parts of the country for example copper at Kilembe, timber and fish leave some people properly unemployed.
National Movements and New States in Africa