By Mutayoba Arbogast
A leading Tanzanian economist, economic analyst, and agribusiness entrepreneur, Evance Kamenge, has urged young people in Kagera Region—particularly in Missenyi District along the shores of Lake Victoria—to seize untapped opportunities in cage fishing, livestock fattening, and agricultural processing as a pathway out of poverty.
Kamenge was speaking as the guest of honor at the five-year anniversary celebrations of UMKI Organization, held over the weekend in Kikukwe Village. He commended UMKI for its grassroots development initiatives, including the construction of a girls’ hostel at Kikukwe Secondary School, provision of health insurance for elderly residents, and the distribution of quality coffee seedlings to local farmers.
Emphasizing the urgency of youth-focused interventions, Kamenge called on UMKI to make youth economic empowerment a top priority, citing Kagera’s troubling position—25th out of Tanzania’s 26 regions—in the 2023 national poverty rankings.
“Organize a major youth conference that brings young people face to face with experts who can sharpen their vision and expose them to viable opportunities,” Kamenge advised.
He pledged his personal support for youth-led ventures in productive agriculture and small-scale industries, and invited UMKI leaders to join him on exposure and study tours to countries such as China to learn from proven development models that could be adapted locally.
“The government is confronting poverty head-on—you can see it in the roads, electricity, and infrastructure now reaching our communities,” Kamenge said. “These are not luxuries; they are tools meant to raise incomes and unlock economic potential.”
UMKI Executive Secretary Magreth Kyai highlighted the organization’s progress, noting that the girls’ dormitory project, now nearing completion, has been funded through over Sh50 million in community contributions and an additional Sh80 million from the government. Scheduled for completion in March 2026, the facility will accommodate more than 70 girls from distant villages, significantly improving access to secondary education for young women in the area.
UMKI Chairman Godfery Mugini welcomed Kamenge’s recommendations, pledging close collaboration to design and implement youth-centered economic programs. Community members Mamertha Deodatus and Azhari Mukayu also expressed appreciation for UMKI’s role in mobilizing local residents and championing collective action against poverty.
