Mrs. Museveni’s statement placed technology and climate change at the centre of the country’s most urgent challenges, warning that innovation without ethics and sustainability poses risks to society.
By Willy Chowoo
GULU — Uganda’s First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni, has called on Gulu University graduates to take the lead in building ethical, inclusive, and climate-responsive innovations that can safeguard the country’s future.
Her message was delivered on Friday, November 28, 2025, by Mr. Eric Guitar from the Ministry of Education and Sports during the 21st graduation ceremony of Gulu University, where over 1,431 students received degrees, diplomas, and certificates.
Mrs. Museveni’s statement placed technology and climate change at the centre of the country’s most urgent challenges, warning that innovation without ethics and sustainability poses risks to society.
“Today’s challenge is especially technology and climate change. It is not enough to simply innovate; we must ensure that our innovations are ethical, inclusive, supportive, and sustainable,” she said in the message. “We need technology that works for everyone, not just a few, and that is where you, as graduates, are now coming.”
She applauded the new graduates for their academic journey but reminded them that the responsibility ahead requires empathy and deliberate intention in how they deploy technology.
“Technology is a tool for the good, only if we use it with intention, empathy, and a vision for the greater world,” she noted.
VOICE-1: First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, speaking about the need to innovate
Climate Crisis a “Real Threat”
The First Lady emphasized the urgency of addressing global warming and environmental degradation, calling the climate crisis “a real threat” that is already dictating life across the world.
“It is managing us,” she warned. “Rising temperatures, changing rain seasons, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation are all signs that we must act, and act fast.”
She added that decisions made today regarding energy use, environmental protection and climate management will directly shape the quality of life for present and future generations.
VOICE-2: First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports , speaking the issue of climate change
Sustainable Energy Now an Urgent Priority
In her message, Mrs. Museveni pushed for accelerated adoption of sustainable energy as a national priority, saying it is no longer optional.
“Sustainable energy is not just an option; it is an urgent necessity,” she stressed.
The First Lady said the graduates are uniquely placed to design technologies that protect communities and support national development in an era marked by rapid change.
“Your generation is uniquely positioned to design the technology of the future—one that serves humanity and protects our nation,” she said.
Gulu University Chancellor, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, encouraged the graduates to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired to pursue their ambitions and become creators of employment rather than seekers of jobs.
VOICE-3: Gulu University Chancellor urges the graduates to become job creators
As the ceremony concluded, the message from the minister underscored a broader national call: that Uganda’s young scientists, innovators, and professionals must be at the forefront of building solutions that are not only smart but also sustainable and inclusive.
The 21st graduation ceremony marks another milestone in Gulu University’s 22-year history, reaffirming its role as a centre of innovation, research, and community transformation in Northern Uganda
