By Yasiri J. Kasango
When Christian Edeka Guma graduated in October 2024 with a degree in Procurement, his biggest hope was to return to the organisation where he had interned at the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA). But like many Ugandan graduates, his path to employment took unexpected turns.
“I had to sit home between October to January,” Guma recalls. “It was a time to reflect but also survive. You start thinking beyond just your papers. How do I get food? How do I stay sane?”
That brief period, just a few months long, stretched out emotionally for him like a test of patience and self-worth.
For many fresh graduates in Uganda, a certificate doesn’t guarantee opportunity. The job market is saturated, connections often matter more than competence, and even internships are hard to come by.
“I wanted to do programming at first,” Guma admits, “then accounting. Procurement was my third choice.” But he doesn’t dwell in regret. “I’ve come to learn that all these fields can intersect. Procurement has its place, and I’ve grown into it.”
He now works in the Procurement department at UCU, where he started as an intern in January after graduation. His experience, he says, has been both “educative and eye-opening.”
“You learn a lot working with suppliers, organisations, and colleagues. Every day is a lesson.”
Like many Ugandan youth, Guma faced pressure from home. “The moment you graduate, people start asking, ‘What next?’” he says with a slight laugh. “I just kept telling them I’m still looking.”
Fortunately, his parents were supportive. His father, a businessman, and his mother, a nurse, helped him prepare CVs and prep for interviews. “They didn’t fully understand what I studied, but they were always ready to help however they could,” he says.
In a country where family expectations and economic realities rarely align, Guma’s experience is one of rare balance: support without overbearing pressure.
To those graduating this July, Guma offers no sugar-coated optimism but practical advice: “Don’t undermine any opportunity. Take any job that offers growth, even if it’s outside your course.”
“It’s not always your degree that puts food on your table. It’s the experience, the attitude, and the willingness to learn,” he says.
Guma isn’t standing still. He’s currently pursuing a professional certification under CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply), which he believes will boost his chances of staying competitive.
“In five years, I hope to be retained here and fully qualified. That’s the goal.”
From a quiet start in Arua to navigating the complex job market in Kampala, Guma’s journey reflects a familiar story for many young Ugandans—hopeful, uncertain, but never still.
