BY AMBROSE KWERONDA
IN KABALE—–
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Youth in the greater Kabale area, particularly in rural villages, have the highest levels of alcohol consumption, according to a study conducted by lecturers from the Department of Management Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences at Kabale University.
The research was led by Dr. John Bosco Turyasingura (Principal Investigator), with support from Mr. Jesse David Kabagambe and Associate Professor Moses Agaba, all from the Department of Management Sciences.
The study focused on identifying the causes and effects of alcohol consumption in Kabale, Rubanda, and Rukiga districts. It also aimed at developing practical strategies to mitigate the rising problem of alcoholism in the region.
Speaking during a one-day workshop held on Tuesday at Kirigime Guest House in the Southern Division of Kabale Municipality, Dr. Turyasingura revealed that alcohol consumption is most prevalent among youth aged 18–30, with 35.6% of them spending much of their time drinking alcohol. He noted that the majority of these youth come from rural villages.
“In villages today, many youths spend most of their time drinking alcohol. If this trend continues, it will be difficult for future generations to find well-educated individuals,” Dr. Turyasingura said.
He further explained that while most students in school come from urban areas, many rural youths are dropping out due to excessive alcohol consumption.
“When you meet a young person from the village who is addicted to alcohol, they often look like they are 60 years old. But in reality, they are only between 20 and 30 years old. Alcohol makes them age prematurely,” he added.
The study also found that individuals aged 31–40 years make up the second-highest group of alcohol consumers at 33.7%, followed by those aged 41 and above at 30.7%.
“Although those in the 31–40 age group do not drink excessively, they still consume alcohol. Most of them have families and financial responsibilities such as paying school fees and servicing loans,” Dr. Turyasingura noted.
He emphasized that the data was collected from both rural and urban areas. The findings showed that 66.3% of alcohol consumers reside in villages, while 33.7% are from urban areas. A small percentage of people in both areas reported not consuming alcohol at all.
Most Youth alcohol consumers reside in rural areas where locally brewed alcoholic drinks are both accessible and affordable. Common drinks include waragi, brown sorghum beer, and omuramba, with 33.9% of women reportedly consuming these regularly.
He urged the government, through the Ministry of Health, to sensitize the youth about the dangers of alcohol before they are severely affected by it