There is a global trend of young people delaying marriage until their late 20s or early 30s, driven by factors such as career development, financial independence, and the normalization of premarital sex. This trend is also observed in Uganda, where government estimates show that the median age at first marital union for men is now 25 years.
President Museveni, during a family festival in Kampala, encouraged young people to marry after completing their education, suggesting ages 22 or 23 as appropriate for marriage to establish a family. He emphasized the benefits of early marriage for a longer marital life and warned against premarital sex due to the risk of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS.
The Uganda Demographic and Health Survey indicates an increase in the average age at first marriage for women, rising from 17 years in 1995 to 19 years in 2022, with highly educated women marrying around 25 years. Despite this, 14 percent of girls engage in sexual activity by age 15. The percentage of never-married women aged 15-49 increased from 15.7 percent in 1995 to 25 percent in 2022, with financial independence being a significant factor.
During the festival, President Museveni reiterated the government's opposition to homosexuality, citing African values. Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation, praised Uganda for upholding traditional family values and emphasized the importance of marriage between a man and a woman.
First Lady Janet Museveni addressed the impact of globalization on African family cultures and called on religious and cultural leaders to promote positive values for the benefit of the younger generation. She stressed the importance of unity in preserving African culture.
The Archbishop of the Orthodox Church in Uganda, Leronymos Muzeeyi, urged the government to conduct lifestyle audits to recover ill-gotten wealth and reduce corruption, improving public service delivery. Religious leaders also highlighted the need for environmental protection, announcing plans to plant 250 million trees within 15 years and calling for humane treatment during evictions in wetlands.