Ugandan businessman and public speaker Frank Gashumba has stirred a heated debate online after making strong remarks about Makerere University graduates. In a viral post, Gashumba said that if someone has a degree from Makerere but still uses a public taxi, they are extremely poor and not working hard enough.
He questioned how an educated person can share a taxi with people who never finished school. “If you have a degree and still eat one type of food or ride with people who stopped in Senior Four, you need to work very hard,” he wrote. His comments were meant to encourage hard work, but they didn’t land well with many Ugandans.
The statement quickly went viral and drew strong reactions from the public. Social media users accused Gashumba of being arrogant, insensitive, and out of touch with the reality of life in Uganda. “This is not inspiration—it’s mockery,” one Twitter user wrote. Another said, “Using a taxi doesn’t make you poor. Judging others does.”
Many Ugandans shared their own stories to challenge Gashumba’s view. One person said, “I attend high-level meetings during the day and still take a taxi home in the evening. A car doesn’t define success.” Others explained that despite having degrees, they are still struggling due to the country’s tough economy, unemployment, and low-paying jobs.
A graduate from Makerere expressed disappointment, saying, “It’s painful to hear someone blame us for being poor when we are doing our best in a broken system. Jobs are scarce, and even those who have them don’t earn enough.”
Although a few people defended Gashumba’s message, saying he wanted to motivate the youth, most agreed that his delivery was harsh and disrespectful. They believe real success should be measured by one’s values, effort, and impact—not by whether someone owns a car.
The debate continues as Ugandans reflect on what it truly means to be successful in a country where many young people work hard but still struggle to survive.
