Prominent social commentator Frank Gashumba has stirred widespread outrage after making controversial remarks that many have condemned as elitist, tone-deaf, and disrespectful to the struggles of ordinary Ugandans.
In a video making rounds on social media, Gashumba appeared to ridicule university graduates who still rely on public transportation, saying their continued use of taxis is a sign of poverty and failure to work hard enough.
“If you have a degree from Makerere and you still use a taxi, you have to work very hard because you are poor,” Gashumba stated. “How do you sit with 14 people who stopped in Senior Four when you have a degree? Education is meant to change your life. If you still eat one type of food, work very hard too.”
The comments have ignited an online storm, with students, fresh graduates, and working professionals accusing Gashumba of being disconnected from the realities facing Uganda’s educated youth.
Many pointed to the country’s high unemployment rate, underemployment, and soaring cost of living as key barriers preventing even degree holders from achieving financial stability.
On X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, users responded with the hashtag #ProudTaxiGraduate, sharing stories of how they continue to hustle despite holding university degrees.
“He speaks as if jobs are handed out with degrees,” one user commented. “We are out here applying for every opportunity, doing gigs, teaching, selling online, and still can’t afford a car.”
Another posted, “I have a first-class degree, but I use a taxi daily to work at a private school. It’s what I can afford right now. That doesn’t make me lazy or poor.”
Critics also slammed the suggestion that educational attainment should automatically separate people from others based on social or economic class.
“Public transport is not a symbol of failure,” one Facebook user wrote. “It’s a lifeline. Millions use taxis to go to work, school, and hospitals. Shaming people for that is not just wrong it’s inhumane.”
This is not the first time Frank Gashumba has made provocative remarks targeting the youth.
He recently claimed that his daughter, Sheila Gashumba, has never used a taxi in her entire life.
