POSITION PAPER FOR UGANDA'S YOUTH

Lead consult : Ruth Aine Tind e!"a Phone nu#!e$: %&'( )*& &+ (+ ,E#ail : $uthaine./#ail0co# 1e!23lo/: """0$uthaine0co#

The U/anda consultation "as #ainl ca$$ied out online0 A 4oll su$5e "as 4ut 5ia one o6 the #ost 4o4ula$ online su$5e 4lat6o$#s su$5e #on7e 0co#0 It "as 4u!lici8ed 5ia T"itte$9 Face!oo79 Lin7edIn and """0$uthaine0co#0 :uestions "e$e custo#i8ed and the $es4onses "e$e not $est$icted in te$#s o6 "o$ds0 This 4oll "as to as7 the outh o6 U/anda9 "hat the 6elt and 7ne" a!out de#oc$ac and /i5en the chance to !e leade$s9 i6 the "ould ta7e on the $es4onsi!ilit 0 Anothe$ 4oll "as conducted 5ia Face !oo70 This 4oll "as /ettin/ 4eo4le to tal7 a!out "hethe$ o$ not the !elie5ed to !e leade$s in thei$ co##unities and "hat the unde$stood as !ein/ oun/ leade$s0 U/anda is one o6 the oun/est nations in the "o$ld9 "ith o5e$ ';< o6 its 4o4ulation unde$ -' ea$s o6 a/e9 and 4e$sons unde$ =; ea$s old #a7in/ u4 )*< o6 the 4o4ulation0 Acco$din/ to the 1o$ld 3an7>s A6$ican De5elo4#ent Indicato$s &;;*2,9 oun/ 4eo4le a/ed -' to &+ had an *=< une#4lo #ent $ate0 Acco$din/ to the 1o$ld 3an79 #ost outh #a7e in the $an/e o6 ;?';9;;; U/anda shillin/s 4e$ #onth9 o$ a44$o@i#atel 0' USD 4e$ da 9 "ell !elo" the inte$national $e6e$ence 4o5e$t line o6 -0&' USD 4e$ da 0 Due to lac7 o6 e#4lo #ent and educational o44o$tunities9 #an oun/ 4eo4le "o$7 in e@4loitati5e and2o$ dan/e$ous conditions in a/$icultu$e9 do#estic se$5ice9 6ishin/9 cattle he$din/9 and the u$!an in6o$#al econo# 0 The econo#ic situation o6 the outh needs se$ious and i##ediate attention 6$o# /o5e$n#ent0 The oun/ 4eo4le consulted had this to sa a!out the de#oc$ac o6 U/anda0 U/anda /ained Inde4endence in -,(& and thus is '- ea$s old0 De#oc$ac ca#e its "a in -,,( "hen the 6i$st 4$esidential and 4a$lia#enta$ elections "e$e held0 Aost o6 the outh &( ea$s and !elo" ha5e 7no"n onl one /o5e$n#ent0 The cu$$ent $ulin/ National Resistance Ao5e#ent has !een in 4o"e$ since -,*(0 Is de#oc$ac 5isi!le in U/andaB These a$e the $es4onses0 De#oc$ac is sin7in/0 1hile elections a$e held9 the a$e ne5e$ 6$ee and 6ai$0 Cote$s 5ote 6o$ indi5iduals and not issues0 Do$$u4tion is e5ident e5en "ith the electo$al !odies0 The $oute o6 de#oc$ac ta7en ! U/anda is a $u!!e$ stu#4 and one used ! the $ulin/ 4a$t leade$shi40 To a la$/e e@tent the needs o6 the 4eo4le a$e not #et and a$e not $e6lected as "ell0 The$e a$e conce$ns that the de#oc$ac in U/anda is declinin/ and that "hile the$e is 6$eedo# o6 e@4$ession and hu#an $i/hts a$e che$ished9 4eo4le a$e not a"a$e o6 "hat thei$ $i/hts a$e and so do not de#and 6o$ the#0 The 4o4ulace has acce4ted de#oc$ac as a 4hiloso4h !ut the 6unda#ental /uidin/ 4$inci4les that /i5e it t$ue #eanin/ a$e not u4held the leade$shi40

1h a$e the outh a6$aid o6 ta7in/ on the #antle o6 leade$shi4B AaEo$it o6 the outh tal7ed to a$e not in 4ositions o6 leade$shi40 This is a conce$n 0Ce$ #an outh a$e not con6ident enou/h a!out the#sel5es and the cont$i!utions that the can #a7e societ 0 The a$e a6$aid to ta7e on the #antle o6 leade$shi40 The a$e not a"a$e o6 the 6act that "hate5e$ the sa 9 s#all o$ !i/ is essential to /o5e$nance0 O$ the a$e not "illin/ to challen/e the status? Fuo0 These a$e the $easons "h : Da$ee$s /et in the "a o6 one 4u$suin/ does not e@actl allo" 6o$ #e to !e into leade$shi40 The ha5e 4lans and desi$es o6 "hat the ho4e to acco#4lish 6i$st !e6o$e the can !eco#e leade$s0 No one has told the# othe$"ise0 The electo$al 4$ocess in U/anda is 5e$ e@4ensi5e and cannot !e a66o$ded ! Eust a!out an one0 3ut i6 the 4$ocess "as !ased on #e$itoc$ac 9 then the$e "ould !e #an oun/ leade$s0 The$e is no u$/e and incenti5e 6o$ the oun/ to !eco#e a 4a$t o6 the 4$ocess0 The outh do not see "h the should 4a$tici4ate "hen thei$ 5ie"s a$e not !ein/ hea$d and attention 4aid to "hat the 7no" and "ant to achie5e0 too7 u4 the $ole0

The$e "e$e so#e that "e$e leade$s and the /a5e $easons as to "h the

The "e$e ti$ed o6 la#entin/ a!out the 4$o!le#s in societ and decided to ta7e u4 the o44o$tunit to c$eate the chan/e that the "ant to see and !e a 4a$t o60 The !elie5e that no one else can !$in/ a!out the chan/e unless the ta7e initiati5e0 The !elie5ed that the ha5e the 4otential to #a7e a di66e$ence in th $e4$esentation o6 oun/ 4eo4les inte$ests as a leade$0 One o6 the conce$ns o6 this consultation "as to 6ind out i6 the outh 6elt that the "e$e !ein/ in5ol5ed in the 4$ocess o6 de#oc$ac in U/anda o$ i6 the 6elt that the "e$e a 4a$t o6 the 4$ocess0 These "e$e so#e o6 the $eactions $ecei5ed: Aan oun/ 4eo4le a$e no" into 4olitics 6o$ 4e$sonal inte$ests0 The ha5e /$o"n u4 "itnessin/ the sel6ishness and no" !elie5e that9 that is "hat 4olitics is a!out0 The$e a$e #ultitudes o6 outh no" "ho hate 4olitics0 Aan intelli/ent ouths a$e o4tin/ 6o$ othe$ 4$o6essions and a5oidin/ #u$7 4olitics !esides the cu$$ent 4olitical s ste# sti6les 6$ee thin7in/ ouths0 The outh in5ol5ed a$e the "$on/ 7ind0 1e a$e !ein/ in6luenced #o$e alon/ the lines o6 incitin/ 5iolence than as7in/ 6o$ accounta!ilit 0 The$e is Li#ited 4olitical s4ace a5aila!le 6o$ oun/ 4eo4le0 I6 de#oc$ac is #easu$ed ! !allot castin/9 the oun/ 4eo4le "ho a$e une#4lo ed ha5e !een i##ensel !$i!ed to cast lots 6o$ "innin/ leade$s0 The outh a$e in5ol5ed !ut #o$e 4lat6o$#s need to !e 4$o5ided 6o$ e@a#4le: 6$eedo# to de!ate issues o6 national conce$n "ithout 6ea$ o6 !ein/ "itch hunted 0 The $ole o6 the outh in U/anda's de#oc$ac has !een li#ited to si#4listic tal7 and #o$e tal70 The 4olitical s4ace to e@4$ess thei$ 5ie"s has not !een a5ailed and the old /ua$d has continued to do#inate leade$shi4 4ositions ac$oss the count$ due to lo alt to the esta!lish#ent0 The$e is the /ene$al 4e$ce4tion that the oun/ 4eo4le a$e not 'insi/ht6ul enou/h' to ta7e 4a$t in the 4$ocess0 Plus the$e is the 6act that the old /ua$d G$ulin/ 4a$t leade$shi4H Eust "on't let /o0

The outh o6 U/anda "e$e /i5en an o44o$tunit to sa "hat the !elie5e should !e the "a 6o$"a$d I that should !e done to inc$ease a"a$eness o6 the outh cause !ut also encou$a/e the oun/ ones to lead0 Youth need to !e /i5en #o$e 5isi!le 4lat6o$# 6o$ e@4$ession0 A5enues need to !e c$eated 6o$ the oun/ 4eo4le to ha5e a $ole in the decision?#a7in/ 4$ocess o6 the count$ 0 This includes 4uttin/ into 4lace non 4a$tisan st$uctu$es that identi6 oun/ leade$s $i/ht 6$o# hi/h school and nu$tu$es the# to ta7e o5e$ the leade$shi4 #antle at a 5e$ oun/ a/e0 The "o$ld has ta7en a technolo/icall 5i!$ant and essential t$end0 The$e is need 6o$ the ada4tion o6 technolo/ #aste$ed s ste#s and technolo/ #inded 4eo4le to ca$$ the count$ to the ne@t 4hase0 Technolo/ can !e used to ca$$ the count$ 6o$"a$d : to !ette$ the natu$e o6 leade$shi49 se$5ice deli5e$ and the social9 4olitical and econo#ic status o6 the count$ 0 The$e needs to !e a 6o$u# 6o$ the outh to ai$ thei$ ideas and 5ision 6o$ the 6utu$e and c$eate an ena!lin/ en5i$on#ent 6o$ the# to 4olish and 6inall i#4le#ent thei$ ideas "ith the hel4 o6 senio$ #ento$s and the /o5e$n#ent0 The$e is need 6o$ a ca4acit !ased outh s ste# !ased on handouts 6$o# /o5e$n#ents ! !uildin/ e#4o"e$#ent cente$s o6 the outh th$ou/hout the count$ "ith "ell eFui44ed in6o$#ation in outh acti5ities9 Eo! ca$ee$ ad5ance#ents 9 ent$e4$eneu$ial s7ills and in6o$#ation technolo/ sta$t u4s0 Social #edia too is a /$eat tool and 4lat6o$# 6o$ sha$in/ in6o$#ation9 c$eatin/ a"a$eness and initiatin/ chan/e 6$o# a 4e$sonal le5el to a national le5el0 Accounta!ilit channels at all le5els #ust !e e5ident0 T$ans4a$enc should !e encou$a/ed9 0 The$e should !e e#4hasis on 4e$sonal inte/$it so that the outh ha5e 4eo4le and #ento$s to loo7 u4 to0 These #ento$s "ill then teach and SHO1 the outh "hat leade$shi4 is all a!out0 D$eation o6 a !ette$ e#4lo #ent c$ite$ia0 U/anda is a count$ "he$e its leade$s a$e #ost o6 its leade$shi4 is a!o5e the a/e o6 +' and et the #aEo$it o6 the 4o4ulation is !elo" the a/e o6 ='0 The$e is a hu/e di5ide !et"een the leade$s es4eciall those in 4olitical th$esholds and those that a$e !ein/ led0

PARTICIPANTS 3o! Re #an Ja!an/o !o!$e #an./#ail0co# %&'()*&;-*&-; 3o! Atuhei$"e 3o!0atuhei$"e.hot#ail0co# Na#e: Isaac 3!ala Auhu#u8a e#ail: isaac!#,-./#ail0co# t"itte$: .!!alaisaac Aa"a Aichael #a"a#ichaelK+e5e$. ahoo0co# %&'( )-& (,)&'; Ja#4ala Ra #ond AuEuni :ataha$ E#ailI AuEuni Ra #ond./#ail0co# Ocitti 3o! Feli@ ocitti6eli@. ahoo0co# ;)*&+=*';; A"esi/"a A#!$ose Asii#"e Festo asii#"e06esto./#ail0co# Ho4e Jen7"an8i 7en7"an8iho4e. ahoo0co# .TheSchudent LT"itte$M Pathias Jlinn A7a!anEuna 4ath &*=./#ail0co# .Path Jlinn LT"itte$M Au7h"ana Cenon 5enons#iles./#ail0co# %&'( ))(,'*'&= Fla5ia Nansu!u/a T"itte$: .Ja$en6alsh NacFl nne Tu#usi#e EacFl nne0tu#usii#e./#ail0co# %&'( );; &'; )&) Nohnnie Nsu!u/a En &=u/./#ail0co# %&'( )*& ,;&=;& Tind e!"a Ruth Aine $uthaine./#ail0co# %&'( )*& &+(+,Daniel Ddi!a Resea$ch Assistant at FaAE ? SANDED Ronald J"esi/a0 3e$na$d E"alu Olu4ot Tele4hone : %&'(?),=?=++-;'& 3ec7 Nantale T"itte$: .3nantale $e!ecca0nantale./#ail0co# %&'( )',=--+,Noshua T"ina#atsi7o T"itte$ I .EoshKt"in E#il Ru!o#!o$as T"itte$ :.E#KRu! K %&'( ))= ,*)''