The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has called upon the government to urgently answer the youth’s pleas to avoid demonstrations that are rising across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
During the party’s weekly press conference that took place on August 7, 2024, at Uganda House, Kampala, the Party National Youth Leader, Dan Isimbwa, noted that if the world continues to neglect the youth, it will provoke and force them to come up and assert their voices through demonstrations.
“We have witnessed the Gen Z demonstrations with our immediate neighbor Kenya, in West Africa, Nigeria, and in Asia, Bangladesh. These are no longer early warning signs of the youth’s question but are becoming a big crisis to which Uganda needs to give utmost attention, ahead of International Youth Day.” Isimbwa noted
He added that 50% of the country’s population is children between 0 and 17, which calls for quality education coupled with science and technology.
“If we are to compete on the global market, we need to equip our youth with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in life. The nurturing of children by all stakeholders is very key to the socio-economic transformation of our economy,” he added.
Isimbwa also revealed that the legacy and values we as a country desire to carry forward must be passed on to the youth at an early stage, stating that this goes with mentorship, training, education, and inspiration.
“Talents must be identified at early stages and groomed. By now, Uganda should have had several Joshua Cheptegei’s. We want to remind the government that sports have not only become a lucrative career but also raised the country’s flag across the globe as well as helped to absorb our youth who are suffering from unemployment,” he stated.
Uganda is set to join the rest of the world to celebrate International Youth Day, which is slated to take place on August 12, 2024, at Soroti Core PTC, Asuret Sub County, Soroti District. This year’s theme states, “Youth digital pathways for sustainable development,” while the national theme states, “Skills development for enhancement of youth opportunities.”
