TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Young People Deserve a Place at the High Table Where Important Decisions are Made

By Bruno Ignatius Namisi

The recent speech by Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba during his birthday celebrations caught my attention.

While giving his speech on the 23rd April, he pointed to sports and entertainment as being key solutions to the youth.

VIDEO: Here’s Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s Plan for Ugandan Youth Whereas some people want to associate these celebrations to politics, I decided to be as objective as I can towards his remarks.

This is premised on my own view about the potential market that comes with sports.

I just think about that small scale tea girl, the young man selling roasted ground nuts and many more, being able to make ‘enormous’ sales to spectators for every game.

As I pondered about this being workable, I remembered a colleague who warned me a few weeks ago about walking with my phone in the hand while on Kampala Road!

He told me of how he was not ready to chase youthful phone snatchers who are all over that road.

Having heard General Muhoozi’s speech, I thought that it is important that his proposals are not watered down because of our ideological differences.

As I celebrated this proposal, my mind was drawn to the recent wars in the sports and entertainment sector.

I have on several occasions listened to Hannington Bujjingo, who is one of the most celebrated comedians talk ill about the management of the Uganda National Council of Culture. I have also heard about several factions among musicians and artists.

I recently heard about the gross misunderstanding between the National football players and FUFA, the governing body.

I related this to all the blackmail and negative narrative I have heard about youth, and, I wondered whether this is about to end.

During several ceremonies, almost everyone who speaks about the young people gives a very bad description of them.

They have been described as lazy, not serious with life, need quick money, and all sorts of bad descriptions that tarnish their names.

During the same week, I heard that Evelyn Anite was bashed during the NRM caucus meeting for standing up against the unpopular coffee agreement signed with Uganda Vinci Coffee Company.

Given the soberness with which Evelyn speaks, I believe she was roasted because of her age!

They must have wondered how a small girl of Evelyn’s age can dare the higher powers!

With every region having a youth representative in Parliament, I have hardly heard any of their voices regarding this matter of coffee.

OPEN LETTER: Dear Museveni & Matia Kasaija, Please Grow Your Own Coffee, then Sell it to Vinci & Pinetti in Peace

This is supposed to show us how timid they’re, which is going to affect their future.

Away from the coffee business, young people have been left out in most of the big organizations.

They no longer have the luxury of upgrading in studies because most of the organizations repealed tuition support for employees.

This is the reason why it is normally challenging to fill some positions in some of our organizations upon departure of senior managers or leaders.

The reason is not the unavailability of workers, but rather the lack of succession plan among the available staff.

Against such backgrounds, most organizations find themselves between a rock and a hard place, because they have to source for people from outside, which becomes costly.

We have also heard of cases where people have clocked their official retirement age, but remain in offices under special contracts!

One wonders whether this is necessary for a country that has over 68 per cent of its young population unemployed!

It is important that we start appreciating the contribution being made by young people, motivate them and make them have desire to work and grow.

Email: namisibruno@gmail.com