Africa-Press – Uganda. The former Member of Parliament for Ntungamo Municipality, Gerald Karuhanga has advised young leaders to be objective and look out for opportunities where they can make a difference in the country.
“It doesn’t matter what age you are but rather potential and competence in leadership. Make it your business to find a way of making a significant contribution in terms of better leadership. If you find something not right at local council, district level or anywhere else, don’t keep quiet because it is you who will be affected. Don’t be scared. Challenge it in courts of law. By doing so, you are building a step towards building constitutionalism of this country and you’re being exemplary to other youth,” Karuhanga said during a training for young leaders in the first cohort, second semester from different political parties across the country at the Uganda Democracy Academy.
At the Friday event at Brovad Sands Lodge at Ssese Island in Kalangala District, the ex-legislator added that: “It is sad that sometimes the judicial system is compromised but it doesn’t mean you give up. Keep on appealing even when the magistrate in your area is transferred. They (magistrate) could be replaced with one who will make a judgement that will change many things in the country. Getting a society or country better is a struggle and you must keep trying until you get to a better level.”
Organised by the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), the training equips young leaders with knowledge and information on good governance, constitutionalism and rule of law, human rights, access to justice, developing governance framework, policy legislation, program development, citizen participation, legislative oversight and political ideologies and political party systems, among other topics.
The Country Director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, Primus Bahiigi, noted that the majority of leaders in Uganda, including young people have not been inducted, or educated on democracy values, principles, ethos and good governance and very few of them have been exposed to political science.
According to him, majority of young leaders are learning on the job and are exposed to the wrong politics of hate, bias and discrimination that is building xenophobia and tribal based politics.
“The democracy academy fills this gap by providing the necessary knowledge for leaders to understand democracy, her values and principles and how they can be replicated in other African countries. Through the academy, we shall have more leaders with knowledge and skills who will be able to enforce the rules and practices that strengthen constitutionalism, rule of law and democratic governance in Uganda,” Bahiigi said.
The Uganda democracy academy started in July 2023 and trains young leaders aged 18 to 35 years from seven political parties under the multi-party youth forum which include Democratic Party, the Justice Forum, Forum for Democratic Change, National Resistance Movement, National Unity Platform, Peoples Progressive Party and Uganda People’s Congress. Other young leaders were selected from the national youth council and the Uganda National Student’s Association (UNSA).
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