Youth leaders in Agago District have been challenged to embrace hard work, promote wealth creation and remain accountable to the young people who elected them instead of using the positions as steppingstones for personal gain.
James Nabinson Kidega, the RDC of Agago district, said that as newly elected leaders across the country are sworn in for various positions, youth leaders need to become more active in lobbying for government programmes and ensuring young people benefit from development projects.
Kidega criticized some youth leaders for abandoning their responsibilities after elections and becoming absorbed into mainstream political structures without advocating for youth interests.
He said many youth leaders fail to follow up on government programmes intended to benefit young people, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), scholarships and youth development funds.
He advised the youth leaders to instead organize themselves, write proposals and engage government on programmes meant for young people, attend district budget discussions, and monitor allocations targeting youth empowerment initiatives, including the Parish Development Model.
Kidega pledged to engage youth leaders across the district to assess their plans and commitments toward community development and follow up on their campaign promises to ensure that they are fulfilled.
He emphasized that with youths forming the biggest percentage of the population, their active participation in development and governance remains critical for the future of Agago District.
Prisca Akullu, a 22-year-old woman from Patongo Sub-county, said many young women in the district feel neglected because they rarely receive detailed information about youth programmes and government opportunities.
Akullu said most youth leaders only appear during election periods and are rarely seen mobilizing or sensitizing young people afterward.
“We hear about programmes like PDM and youth funds on the radio, but nobody comes to explain to us how we can benefit,” Akullu said.
Christine Adongo, another young lady from Kalongo Town Council, said lack of active youth leadership has left many girls unemployed and vulnerable. Adongo argued that some young mothers and school dropouts are willing to engage in income-generating activities but lack guidance and support from leaders.
“We want leaders who can guide us on skills training, savings groups and projects instead of only talking during campaigns,” she said.
George Opiyo, a youth from Lapono Sub-county, also accused some youth leaders of focusing on personal jobs after elections, while abandoning the young people who voted for them.
“Most of them become close to big politicians and forget the ordinary youths in villages. They rarely organize meetings to collect views from young people or update them on district programmes,” Opiyo said.
SOURCE: URN
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