By. Mukembo Wilfred
Due to vigorous empowerment schemes, Ugandan youths have been more enlighten about their rights. Many have thus come out on several occasions to have their voice heard and demand for accountability from their leaders but have unfortunately ended up arrested and tortured.
One of the many ways they have adopted to demand for their rights and express themselves is to take up the streets and demonstrate while others have adopted new media through various social media platforms while others get more practical by providing solutions and ideas through project proposals which are often denied audience.
Now in retaliation authorities instead arrest these youths who are trying their available avenues that don’t contravene with the law to have their voice heard unfortunately respond with force by arresting, torturing and closing these social media platforms.
Its high time government officials resort to giving solutions to youths problems instead of closing the medium used to demand for their share.
Over 50 NGOs have remained non-operational since August 2021 when government through the National NGO bureau ordered for an immediate halt in their operations citing noncompliance.
Some of these were engaged in youth’s empowerment programs which were providing alternative solutions to address youth needs. A couple weeks before that government has blocked a widely used social media platform (FACEBOOK) by the youths yet in addition government has increased the internet levy thus indirectly denying the youth’s space to air out their grievances and have their voices heard.
A case in point is that of the Jobless youth brotherhood who decided to drive their point home through a peaceful demonstration near the parliamentary building with a couple piglets which they painted yellow a color that represents the ruling government with placards that had inscriptions depicting how greedy members of parliament were behaving when they decided to pass an increment in their salaries despite the many pressing issues mostly the high unemployment rates amongst the youths.
