By Okwiri Rabwoni
ARIBAS HOTEL - MASINDI
26th March 2012
On behalf of the Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG), I wish to welcome all of you to this meeting, which is the first of its kind in this region. This is a unique region that has now become trendy to talk about because of oil. Very soon, this region will be the most powerful place in Uganda, depending on whether oil in managed properly or mismanaged.
CCG has five key programmes notably, youths/students; constitutional literacy; public interest litigation; research and publication and the social justice campaigns. The youth/students programme focuses on the role of the youth in national transformation (social, economic and political transformation).
Examples of the required transformation:
1. How can the youth ensure that we build better democracy and governance practices?
2. What are the youth obligations to themselves, their communities and to the nation?
3. The youth enjoy some rights but what are the obligations that acrue from the rights that they enjoy?
4. How can the youth demand for accountability using their right of access to information?
5. How can the youth hold their different leaders accountable (the Executive, Parliament, Local Councils and the Youth Councils)?
6. How can the youth demand effective service delivery?
The youth, can indeed achieve all the above and much more if they are committed and make clear demands to the responsible people.
Uganda is a unique country in the World because for its fifty years of Independence, Ugandans have never witnessed peaceful hand over of power! We can only achieve regime change by using violence! This is critical for the young people in Uganda today to engage because 80% of our population is composed of young people. Why should the young people allow the 20% to dominate them?
What kind of Uganda can the young people bring about??
1. A country back on the road to constitutional governance and democracy
2. Ugandans feeling a sense of belonging, security, and peace
3. A country where each person's views are respected and tolerated
4. A country where citizens enjoy their rights and exercise free political processes
5. A corruption free country
6. A country where everybody is valued and respected.
The future of Uganda is in your hands and like the Americans say "Ask not what your country has done for you, ask what you have done for your country."
And as I conclude, I will leave you with the words of Franz Fannon who stated that "Every generation has got its cause and its their duty either to fulfill or betray it".
THE TIME FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO RE- AFFIRM THEIR ZEAL AND DEFEND THEIR MOTHERLAND IS NOW!
FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY.
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