By Kidega Livingstone
Minister of Environment and Forestry Josephine Napwon, has criticized government officials for allegedly politicizing the National Youth Union Convention.
Napwon, who previously served as Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, made the accusation during the opening of the convention on Friday, though she did not immediately provide specific evidence to support her claim.
In her remarks, Napwon emphasized that young people should be allowed to freely elect the leader of their choice without interference from the government or security personnel.
Her accusation came after the national youth convention meant to elect a new executive body got marred by some irregularities that saw the convention delayed by a day after security was deployed at Freedom Hall, the venue for the event.
Minister Napwon noted that the convention was supposed to go for opening on Thursday but was pushed to Friday because of some politicians who interfered with the youth’s election.
“What we don’t like as leaders of this country is actually giving headaches to the young people,” Napwon stated. “Let us give the opportunity to the young people to elect their leader without any interference.”
Napwon, who mentioned that she was speaking as a young person, stressed that for them to build this country, the youth need to be given the freedom to elect their leader without any government interference.
“The government is there only to guide; security is there only to guide if there is any issue connected to security within the youth or within the hall,” she explained.
“The youth of this country need to practice leadership so that they feel that they are the young people of this country. If we don’t give them this freedom, then we are heading nowhere in this country,” she added.
Napwon underscored the need for youth to practice democracy, adding that to do that, they should be given the space to do what is good for them as long as it doesn’t threaten the security of the country.
She applauded the National Minister of Youth and Sport for inviting them to the convention to give some remarks, though it was moved from Thursday to Friday.
“We, as the leaders, need to apologize because it was not good to do that to the young people of this country,” she hinted.
Minister of Presidential Affairs, Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro, acknowledged that the convention should have been opened on Thursday, but because of confusion by some of the politicians, the day was pushed to Friday.
“You were supposed to open the convention yesterday (Thursday), but some of you politicized the youth union. You are the one politicizing the youth union; you know yourself. Some of you bought the ballot papers already and only threw them in the ballot boxes,” Bakosoro claimed.
“Some of you have done that by politicizing the youth union. Be fair; the youth should not take sides. I am convinced some of you to come here not to discuss good issues, but some of you are here for the purpose of elections only,” he added.