Young people should take advantage of civic and community platforms to develop leadership skills instead of waiting to secure formal government positions before contributing to society, NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja Nsereko has said.
Ms Namayanja said early involvement in leadership gives young people practical experience in mobilisation, dialogue, problem-solving and community engagement, which prepares them for greater responsibilities later in life.
She made the remarks on September 17, while addressing the opening ceremony of the Second Sitting of the 8th East African Youth Parliament in Arusha, Tanzania, held under the theme: ‘Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.’
The sitting brought together young leaders from East African Community partner states, including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.
Ms Namayanja challenged the delegates to use available civic spaces to develop their ideas and engage institutions responsible for making decisions that affect their lives.
‘These safe civic spaces help young people develop their ideas and engage institutions that make decisions about their lives. My dear young leaders, when you say, ‘I cannot contribute because I am not in government or working for an organisation,’ you overlook the responsibility already within your reach,’ she said.
She urged young people to complement their formal education with participation in youth leadership structures, community initiatives and civic activities.
According to Ms Namayanja, such engagements enable young people to learn how to listen to communities, mobilise people, negotiate differences and find solutions to problems.
She used her own political journey to illustrate the importance of early leadership experience, saying her involvement in student and youth leadership prepared her for subsequent responsibilities.
Ms Namayanja became the Central Region Youth Representative in Parliament in 2001 before serving as Woman Member of Parliament for Nakaseke and later holding ministerial positions, including Minister of Information and National Guidance.
‘Mobilising people, listening to their concerns and earning their trust helped prepare me for those responsibilities,’ she said.
She said her participation in youth leadership structures, including the National Youth Council, also enabled young people of her generation to build networks and engage in discussions about the future of the East African region.
Ms Namayanja cited former East African Legislative Assembly Speaker Daniel Kidega, who also participated in youth leadership structures, as an example of how early exposure to leadership can lead to greater responsibilities.
‘We could not have predicted those journeys, but we were already learning to work with people and take responsibility,’ she said.
Ms Namayanja said her experiences had reinforced her commitment to supporting the East African Youth Parliament through the Rose Namayanja Foundation’s partnership with Faraja and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the same event, the State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Dr Mercy Faith Lakisa, also urged young people to take responsibility for shaping the future of the East African Community.
‘Leadership is not a title to be deferred; it is a duty to be claimed today,’ Dr Lakisa said.
She encouraged young people to position themselves to benefit from opportunities expected to arise from the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, particularly in entrepreneurship, employment, innovation, tourism and skills development.