The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda should be overhauled as it is no longer representative of the aspirations of the people, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Hon. Mathias Mpuuga, has urged.
“A constitution is an outcome of the people’s consensus. At least there was some basic consultation that led to the promulgation of the 1995 Constitution. Is it still the same document? Is it a culmination of the people’s consensus? Why are we running away from that conversation?” the LOP wondered.
Mpuuga made the remarks at the launch of the multiparty youth forum, a platform that brings together youth leaders from different political parties and civil society groups to build a generational consensus for progress.
The launch was held at Protea Hotel in Kololo, an upscale Kampala suburb on Wednesday, 07 September 2022.
“I want to see young people raise their voices to ask potent questions that will herald a durable constitutional order,” Mpuuga said and further encouraged the youth leaders not to shy away from involvement in discourses on the future of Uganda.
Drawing from his experience going through the mentorship program of the DP, Mpuuga said that parties have to adopt deliberate efforts to nurture future national leaders than keeping youths in a position where they cannot articulate their respective party ideologies.
“Between the 40-year-olds and the 70-year-olds, there is a gap, and that void became too big because of our history; a history of one man takes it all, and therefore, there was no opportunity for political organisations and institutions to organise, build, incubate, mentor and deploy young people,” Mpuuga said.
The forum is a culmination of engagements between the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) and leaders of the youth leagues of the six major political parties with representation in Parliament namely; National Resistance Movement (NRM), National Unity Platform (NUP), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Democratic Party (DP), Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), Justice Forum (JEEMA) and People’s Progressive Party (PPP).