Govt asked to review grassroots councils

Youth have asked government to review and reconsider their grassroots councils at village, parish, Sub County and district level.

According to the National Youth Council publicity secretary Samuel Odongo, most of the grassroot youth councils countrywide have been killed by the LC5 councils.

Speaking to New Vision, Odongo said district local government councils have ignored the district youth councils in development and decision making.

Odongo revealed that even the national youth council is not well facilitated to run youth affairs, something he says makes their work hard to sensitize their subjects on developmental issues as leaders.

"Youth councils at the grass root levels are there by name. We should be recognized as leaders not future leaders as many say" he added.

He urged district local government councils to budget for the district youth council within the local revenue such that they also run youth affairs as youth leaders.

Stephen Okello the coordinator Teso Youth Network said many youth programs have been falling since their grass root leaders are not involved in the process of decision making and development.

Okello noted that most of the youth leaders at the district, sub county, parish and village levels have forgotten whether they were elected because most of them have never received a phone call or an invitation for any training or meeting.

"Now if those are the elected leaders how do you expect things to work well for the subjects" asked Okello.

"We as Teso Youth Network have started showing concern on why these councils were established. Was it for drama or to support general elections because down there we are seeing nothing" Okello added.

Musoke Samuel the Bukedea district youth chairperson said most of the youth leaders are now bodaboda riders and are not involved in any government program.