TORORO, UGANDA: The Tororo District Youth Council on Wednesday managed to host a sitting although the turn-up was less than 20 out of the supposed to be 129 council members, as several protested against the meeting.
The youth leaders, many of whom didn’t turn up for the Wednesday afternoon sitting said whatever happened is an illegality that will soon be regretted by those behind it.
These claim that none of them received an official invitation letter and agenda for the council meeting as provided for under schedule 7(8) of the national youth council act, cap 319.
“It was on Tuesday 28th-July, 2023 night that I saw the district community development officer Mr Vincent Ogut typing on a WhatsApp group called T’ro Accountability Desk that council is scheduled for today which to me WhatsApp has never become an official media of communication,” said Moses Owere the youth chairperson of Sere Sub-County in Tororo district.
George Ofwono, the Nyangole subcounty youth chairperson in a telephone interview with DailyExpress said that he couldn’t attend the meeting after noticing that section 6(5) of the National youth council act, cap 319 was abused by the organizers.
“We’re aware that the National youth council act section 6(5) says that 3 people from every sub-county form the district youth council and to only invite one person per subcounty is already abuse of the law,” Ofwono said.
Ofwono who is still not sure whether the attendees of today’s council are really youth leaders drawn from the 42 lower local governments in Tororo district or people brought to act on the youth leaders’ behalf accuses the district technocrats and the district youth council executives for being evil minded and self centered.
“Those people all that they think about is what enters their stomachs but not the development of young people in Tororo district” Ofwono says.
Moses Owor the Soni sub-county youth chairperson on his part confirmed they’re moving to task the district technocrats to account for the National youth council grant that has been sent to the district from financial 2020/21 to date claiming that they have never had a single full Youth Council sitting.
“I want to tell you the truth which I believe will set me free, in Tororo we have never held a single youth council sitting and it’s high time with think we should bring IGG and State House Anti-corruption Court on board over the mismanagement of NYC grants in Tororo district,” said Moses Owor.
Lauce Ofwono another member of the council who absconded Wednesday afternoon sitting told dialling express that they’re getting in touch with the National youth council secretariat regarding abuse of youth leaders’ rights in Tororo district.
“We are in the process of writing to the powers above in Kampala over this and as I speak all evidence to pinn the district technocrats have been gathered inclusive of giving invitation letters to attendees on the day of sitting today” the Western division youth chairperson Lauce Ofwono claims.
Meanwhile, the allegation of giving letters to members at the time of council sitting was confirmed on this website by Boniface Okauli and the Tororo district female youth councillor Rebecca Nyamwenge who were part of today’s afternoon council.
“I can confirm to you that it was when the council meeting started that we were given invitation letters dated 20th -June 2023,” Okauli said.
“Yes we received the letters today but it doesn’t matter, what is more important is that the youth council which people were demanding has been held” Nyamwenge the district female youth councilor says.
The Wednesday afternoon youth council sitting comes Just two days after Michael Jaluli the Pajwenda secretary for finance and Bathy Omella the Kwapa Sub-county youth councillor accused the district technocrats of frustrating young people’s development.
Initially, the Tororo district youth leaders had also on the 28th of June, 2023 petitioned the office of the Ahief Administrative Officer Tororo demanding for dispatching of YLP funds to 28 youth groups selected for financial 2022/23 and Accountability on the youth council grant.
DailyExpress has also learnt that by Tuesday 04th- July 2023 evening discussions over the official invitation of youth leaders for youth council sitting was the measure discussion on the district’s WhatsApp platforms with youth leaders promising to churn today’s council unless the law is followed.
Efforts to reach Tororo district community development officer Vincent Ogut and Gender Officer Mr Owor over allegations against them by the youth leaders were futile as they couldn’t answer repeated calls.
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