WHY YOUNG PEOPLE IN UGANDA MUST SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN ON THE RESTORATION OF PRESIDENTIAL TERM LIMITS.
While the state remains focused on entrenching and sustaining one individual,the Youth pay the price for this. That's why our defense budget receives the largest allocation (over 40%) while very little goes to critical Sectors that are important for Job Creation and development of Youth like Education (now at 14% of the budget) and health which you remember too well. The high cost of maintaining a leader is the reason the state can not find resources to help and change the situation of Young people. The state of Young people in Uganda today (85% unemployment,25% completion rate in U.P.E schools, very poor access or no timely access to health care is as a direct result of increasingly conflicting National and Individual Interests.
Uganda has the youngest Age structure in the world with a population that grows by at least a million people each year. Uganda also has the highest rate of unemployment in the world. (8 out of every 10 young people are looking for jobs to survive) studies by Population Action International (PAI) have shown that countries with high levels of youth Unemployment are most likely to face outbreaks of Civil Conflict and autocratic governance because Youth usually take out their anger and frustrations on political representatives in their countries. (See Egypt,Libya,etc).
The anger in the Youth Populace seen in demonstrations,strikes,their participation in riots etc is a red-light pointer to the gravity of the situation. We can not afford to have more catalysts for civil unrest. Given our history of violent transfer of power,angry Youth tend to engage in violent uprisings(see the names and AGE of Ugandans who joined the different struggles in our history) that cause anarchy to a Nation and many times,a generation. term limits ensures that we have a means of peaceful transfer of power. In the current system with no term limits,we are creating a situation that can be exploited by already frustrated and angry Youth to cause strife and unrest.
Lastly, as with all offices and as a principle in life,any thing that is not Time bound can not be evaluated. Term Limits is about Time limits. A soccer match takes 90 minutes and all the players have that time to score or concede defeat. Where extra time is appointed,it is done so in the interest of the Game and its players. The best players are those who have the best impact in 90 minutes.Whether a team wins or loses,it must then leave the Pitch for another team to play and so on.If a team loses,it will have the comfort of knowing there will be another season-a next season. In the absence of Term limits,a Nation of Uganda can not hope for next season-it simply does not exist.
Can you imagine Watching Arsenal Vs Arsenal for 27 years??? Crazy huh! my sentiments exactly. When do other teams get a chance to play? When do other teams get a chance to win-or to lose? No matter how great Arsenal may be-or Chelsea,or Liverpool,or man-city,or Southampton,my team is Express FC they can not play for 25 years non stop. No matter how great they are!
And yes. When you excel in a class,you are promoted to the next.....you do not stay there because you were the best in that class.Otherwise the kids in the class below you will have no classes to join in the coming year.(Yes,see our frustrated U.P.E system for a demonstration of this). Its only when your grades are substandard that you are asked to repeat that class. Makes me wonder,looking through the Google search on the 12 indicators of failed states. Could this refusal to re-instate Presidential term limits be seen as a refusal "to be promoted to the next class?
If yes,what is the justification:
a) Substandard grades
b) outright failure
c) Both A and B above?
Please circle the appropriate answer.
helenaokiring@hotmail.com
Uganda has the youngest Age structure in the world with a population that grows by at least a million people each year. Uganda also has the highest rate of unemployment in the world. (8 out of every 10 young people are looking for jobs to survive) studies by Population Action International (PAI) have shown that countries with high levels of youth Unemployment are most likely to face outbreaks of Civil Conflict and autocratic governance because Youth usually take out their anger and frustrations on political representatives in their countries. (See Egypt,Libya,etc).
The anger in the Youth Populace seen in demonstrations,strikes,their participation in riots etc is a red-light pointer to the gravity of the situation. We can not afford to have more catalysts for civil unrest. Given our history of violent transfer of power,angry Youth tend to engage in violent uprisings(see the names and AGE of Ugandans who joined the different struggles in our history) that cause anarchy to a Nation and many times,a generation. term limits ensures that we have a means of peaceful transfer of power. In the current system with no term limits,we are creating a situation that can be exploited by already frustrated and angry Youth to cause strife and unrest.
Lastly, as with all offices and as a principle in life,any thing that is not Time bound can not be evaluated. Term Limits is about Time limits. A soccer match takes 90 minutes and all the players have that time to score or concede defeat. Where extra time is appointed,it is done so in the interest of the Game and its players. The best players are those who have the best impact in 90 minutes.Whether a team wins or loses,it must then leave the Pitch for another team to play and so on.If a team loses,it will have the comfort of knowing there will be another season-a next season. In the absence of Term limits,a Nation of Uganda can not hope for next season-it simply does not exist.
Can you imagine Watching Arsenal Vs Arsenal for 27 years??? Crazy huh! my sentiments exactly. When do other teams get a chance to play? When do other teams get a chance to win-or to lose? No matter how great Arsenal may be-or Chelsea,or Liverpool,or man-city,or Southampton,my team is Express FC they can not play for 25 years non stop. No matter how great they are!
And yes. When you excel in a class,you are promoted to the next.....you do not stay there because you were the best in that class.Otherwise the kids in the class below you will have no classes to join in the coming year.(Yes,see our frustrated U.P.E system for a demonstration of this). Its only when your grades are substandard that you are asked to repeat that class. Makes me wonder,looking through the Google search on the 12 indicators of failed states. Could this refusal to re-instate Presidential term limits be seen as a refusal "to be promoted to the next class?
If yes,what is the justification:
a) Substandard grades
b) outright failure
c) Both A and B above?
Please circle the appropriate answer.
helenaokiring@hotmail.com
Ms. Helena Okiring
A member FOWODE Young Leaders Alumni Association (FYLAA)
