Prime
National youth council boss accused of using office to mobilise for Museveni
Youth supporters of NRM march during the launch of the Yellow Youth Movement (YYM) in Kampala on February 24, 2024. PHOTO/SYLVIA KATUSHABE
What you need to know:
- Mr Eyeru ‘s remarks came days after FDC and JEEMA youth leagues issued an ultimatum of five working days asking him to apologise to the public for allegedly using NYC office for personal political interest yet it’s supposed to be independent.
- NYC is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament as an umbrella organisation of all youth in Uganda between the age of 18 and 30 years and is mandated to organise mobilise and engage youth in development activities as well as protect them from any kind of manipulation.
The Chairperson of the National Youth Council (NYC) Jacob Eyeru has snubbed calls by Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and JEEMA youth leaders to apologise for allegedly using his office to mobilise support for President Museveni, 79.
“Since I am the organiser of the Yellow Youth Movement at the same time the National Coordinator of the youth, I have a right to use NYC address and Postal address,” said Mr Eyeru who is accused of abuse of office.
Mr Eyeru’s trouble started when he used the NYC-headed paper to write a letter to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) notifying him about mobilisation activities by members of the NRM Youth League under the Yellow Youth Movement Initiative starting from June to July 2024.
The letter indicated the dates of the first phase of the NRM youth mobilisation drives in the months of June and July starting with Mbarara City on June 8, Gulu on June 22, Mbale on July 6, and Kampala on July 20.
On the issue of encouraging youth to support President Museveni who has been in power for nearly four decades, Mr Eyeru said: “If it was any other president of the previous regime, that press conference would not have been there and they could be in jail right now. They should instead thank us for supporting President Museveni and allowing people to do what they are doing, especially with freedom of expression.”
Mr Eyeru said he was elected to NYC on the NRM ticket and is still a member of the ruling party.
Mr Eyeru ‘s remarks came days after FDC and JEEMA youth leagues issued an ultimatum of five working days asking him to apologise to the public for allegedly using NYC office for personal political interest yet it’s supposed to be independent.
The FDC Youth leader, Mr Francis Adepo said they have been following the activities of Mr Eyeru and his clique and that they wanted to “remind him that the NYC of Uganda by law is not a branch of NRM and therefore, must operate impartially while serving interest of young people.”
“We also draw his mind to the core objectives of NYC which include; organising the youth of Uganda as a unified body, engaging the youth in productive activities that benefit all and protect the youth against any kind of manipulation,” he said.
Mr Adepo raised the concerns because NYC receives taxpayer’s money and therefore, the chairperson “should not be involved in such bogus activities of praising one person.”
“Those taking advantage of the struggling youths to unscrupulously manipulate them in such activities of maintaining one person in power instead of focusing on their welfare should stop. We demand an apology from Mr Eyeru and his clique for disrespecting and betraying his own generation by telling us to support President Museveni,” said Mr Haroona Musanje, the Jeema Youth League chairperson.
NYC
NYC is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament as an umbrella organisation of all youth in Uganda between the age of 18 and 30 years and is mandated to organise mobilise and engage youth in development activities as well as protect them from any kind of manipulation.
