Newly elected National Female Youth MP Mercy Kanyesigye and the National Youth Council (NYC) have called for an increase in the council’s budget from Shs4 billion to Shs10 billion to strengthen youth programs across the country.
The call was made during a collaboration meeting between Kanyesigye and the National Youth Council Executive held on Thursday at the Council’s offices in Ntinda.
Youth leaders at the meeting highlighted several challenges affecting young people, with unemployment topping the list. They argued that the current allocation of Shs4 billion is inadequate to effectively run programmes aimed at addressing joblessness and promoting economic empowerment.
Addressing the media, Kanyesigye described the current budget as insufficient to enable the Council to effectively execute its mandate.
“Currently, the council receives shs4 billion a year, which is honestly too little. Many young people out there do not even know what the National Youth Council does,” she said.
She emphasised that the meeting resolved to push for a substantial increment.
“We agreed to push for an increase in the budget from shs4 billion to shs10 billion . The Women’s Council receives nine billion, so why not young people?” she asked.
According to Kanyesigye, increasing the allocation would strengthen monitoring and supervision of government youth programmes across the country.
“The Council is mandated to engage young people, participate in government programmes, and monitor those programmes. However, it has not been effective due to lack of sufficient funding,” she noted.
National Youth Council Chairperson Daniel Ongom said the Council’s extensive grassroots structure remains underfunded and incapacitated.
“We have a structure of nine youth leaders in each village. There are 72,000 villages in this country. This gives us a strong network of 648,000 leaders. However, with a budget of only shs4 billion, we are unable to operate effectively,” Ongom said.
He confirmed that Kanyesigye had pledged to champion the proposed increment in Parliament.
“We have agreed with her, and she has committed to championing a budget increase for the National Youth Council so that we are able to serve young people effectively,” he added.
Beyond the budget increment, unemployment was cited as the most pressing challenge facing young people.
“One of the key things we agreed on is that the biggest challenge facing young people in this country is unemployment,” Kanyesigye said.
She pledged to push for dedicated startup capital for youth-led businesses.
“Women in this country have a fund under GROW, and persons with disabilities also have a fund. However, young people do not have a dedicated fund. I will therefore push for startup capital for youth-led businesses,” she said.
Ongom added that Kanyesigye would also champion a Youth Starter Bill aimed at securing funding for young entrepreneurs.
“She will champion a Youth Starter Bill to secure funding for young businesspeople in this country,” he said.
Kanyesigye also raised concerns about gaps in the implementation of youth-focused initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM).
“Although there is a 30 percent allocation for young people to benefit from the Parish Development Model, our findings show that many young people do not actually receive what they are entitled to,” she said.
She noted that the Council would intensify monitoring efforts and hold biannual meetings with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Gender and the Ministry of Local Government, to present field findings and seek solutions.
Ongom further highlighted logistical challenges affecting youth leaders, particularly lack of transport.
“Youth Council leaders face serious mobility challenges. They do not have motorcycles. The motorcycles that were provided about fifteen years ago are now worn out,” he said.
He added that the Council would push for facilitation to enable leaders to effectively mobilise youth for wealth creation programmes.
“Our overarching five-year agenda is to champion wealth creation and serve as catalysts of wealth creation among young people,” Ongom said.
“That is the key and top priority of this National Youth Council Executive Committee, and she is willing and able to support it within Parliament.”
Since being elected, Kanyesigye has prioritised expanding young people’s access to government programmes. Through her collaboration with the Youth Council, she has begun advancing an agenda focused on empowering youth and steering them out of poverty.
