The newly elected National Female Youth Member of Parliament, Mercy Kanyesigye, has set focus on the establishment of a Special Youth Desk aimed at helping young people across the country access government programs and essential services.
Kanyesigye says the initiative, which she will roll out after being sworn into office, is designed to bridge the gap between youth leaders, government agencies, and young people struggling to benefit from existing government interventions.
“After swearing in, I will put up a special desk to help the youth out there who are failing to access Government programs like skilling, Parish Development Model, Emyooga and even those who are struggling to get Passports, National I.Ds and other relevant documents that are vital in accessing these programs,” Kanyesigye said.
She explained that the desk will have a designated officer responsible for coordinating with relevant government institutions to ease the process of acquiring key documents such as National IDs, passports, and birth certificates — which she described as critical for participation in national programs.
“The special desk officer will liaise with relevant Government agencies, the youth leaders and the young people out there to ensure that we serve our youth fraternity with diligence, empathy and commitment,” she added.
Kanyesigye noted that many young people, particularly those who registered for National IDs while still in school, are yet to receive their identification documents, which she termed a growing concern.
“There is a big number of young people that have been struggling to get National IDs, most especially those registered from schools and without IDs nowadays, it’s a paradox,” she said. “This special desk will help to liaise with Government agencies responsible and convey information to the young citizens.”
Beyond documentation, the Youth MP pledged that the desk will also track government commitments to the youth, including the percentage of public procurement contracts reserved for young people and unfulfilled presidential pledges.
“The special desk will help to follow up on government commitments to the youth as well, like the percentage of Procurement contracts meant to be reserved for the youth by Government, unfulfilled Presidential pledges,” she emphasized.
She believes the initiative will simplify follow-ups for youth at district level and ensure that government opportunities become more accessible and transparent for Uganda’s young population.
Kanyesigye secured 216 votes out of 443 cast in the electoral college, defeating her closest rival, Ampaire, who polled 198 votes. Julia Muhumuza garnered 24 votes, while National Unity Platform candidate Edith Namande received one vote. One ballot was invalid, giving Kanyesigye an 18-vote margin.
