Africa's strategic future lies in the hands of the youth–Pan Africanists

PAUL KAYONGA

The Pan African Movement (Uganda National Chapter) in partnership with Yearning Voices Foundation - YVF, IGAD/CEWARN and the Government of Uganda have launched the 2019 Sustainable Peace and Security Youth Campaign.

The annual campaign is premised on empowering young people within the region and beyond in Peace building, Pan-Africanism and fast-tracking of African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063.

It was during the launch on Wednesday, that Kirunda Kivejinja, 2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs who presided over the launch expounded on the exigent need to revive the Pan African glory.

“Africa was enslaved for 400 years and colonised for over 100 years but it managed to chase away European colonisers by organising around pan Africanism that saw spirited Africans fight for the black world selflessly”, said Kivejinja.

Kivejinja said that Africa is now “reawakening” and it needs initiatives of this kind to fast-track the African agenda.

He also emphasised the need for the youth to occupy spaces for constructive “activism”.

In attendance was Antonio Pubillones Izaguile, the Cuban ambassador to Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi who reminded the participants of Cuba's contribution to the independence struggles and peace in Africa.

He urged the African young generation of leaders and activists to invest more in International solidarity in order to achieve peace and save the continent from being recolonised.

He noted that peace is a great commodity which everyone needs but it has to be promoted and sustained by youths who presence in big numbers is both a threat and to peace and an opportunity for the same.

NRM’s Vice Chairman for Eastern Uganda, Capt. Mike Mukula, who is also the patron of the Pan African Movement-Uganda Chapter noted that for the past years, Africa has been filled with conflicts’ making the black world a place of despair Uganda in particular.

“Out of the 33 Years of NRM in power, 30 years have been for fighting different rebel groups which include LRA, FOBA, ADF, etc”, Mukula noted.

The government has also been pursuing peace in Somalia, South Sudan, DRC, he added.

Mukula explained that the Karamojong alone had about 80,000 guns but government managed to disarm them.

He also commended the UPDF for bringing and maintaining peace throughout the borders of the country and its neighbours through pan Africanism.

But the next generation of leaders to safeguard the gains and peace above in the question.

Others in attendance were representatives of AU and IGAD making it 98 participants from Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, DRC, Burundi and Tanzania.

Newton Balenzi, the chief coordinator of the campaign revealed to the Nile Post that this campaign was initiated in 2017 with an aim of making Africa a peaceful place for the next generation of its people and visitors.

Balenzi also noted with concern that the financial support has hindered their move forward at the would “better” pace and now members across the continent have resorted to fundraising for the campaign. At the launch alone, over 8 Million shillings was obtained from members.