Whenever young people seek electoral positions, elders often tell them, "you are the leaders of tomorrow."
For Diini Kisembo, a medical doctor from the Bunyoro sub-region, tomorrow has finally come.
Kisembo is seeking the coveted NRM vice chairman seat for Western region, a position currently occupied by Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza.
Kyaligonza, Uganda's ambassador to Burundi and a bush war hero, has served two terms as chairperson for NRM Western Uganda.
Kisembo believes Kyaligonza now belongs to a generation of elders that must step aside and let the young people take over.
At a strategic level, Kisembo believes that youthful candidates have the ability to traverse the country and put in practice poverty alleviation programmes.
“He has tried to engage youths in income generating activities and countered the people power groups in Bunyoro,” revealed Peter Asera who lives in Kagadi.
Under the Bunyoro Kitara Youth Initiative for Development, an association he started, many youths have been enrolled into Agriculture.
As the coronavirus pandemic spread across the world and as it began to set foothold here in Uganda, Dr Kisembo rushed to various radios across the country asking locals to enforce preventive measures such as social distancing.
His campaign dubbed ‘I am safe my neighbour is not’ gained traction with locals across the country.
Kisembo has participated in public interest litigation when he filed a suit in the High Court against the Attorney General in 2012.
Under Health Watch Uganda, an NGO he runs, Kisembo demanded that government offers treatment centres for children affected by the nodding disease syndrome and provides welfare to the victims of this ailment.
In a civil suit, the organisation alleged that government violated the right of children of Kitgum, Gulu, Pader and Lamwo districts as enshrined under articles 22 and 45 of the Constitution.
He also sued government over the compensation of locals who are residing at Bukasa, Bweyogerere, where an inland port will soon be constructed.
The government has since earmarked Shs 15bn to commence compensating residents of Bukasa to pave way for the construction of the Bukasa port, which is expected to commence in July this year.
If given the opportunity to serve, Kisembo believes that he can be the fulcrum between the youths and the old guard.
His philosophy has largely been constructed on the leadership skills of civil rights leader Martin Luther King and anti-apartheid icon, Nelson Mandela.
He believes that leaders must offer visionary to locals to uplift them from poverty and also promote truth telling and reconciliation.
As the clock ticks towards the NRM primaries, Kisembo says he remains a beacon of hope that youthful leaders can transform society.
What has he done for Bunyoro?
Kisembo said: "I have facilitated the formation of music associations across the Bunyoro sub-region to compose campaign songs for the president for the 2021 presidential poll."
He said he has established an education bursary for the best performing students from Bunyoro.
Yet a campaign against a seasoned politician like Kyaligonza requires a financial war-chest. So who is funding Kisembo?
Kisembo is an entrepreneur who supplies medical equipment to a number of hospitals across the country.
He may not have billions of shillings to dole out to the electorate but he has enough funds to sustain a clean campaign and be able to reach out every pocket of the country.
With uncertainty hovering over the fate of the NRM primaries, Kisembo believes that whereas the coronavirus pandemic has brought life to a halt, it has given the president the pedestal to illustrate his leadership skills.