Bugisu youths seek to mend relations with Museveni

Bugisu youth leaders have publicly apologized to President Museveni, addressing wider concerns over the perceived marginalization of their region in government appointments.

They admitted that past leaders often saw these roles as personal rewards rather than opportunities for community advocacy, potentially undermining the region’s trust and image and spoiling opportunities for upcoming leaders.

"We are very ready to appologise to the president for the things that our elders have done that have not ogad well with him we are ready to tell the president to forgove this region to restore the glory of Bugisu,"  Bududa District youth councilor Rachael Martha Nabulo said.

This apology comes amidst rising tensions and criticism from across the political divide regarding the underrepresentation of Bugisu leaders in key government roles.

"On various platforms young people and elders are saying the president is not giving us ministries yet he gave us and we miss used them. If the president  entrusts you with a ministry it is not for you as a person but rather on behalf of the whole region. We  have misused those opportunities forgive us ,your excellency ."

They cited the examples of   former Minister for Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu and her junior minister Agnes Nandutu, who were dropped over corruption allegations involving the diversion of iron sheets meant for vulnerable people in Karamoja.

The youth leaders from the six districts and Mbale city that form Bugisu subregion had converged in Mbale City to prepare for the youth symposium in which they expect to host the president on September 2.

These  hope that their apology will pave the way for a more collaborative and effective relationship with the appointing authority.

They believe that acknowledging these past mistakes is a crucial step toward regaining the trust and support of the Bugisu people and ensuring that future appointments will be used to genuinely benefit the region.

This public apology sets the stage for the upcoming meeting with President Museveni next month, where the youth leaders from across he subs-region are expected to discuss these issues further and seek ways to improve the representation and advocacy for Bugisu in the government.

They hope this apology will restore confidence and improve regional representation, with plans to discuss these issues further in a meeting with the President next month.

This move aligns with earlier criticisms from local MPs who lamented the lack of Bugisu representation in recent parliamentary committee appointments and compared it to the more significant ministerial roles the region enjoyed in the 1990s.

This belief has fueled dissatisfaction among the Bagisu community about their peripheral position in government decisions.

The youth leaders hope their apology will restore trust and lead to better representation, with further discussions planned with the President next month.

Bugisu has 24 MPs including 3 opposition members. However, the region Bosts of one cabinet ministerial and one state minister.