Museveni’s call for youth in Anti-Corruption fight a hollow pretence

By George Ofwono

President Yoweri Museveni’s recent appeal to the youth to join the fight against corruption during the International Youth Day celebration rings hollow in light of his government’s repressive actions against young protestors who have taken to the streets to demand accountability.

On August 12, as the nation marked Youth Day under the theme “From Click to Progress,” President Museveni urged young Ugandans to embrace digital tools to expose corruption and promote transparency. Yet, just weeks earlier, his government had unleashed a brutal crackdown on the #Match2Parliament protest, led by patriotic youth who sought to highlight the endemic corruption within Uganda’s legislative assembly.

According to George Ofwono, the Nyangole subcounty youth chairperson on the Uganda People’s Congress ticket, the majority of those arrested, detained, and imprisoned during the protest were young people. This blatant disregard for young voices and their willingness to fight for a corruption-free Uganda exposes the hypocrisy of the President’s call.

The #Match2Parliament protest was a peaceful demonstration aimed at holding corrupt officials in parliament to account. The youth participants were exercising their fundamental right to express themselves and demand transparency and accountability. However, the government’s heavy-handed response sent a chilling message to all citizens: dissent will not be tolerated, especially if it comes from young people.

President Museveni’s government has a long history of suppressing dissent and civil society activism. Youth organizations, in particular, have faced threats, intimidation, and arbitrary arrests. These actions have created an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship, discouraging young people from participating in public affairs and holding their leaders accountable.

The President’s call for youth involvement in the fight against corruption is thus a mere pretence. His government’s actions demonstrate that it is not genuinely committed to empowering young people or fostering an environment where they can safely and effectively contribute to the development of their country.

If President Museveni is truly serious about addressing corruption, he must first restore the trust of the youth by ending the repression of dissent, releasing all political prisoners, and allowing for genuine political dialogue. He must also implement concrete measures to address structural weaknesses within the government and hold corrupt officials to account.

Until then, his call for youth involvement in the fight against corruption will remain an empty promise, a hollow pretence that seeks to silence young voices and maintain the status quo.

The writer is the Nyangole subcounty youth chairperson in Tororo district. 

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