Some months back while on national duty in Fort-Portal Kabarole (western Uganda), the president visited and while addressing thousands of people he put emphasis on youth doing things that economically empower them, he later asked the leader of the Youth group of the district to identify what they needed in the group and he would be ready to assist in a way possible. When the youth leader stood up to give his speech, he asked for a brick baking machine. He was heavily criticized by his colleagues and they actually threatened to sack him as their leader. "Of all the things in the world, is that the best you could ask for?" asked one of his colleagues. Personally, I don't think he asked for something wrong.
On my analysis he could have been right because may be he asked for a brick baking machine based on his individual desires and not the group's desires/needs. Our country Uganda, over the years has been known for being good beggars(dependency on donor aid) and in some instances the donors actually ask us to say what we want. But I think our leaders ask for what they want as individuals and not the people they represent, or even when they beg basing on their people's desires/needs they have got personal interests aside to cater for, something that has left us behind as a country.
Our leaders not being able to plan well for the people or groups they lead is not because they have these so many demanding things as family men or clan leaders but it is because of two things. One is that we are not defined as Ugandans, secondly; thinking for others is not something that people have had since their childhood and through their youth stage. Uganda is lucky that a slightly big chunk of the population is composed of youth and who are educated youth at that. So the future is bright for tomorrow if we can know who we are and what we want.
I would call it late to tell our grand fathers and fathers to have a definition of themselves and know what they want. But for the the youth, I must say we must have something that defines us. Have something that they can use to define you is what can help youth be better than the elders of today.
In an ICT or call it a dot com generation where everyone has a platform to build a Life or a career but unfortunately many of us do not know how to go about that. I asked one of my friends why he tweets and facebooks so much, the only answer he could give me was that he is building social capital. Fine, let it be social capital but is it physical? Its you to answer that if you are also in this category.
'Til next time
