The National Resistance Movement (NRM)Secretary General and current Chairperson of the Interparty Organization for Dialogue (IPOD) council, Richard Todwong has urged young leaders to prioritize issues of national interest that affect ordinary people.
He was interacting with youth leaders from political parties under their umbrella, Interparty Youth Platform (IYOP) at the NRM head offices at plot 10, Kyadondo Road, Nakasero. The parties included NRM, FDC, DP, UPC, JEEMA, ANT, and PPP among others.
“The colors of our shirts and different shades of opinion shouldn’t blind us from the plight of the ordinary people. Instead, political parties should serve as best avenues to address the very concerns,” Todwong said.
He underscored the role of dialogue and consensus among elites to implement some of the society’s strategic challenges like high youth unemployment and poverty. “Once the above concerns are sorted, the socio-economic transformation will be achieved,”he emphasized.
Todwong also commended the platform for uniting and grooming those he described as the leader of the future generation, “this is the right forum for democracy to flourish and exercise freedom of association.”
The IYOP leaders presented their concerns to Todwong through a memorandum which was handled by the group chair, Mutesi Zalika of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
Some of the issues highlighted in the document that requires the attention of both IPOD and the government include; the high cost of elections, low youth inclusion in leadership structures, and the pre and post-election violence which majorly affects young people.
The NRM Youth League Chairperson, Gadafi Nasur asked the IPOD Chairperson, Mr.Todwong to table their concerns and jointly work with fellow leaders to handle them.
IYOP is a platform that brings together different youth leagues of all active political parties in Uganda