Sponsored by Lord Nigel, the prominent Member of House of Lords of the United Kingdom, the Uganda’s High Commission to UK on 11th October 2022 hosted its inaugural diaspora youth Engagement aimed encouraging young to take up the initiative and responsibility in the next 2026 general elections.
According to the consent order that was signed by Uganda’s Electoral Commission in 2020, all the necessary steps shall be taken to ensure that people in diaspora and prisoners participated in the elections. The Commission also moved the necessary offices to make amendments in the electoral laws to enable the said categories of people to participate in the 2026 general elections.
The consent was made after the parties agreed that it is not possible for the electoral commission to register and include the said categories of people in the voting process within the remaining time to the 2021 general elections.
In this regard, the event was championed by Ms. Miriam Otengo former Senior Private Secretary to M7 in charge Youth Affairs. Otengo who doubled the London Mission as a Counselor and now handles Commercial and Economic Diplomacy docket encouraged and launch a big mobilization of the youth in the UK to participate in the development of the country.
Further more, the engagement was aimed at streamlining ways on how the youth can contribute to Uganda’s development using their expertise and resources accrued from the UK.
The youth who overwhelmingly turned up for the event also used the same platform to share stories of how COVID 19 Pandemic impacted their lives locally and in Uganda, and how they are striving to do even better.
Earlier, Ugandan youth celebrities, professionals from different fields of life were hosted at Uganda House in UK for a dinner by Ms Miriam to strategize and implore them on the 2026’s initiative.
Uganda’s High Commissioner to UK H.E Nimisha Madhavani thanked the young leader for being patriotic and hailed them for striving to keeping Uganda at heart.
She thanked Lord Nigel for supporting Uganda especially in the health sector.
She also gave guidance and pledged to support their youth initiatives in the diaspora such as the UIA’s 9 investment priority areas (Bankable Projects).
