Youth Leaders in Busoga Region call for youth participation in protest vote.

By kenneth Wamatoyi. 

Youth leaders in the Busoga region have called for active involvement in the upcoming youth elections. This comes after the Uganda Police Force (UPF) on Monday blocked the scheduled launch of the “Youth Protest Vote,” an initiative organized by the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP).

The “Youth Protest Vote” campaign was intended to mobilize young Ugandans ahead of the upcoming elections. NUP officials described the initiative as a peaceful effort to encourage political participation among the youth.

Nantaba Maria Ledochowska, NUP's Eastern Uganda leader, condemned the police action, accusing them of partisan politics and serving the interests of a dictatorship. She emphasized that the campaign was meant to mobilize young people to participate in the electoral process. This statement was made during a press conference held at the NUP head office in Jinja City this afternoon.

Nantaba urged youths to organize themselves and mobilize their peers to support the protest vote and participate in the youth elections scheduled for June 17, 2025. She encouraged them to check their names in the Electoral Commission (EC) register and vote for NUP candidates at all levels. Voting is expected to take place on June 17, 2025.

She also called for a registration drive from June 2 to June 10, to help youths register with the EC and get involved in the election process. She urged areas like Namutumba, Luuka, Iganga, and the wider Busoga sub-region to actively participate in order to secure victory from the grassroots level.

Nantaba stated that the protest vote is a response to dissatisfaction caused by issues such as torture, unemployment, abductions, and corruption. The goal, she said, is to elect leaders starting from the local level who can bring about real change.

This was during a meeting held at the NUP office in Jinja City as the party checked the register of National Unity Platform Youth Council members.

Mukove Jamal, the Assistant youth leader for Eastern Uganda, expressed concern that youths in the region have been neglected. He noted that President Museveni recently visited Busoga, yet poverty levels continue to rise. Jamal criticized the impunity created over president Museveni's 40-year rule, stating, "We can't let this continue."

He praised the current COSASE and other parliamentary leaders, stating that mindful leadership is emerging across the country. “We are sweeping from villages to national levels, with Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert as our leader,” he added.

Nanga Ramathan emphasized the importance of sensitization ahead of the forthcoming elections. He urged the youth not to be intimidated by threats or violence. “We are not just here to lament—we are here to take action,” he said.

Ramathan also condemned the abductions and brutal actions against NUP supporters such as Smart, Akram Kivumbi, and Gaddafi, who are currently being held in Masaka prisons.