Youth MPs want some laws amended to uplift young people
Youth MPs under their umbrella body Uganda Youth Parliamentary Forum (YPF) have outlined key bills that they intend to table in the 11th Parliament for the betterment of the young people in Uganda
The young legislators led by the chairperson of the Forum, Bonifice Okot, said some of the bills that need to be enacted to help young people are: the National Graduate Scheme Bill, the Anti-slavery Bill, the Employment Amendment Bill, the Parliamentary Elections Amendment Bill among others.
At least 100 MPs in the 11th Parliament are under the age of 40 and are members of the YPF.
Many believe that the views and concerns of young people need to be amplified.
Some of the concerns of young people are unemployment, poverty and poor health and education services.
Okot said bills like the National Graduate bill once passed into law will help the young people of this nation to be equipped with skills that are required at places of work.
He said the bill will ensure that graduates get internships and later employment in public and private institutions.
“It will make it mandatory for government institutions to create space and vacancies for young people who can then get skills that can help them in the job market.
At least 400,000 young people graduate from higher institutions of learning each year, according to the National Council for Higher Education.
Yet they can’t all be absorbed in the job market because the public sector is already filled up while the private sector is still relatively small.
Okot said they are also pushing for the amendment of the Parliamentary Elections Act to reduce reduce the nomination fee for all the elective positions.
Currently any person seeking to stand for Parliament is required to pay nomination fees of Shs 2 million (roughly $600), money which is out of reach for many young people.
“The huge sums of money required for one to participate in Uganda’s elective politics have not only deterred many young people from joining politics but it has also made the country lose out on talented young politicians,” Okot said.
