Kampala — FLORIDA Safe Life Motel in Mbale became a launch pad for the Young Politicians Club(YPC) whose inaugural workshop was meant to reinvigorate the youth's knowledge, approach and interest in various political issues in Uganda. Participation in politics at party and national levels and democratising the political parties and Uganda were more outstanding themes.

The YPC is the brainchild of such leaders of the defunct UPC Youth League as Martin Anukur, James Otoo, Ivan Rwakabogo, J. Oriman and K. Higenyi. The League which for some time had been a leading promoter of the difficult-to-market UPC was mid-last year, disgracefully uprooted from the party secretariat by Obote's putschists Wegulo and Walubiri. Even when Higenyi, Anukur and Oriman stood in their respective constituencies, they suffered harrassment from UPC.

Old bad habits die hard. Higenyi who had earlier been endorsed as the party's candidate, was later replaced with another candidate allegedly planted by Badru Wegulo. Apparently, the youth have been in the political wilderness. Nevertheless, the YPC is all-inclusive as young politicians from NRM, UPC, DP, JEEMA and FDC participated in the two-day workshop which was sponsored by Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

If the youth abide by the resolutions, determination, vision, mission and unity generated at the conference then dictatorship in parties is in trouble.

Ultimately, the success of the young politicians shall be measured, not only by their ability to oppose and depose the corrupt old-generation leaders, but fundamentally whether they abandon old politics.

The YPC deserve commendation for the noble idea moreso because the young have a greater stake in the affairs of our motherland. They can play a very useful role in promoting better politics and democracy because the youth are energetic, dynamic, revolutionary, agile, versatile, malleable and charismatic.

I must say I was delighted to have been asked to deliver a paper on democracy to the maiden YPC gathering. But, as I pointed out, it is a stiff challenge to promote democracy without democrats. Whereas most people can abuse and accuse a sitting regime of dictatorship, few will be found to be doers of their own word.

This is why most opposition parties in Uganda are internally more autocratic than the NRM regime. The seemingly interminable conflicts and division in UPC and DP arise out of dictatorship from within. But as William Shakespeare counsels, "It is a good divine that follows his own instructions".

Consequently, the young politicians must be change agents. They must seek to fully understand what democracy is lest they prove mere demagogues.

To be a true promoter of democracy is to be a rebel against despotism in family, school, church/mosque, kingdom, party and state house. Because intraparty dictatorship affects national democracy, the youth must never be opportunistic favour seekers. They should challenge the notion of "that's how we do our things" and as United State's General Colin Powell says, "Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity."

The old generation politicians have promoted the politics of lies, malice, greed, opportunism, treachery, intimidation and nuguism.

Young politicians therefore find it hard to locate and emmulate a reasonable political mentor. Is your mentor Milton Obote, Idi Amin, Okello Lutwa, Yoweri Museveni, Bidandi Ssali, Chango Macho, Kirunda Kivejinja or Kintu Musoke? This is one of the big challenges to YPC and all young politicians.

The writer is the co-ordinator of UPC antidictatorship