Kampala — THE future is finally here. The proverbial leaders of tomorrow, the youth, will dominate the 2011 elections, where 14.5 million voters are expected to take part.

The youth make up about 55% of the country's total population. Statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics indicate that seven million youth will be eligible to vote by the end of next year, 1.4 million of them voting for the first time in 2011.

Population projections by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics indicate that from the six million youth who were eligible to vote in 2006, the figure has gone up to 7.4 million youth between the age of 18 and 30 years. This is 55% of the country's total adult population.

The projections indicate that in 2011, when Uganda will be holding its next presidential and parliamentary polls, 14.5 million Ugandans will be eligible to vote.

The annual population growth rate is projected to increase from an estimated 3.3% per annum in 2007 to 3.5% per annum in 2011. The total population in 2011 will be 33 million from 28 million in 2006, of which the female population will be 17 million and male 16 million.

The projections indicate that the population of Uganda is currently dominated by the youth, and will continue to be throughout the projection period due to the prevailing high fertility.

It is projected that the size of the older persons - 60 years and above - in Uganda would also increase from 1.29 million in 2007 to 1.83 million in 2017.

A number of political analysts and youth representatives in Parliament argue that come 2011, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party will not have it easy with the changing voter demographics.

The majority of the youth (18-35) have either grown up or were born during President Yoweri Museveni's rule, so they will judge his government based on its record unlike the older voters who make comparisons with past governments.

"The challenge for the ruling party is to shift its campaign strategy from reminding people of what happened in the past. Guns and soldiers do not impress the new generation of voters." said Youth MP, Joseph Kasozi Muyomba.

The MPs contend that the youth have always influenced politics. They are energetic and many of them work as campaign agents or polling officials.

Makerere University History senior lecture Mwabustya Ndeebesa reasons that while older voters tend to be more compromising and accommodative, with a lot of comparisons to make, the youth demand for democracy in its full form.

"They will judge the NRM on its records of promises, delivery, or democracy, they will want full democracy," said Ndeebesa.

UBOS report said that the size of the working population is expected to increase from 14 million in 2007 to 17 million in 2011. This is an indication of additional jobs that need to be created given the current stock of jobs. The projected working population will be 55%.

"Job creation, creation of wealth, making available loans and an enabling business environment, shall be our focus," said Mukasa Mbidde, the Democratic Party deputy national youth chairman.

Political Science lecturer Muhammad Kulumba said that the youth are not dogmatic in certain issues and rarely follow ideologies, but look out for practical solutions to issues.

Ndebesa also points that in general terms, politics in Uganda is not issue-based, but centres on personalities and consolidation of power.

Ndebesa points that the youth, who form the bulk of the population, would have rightly changed the scene in 2011, but given the current facts, most are not interested in public affairs.

"Public affairs form the basis for debate and shape elections, but the youth want to dance, have new phones and cars, rarely have they showed keen interest beyond their entertainment needs" he said.

Kulumba point that the youth in Uganda have never had much influence even in terms of policy decisions and that the youth haven't got much of an arena in which to influence public policy leave alone political weight.

For those in Parliament, political analysts say that apart from being committed voters for the ruling party, they have not had an impact on the day-to-day running of politics in the country.

In order to woo the youthful voters into their camps, politicians have to adjust their manifestos to accommodate their needs, which are different from those of the older generation.

The various political parties in the country have already embarked on a recruitment drive, opening youth offices across the country.

They have also put provisions in their constitutions for a leadership position for the youth. However not much has been done in terms of wooing the youth to the party.

The Uganda People's Congress (UPC) have launched a campaign dubbed 'Hakuna Kulala' meaning no more sleep. Through this crusade, in which, they are traversing the country to mobilise and recruit the youth.

UPC estimated that it has over 25,000 full fledged youth members and are targeting to double the number by 2011.

More optimistic about winning the youthful votes in 2011 is the Democratic Party, that has had a vibrant youth wing in last 10 years- The Uganda Young Democrat.

DP is putting forward two youthful candidates for 2011; Gulu district chairman Norbert Mao and Sam Lubega, currently in the UK.