The National Youth Council (NYC) has called for the immediate release of young people apprehended during an anti-corruption march on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, a segment of Uganda's Generation Zoomers (Gen Z) demonstrated against the corruption plaguing Parliament and the country.
Several young people attempting to march to Parliament were arrested by a joint team of the military and police.
Among those apprehended were former Rubaga South MP candidate and activist Habib Buwembo, comedian Samuel Okanya, alias Sammy, and others.
Jacob Eyeru, Chairperson of the Council, asked for the release of the detained protesters and advocated for a platform to discuss their concerns.
"We appeal to the leadership in the Judiciary and in Parliament to release all these youth without charge and to provide avenues for further dialogue to have them air out their grievances in a conducive manner," Eyeru urged. He emphasized the need for collective action against corruption.
The Council highlighted the importance of the protests, which saw young people both online and on the streets aiming to reach the Parliament of Uganda to voice their stance against corruption.
"While we may differ in the approaches to fighting corruption within Uganda from person to person, we should all agree that fighting corruption is a timely and patriotic duty of every well-meaning Ugandan that must be done," Eyeru stated.
Eyeru praised the youth's dedication to accountability, including towards the Council leadership.
"As the National Youth Council, we welcome the zeal of all Ugandan youth in speaking out against corruption and demanding accountability on the part of all leaders, including the leadership of the National Youth Council," he noted.
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The Council also responded to calls from various youth groups for a dialogue with the President on corruption, as mentioned in his recent address. The Council aims to facilitate this meeting at the earliest opportunity to address the issue comprehensively.
"The National Youth Council shall continue to work with all state and non-state actors to provide platforms for youth to engage with all arms of government in the genuine pursuit of a corruption-free future for Uganda," Eyeru said.
The protesters have put forward several demands, including the resignation of the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, and the four backbench commissioners, a reduction in the number of Ugandan MPs, and an audit into MPs' lifestyles.
They are also calling for the resignation of any MPs involved in corruption scandals and a reduction in MPs' salaries and allowances to a maximum of Shs 3 million.
Corruption is a major issue in Uganda, with several major scandals involving public officials.
The country is ranked 141 out of 180 countries on Transparency International's corruption index.
