Ugandan development practitioner Reagan Muyinda has been appointed as the new YouLead Project Coordinator, taking charge of the day-to-day operations of the continent's flagship youth leadership programme.
Muyinda, who brings extensive experience in youth programming, governance, and international relations, will oversee the implementation of YouLead's flagship initiatives, including Youth in Politics, Youth in Business, and other cross-cutting thematic programmes.
The appointment marks a significant career milestone for Muyinda, who has played a pivotal role in YouLead's growth over the years. He previously served as Regional Consortium Coordinator, where he managed the programme's consortium partners across the region. He later advanced to the position of Partnerships and Fundraising Coordinator, leading engagement with international and continental partners while strengthening strategic alliances and resource mobilization efforts.
Before rejoining YouLead, Muyinda served as a Learning Consultant at ActionAid International Uganda, where he facilitated social learning processes and supported youth engagement initiatives. His work included convening young people to review and influence key regional policy frameworks, notably the East African Community (EAC) Youth Policy.
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YouLead is a joint initiative of the MS Training Centre for Development Cooperation (MS TCDC) and the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, established to unlock the leadership potential of young Africans and contribute to a prosperous continent. Since its inception in 2017, the programme has evolved into a leading continental platform, engaging young leaders through fellowships, summits, policy dialogues, and leadership development initiatives.
Under Muyinda's coordination, YouLead is driving several high-impact policy initiatives aimed at shaping Africa's youth agenda. The programme is currently partnering with the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Continental Secretariat and Restless Development to assess the implementation of the African Youth Charter as it marks its 20th anniversary.
The initiative seeks to evaluate how African Union Member States and Regional Economic Communities have implemented youth commitments and will inform a continental policy brief scheduled for launch during International Youth Day commemorations.
YouLead also recently spearheaded the evaluation of the East African Community Youth Policy. During the YouLead Summit 2024, held in November 2024, the programme convened the East African Youth Forum, bringing together more than 200 youth leaders and policymakers to contribute to the development of a responsive, future-oriented EAC Youth Policy aligned with regional integration objectives.
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In addition, YouLead continues to advance youth participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through its business-focused platform, the Independent Continental Youth Advisory Council on AfCFTA (ICOYACA).
The youth-led council, established in 2021 under the guidance of YouLead Africa, MS TCDC, and the GIZ-African Union Office, has since expanded to more than 54 country chapters. It is dedicated to mobilizing and empowering young people to participate in decision-making and the implementation of the AfCFTA across the continent.
Muyinda holds a Master of Arts in Governance and International Relations and is a Danida Fellow. He previously worked with CHASEi at Makerere University as a Research, Learning, and Subject Matter Expert.
His professional interests include youth programming, policy analysis, research, political economy, and South-South and triangular development cooperation.
In his new role, Muyinda will lead the YouLead Secretariat, coordinate flagship initiatives, strengthen strategic partnerships, and ensure the effective delivery of programmes that empower young leaders across Africa.
