The blue seats of Parliament were full this morning, but not with MPs.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa opened the second sitting of the 8th Uganda National Youth Parliament. Young leaders from every region sat where ministers and lawmakers normally sit.
The theme for this year is simple and heavy: “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”
It is part of the activities to mark International Youth Day. But inside the chamber, it did not feel like a ceremony. It felt like work.
Not A Simulation, A Responsibility
Tayebwa told the youth parliamentarians one thing from the start: this is not a school debate.
“This is a leadership institution,” he said. “You represent millions of young Ugandans whose voices, concerns and aspirations deserve to be heard.”
He listed them without sugarcoating. The graduate who has sent 40 CVs and gotten no reply. The boda rider in Soroti trying to pay school fees. The young farmer in Kasese dealing with bad roads. The young woman in Arua looking for equal opportunity in business.
“Never underestimate the responsibility you carry,” he told them. “Speak for them.”
What They Are Debating
For the next days, the youth parliament will go through issues that show up in every home and on every WhatsApp group.
1. Youth employment and economic empowerment – How do you turn skills into money when capital is hard to get?
2. Participation in governance – Not just voting, but running, budgeting, and oversight.
3. Sexual and reproductive health – Information, services, and the stigma that still kills conversations.
4. Road safety and community safety – From bodas to crime prevention in the villages.
5. Rule of law – Knowing your rights and demanding institutions respect them.
These came out of sub-regional sittings held across the country in the last months. The idea was to take the debate out of Kampala first, then bring it to Parliament.
Motion On Sexual And Reproductive Health Adopted
In the afternoon session, the chamber moved from debate to decision.
Youth Parliament Speaker Rodney Adroni put the question on a motion urging Government to enhance access to sexual and reproductive health information for adolescents and young people.
After deliberations, the motion was adopted.
Adroni then invited the Deputy Speaker of the Youth Parliament to take the Chair and preside over the rest of the afternoon session, as youth delegates stood for the transition.
The adoption signals that SRHR remains one of the most pressing issues for young Ugandans. For many delegates, it was about access to correct information, health services, and breaking the silence that leaves young people vulnerable.
From Talk To Action
The biggest proposal made today was not about a new law. It was about follow-up.
Tayebwa said Parliament will formally receive the resolutions from this sitting. Where appropriate, they will be sent to relevant committees and government ministries.
But he went further. He proposed that every future Youth Parliament should start with an “action-taken report.”
What happened to last year’s resolutions? Which ones were debated? Which ones were ignored? Which ones are still pending?
“Young people must be able to track what has been considered, what action has been taken and what remains outstanding,” he said.
That is the difference between a photo opportunity and an institution.
The Advice Given In The Chamber
Three points were repeated to the young leaders:
Use evidence. Emotion moves a crowd. Data moves policy. Bring numbers, stories, and research to back your arguments.
Disagree respectfully. Democracy is not about shouting the loudest. It is about listening and finding common ground.
Think beyond your constituency. You are not just MP for Gulu Youth or Kampala Youth. You speak for a generation.
The message was clear: if you want to be taken seriously, act seriously.
Why This Matters To An Ordinary Ugandan
Let’s be honest. Most youth forums end with a t-shirt and a group photo.
This one is different because it sits in the actual Parliament. The resolutions will be on record. They will be referred.
For a 23-year-old in Mbale with a small business, that means someone in a committee might actually read about the problem of loan collateral.
For a university student in Mbarara, it means the issue of internship exploitation can be tabled, not just tweeted.
For a young woman in Kitgum, it means SRHR is being debated by people her age, not just by adults.
It does not guarantee action. But it guarantees a hearing.
The Elite View: Building A Pipeline
For policy people and political parties, the Youth Parliament is also a pipeline.
This is where future MPs, councillors, and civic leaders learn procedure. How to draft a motion. How to handle procedure. How to defend a position under pressure.
Countries that take youth seriously do not wait until people are 45 to involve them. They start early.
Tayebwa’s push for action reports shows he understands that. Without accountability, the Youth Parliament risks becoming an annual event that everyone attends and no one remembers.
Final Word
“Different Contexts, Common Aspirations” is a good theme because it is true.
A youth in Karamoja and a youth in Wakiso do not have the same daily problems. But both want work. Both want safety. Both want a say.
The test now is what happens after the sitting ends.
Will the resolutions collect dust? Or will a committee call in a minister to answer why nothing has moved?
The young people have done their part by showing up and speaking. The rest of Parliament and government must now do theirs.
Because leadership is not about sitting in the chair once. It is about what changes after you stand up.
