DSG Namayanja Commends East African Youth Arusha, Tanzania- The Deputy Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement, Rt. Hon. Rose Namayanja Nsereko, has commended the East African Youth Parliament for creating a platform that nurtures young leaders and prepares them to take on leadership responsibilities across the region.
Namayanja made the remarks on Thursday, September 17, 2026, while addressing the opening ceremony of the Second Sitting of the 8th East African Youth Parliament in Arusha, Tanzania, held under the theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”
The sitting brought together young leaders from East African Community partner states, including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.
Welcoming the delegates, Namayanja particularly recognised the participation of a representative from Somalia, noting that the aspirations carried by young people across the region deserve attention and a platform for engagement.
She reflected on her own experience in youth leadership, saying that platforms such as the National Youth Council, which was at one time chaired by former East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Speaker Daniel Kidega, helped young leaders build relationships, develop leadership skills and engage in discussions about the future of the region.
Namayanja noted that some leaders who participated in such youth structures later became governors in Kenya, while Kidega went on to serve as Speaker of EALA.
“We could not have predicted those journeys, but we were already learning to work with people and take responsibility,” Namayanja said.
She also shared her personal leadership journey, from student and youth leadership to Parliament, where she served as the Central Region Youth Representative in 2001, later becoming Woman Member of Parliament for Nakaseke and subsequently serving in ministerial positions, including Information and National Guidance.
“Mobilising people, listening to their concerns and earning their trust helped prepare me for those responsibilities,” she said.
Namayanja said her confidence in youth leadership structures has strengthened her commitment to supporting the East African Youth Parliament through the Rose Namayanja Foundation’s partnership with Faraja and other stakeholders.
She said the partnership has also facilitated engagements aimed at equipping young leaders with skills and opportunities to participate meaningfully in civic affairs, including a recent engagement held in Luwero.
“These safe civic spaces help young people develop their ideas and engage institutions that make decisions about their lives. My dear young leaders, when you say, ‘I cannot contribute because I am not in government or working for an organisation,’ you overlook the responsibility already within your reach,” Namayanja said.
She urged young people to complement their pursuit of education with active participation in youth leadership and community initiatives, saying leadership experience gained early can prepare them for future responsibilities.
“Organising around a community concern, volunteering and keeping your commitments will teach you lessons you will carry into every office you may hold,” she said.
Namayanja also reminded the delegates that leadership begins with how young people treat others today, noting that the people they aspire to lead in the future are already observing their conduct and commitment to their communities.
Namayanja reminded the young leaders that leadership begins long before one assumes public office, noting that the people they hope to lead in the future are already watching how they treat and relate to others today.
She commended the Speaker and Clerk of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) for keeping the institution open to young people and providing them with an opportunity to participate in regional dialogue and leadership development.
She also recognised the role of national parliaments in supporting national processes that bring community voices into the regional conversation, saying such engagements provide young people with an opportunity to understand and contribute to issues affecting the East African Community.
Namayanja urged the youths to approach their parliamentary business with seriousness, discipline and respect, while ensuring that resolutions adopted during the sitting are followed up.
”To our delegates, prepare your motions carefully, debate respectfully and agree how your resolutions will be followed up. Having participated in those early organising efforts, I would be encouraged to see this generation carry that aspiration further,” Namayanja said
She also thanked Faraja, a development partner, and other stakeholders for their continued support to the East African Youth Parliament, noting that such partnerships help create platforms where young people can build leadership skills, exchange ideas and engage meaningfully in civic affairs.
Namayanja said experienced leaders have a responsibility to share their knowledge and create opportunities for the next generation to grow.
“Those of us who have served must continue sharing our experience and opening doors. May you leave Arusha with relationships to sustain, resolutions to advance and a renewed commitment to your communities. Years from now, may you return with your own stories of service—and young people whose journeys you have helped begin,” Namayanja said.
The sitting was also addressed by Dr. Mercy Faith Lakisa, the State Minister for Youths and children affairs who called on young people to embrace leadership, take responsibility and actively participate in shaping the region’s future.
“Leadership is not a title to be deferred; it is a duty to be claimed today. Let us build an East African Community where borders serve not as barriers, but as bridges to opportunity, innovation, and shared prosperity,” Lakisa said.
She also urged young people to prepare themselves to take advantage of opportunities arising from the upcoming AFCON PAMOJA 2027, rather than limiting their participation to simply filling stadium seats during matches.
Lakisa encouraged the youth to position themselves to benefit from the wider opportunities the tournament is expected to create, particularly in areas such as entrepreneurship, employment, innovation, tourism and skills development.
