Youth participation in local governance; extent, challenges and strategies for effective engagement in Kampala district; case study: Central and Kawempe divisions

Abstract

Promotion of youth participation in development is a key policy, legal, and institutional objective. Participation in development does not only ensure that stakeholders drive the development agenda but also enhances participation of youth since they are the majority of all populations. Youth constitute the majority of workforce and consequently those who will be affected most by any policy, law, or institutional program. Further, participation in development is a legal right, a human right, and an obligation that the government’s duty holders ought to fulfil to the right bearers, in this case, the youth. This study sought to analyze the status, challenges and success factors for youth participation in local government in Kampala. The key determinants for youth participation addressed were involvement in policy, advocacy, political processes, and service delivery. Employing a case study design with both qualitative and quantitative approaches, the population of the study included youth, youth leaders, political leaders, and bureaucrats of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). The study analyzed and reviewed government initiatives to promote youth participation in development in the triploid context to laws, policies, and institutional programs, which involves organizational structures and offices, as well as activities, using Key informant interviews, Focus group discussion, questionnaires and document review. The results of the study indicate that the local government has reduced engagement of youth since the coming into force of KCCA in 2011, yet there are laws and policies for engagement of the youth. However, the youth are not as well informed on participation, especially the female youth who participate less than the male youth. Further, participation in planning has been reduced, due to the current culture of promoting bureaucracy, and reducing politics, at the KCCA because of the ongoing rift between the Executive Director appointed by the President and the elected lord Mayor. The results indicate gaps in the areas of local government involvement of the youth, youth access to financial services, and youth health services. Gaps also exist in the monitoring and reporting of the extent to which the various activities and initiatives have improved youth participation in development. In light of the results of this study, there are numerous opportunities for promotion of youth participation in development at local government. The entry points for both government and civil society partners are various, but generally categorized into legal, policy, and programmatic activities. For the government, there is need to ensure full legal provisions in the areas of constitutional rights for enabling rights enforcement in line with African youth charter, with specific legal issues at the policy level, there is room for policy directives on financial support, health, education, and governance. Further, the youth need to be involved as partners, and not mere participants in training sessions. There is also room in development of policy positions so as to promote key gaps in education, etc. In addition, there is need for multi-dimensional lobbying efforts to advocate for youth participation in decision making. Also, the civic society needs to start, and grow the culture of research based, empirical analysis, and monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on the status of youth rights generally, and the implementation of dictates of African youth charter by the government of Uganda. Finally, and outside the role of government, the study crafts unique advocacy plans, to serve dual functions of lobbying the government to fulfil its obligations, while at the same time, offer strategic interventions which can be implemented by the civil society.