By Aaron Okotel
MBALE CITY
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has assumed the leadership of the Multi-Party Youth Forum (MYF), with Hon. Adepo Francis taking over as the new chairperson of the inter-party youth platform.
Adepo, who is currently out of the country, was represented during the official handover by FDC National Youth Treasurer Ivan Masawi on Thursday 9th July 11, 2026 at the close of a two-day regional youth workshop held at Mt. Elgon Hotel in Mbale City. The workshop brought together youth league representatives from various political parties across eastern Uganda.
Speaking on behalf of Adepo, Masawi said the forum’s priorities would focus on addressing the challenges affecting Uganda’s youth, including unemployment, teenage pregnancy, access to education, and meaningful participation in governance.
“The Multi-Party Youth Forum exists to ensure that young people are not merely followers in politics but contributors to the country’s future. We want youth leaders from different political parties to work together on issues that affect all young Ugandans,” Masawi said.
He noted that the forum intends to advocate for an Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD) youth summit where young leaders can jointly discuss national concerns such as youth unemployment, budget allocation for youth programmes, and service delivery.
Outgoing MYF chairperson Lynnet Nanyonjo said the two-day workshop focused on developing a minimum agenda for eastern Uganda that reflects the unique concerns of young people in the region.
“The elections ended, but the issues affecting young people did not end. We are bringing together youth from different political parties to identify common challenges and develop solutions that can improve their lives,” Nanyonjo said.
Representing Mbale Resident City Commissioner George William Wopuwa, Deputy RCC for Northern City Division Alfred Chebet challenged young people to actively participate in leadership and decision-making processes.
Chebet cited the 2024 National Population Census, which indicates that Uganda has approximately 10.7 million people aged between 18 and 35 years, representing about 22.7 percent of the country’s population.
“Young people are not the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today. Your numbers should translate into good governance, accountability, and better service delivery,” Chebet told the delegates.
Hon. Adepo Francis taking office as the institution’s third chairperson since its inception in 2022.
