Youth leaders from 20 sub-counties across Katakwi district portrayed responsiveness rather than negativity as they joined the rest of the country in spearheading a cleaning exercise in Katakwi district while calling on top leaders and the government to help boost the economy of youth in order to improve their livelihoods through government wealth creation programs.

The National Cleaning Day was observed in Katakwi district, being led by youth leaders and joined by some key government institutions such as the Uganda Police, prisons, UPDF, and some schools participating, while others watched.


Patrick Itoori, the district youth chairperson for Katakwi District, who led over 100 youth in the exercise, emphasized that youth from across the district decided to participate in the national cleaning day as patriotic young people so that other young people could follow suit because the country's future is in their hands.


He also emphasized that the youth are directly or indirectly sending a message to the community that civic responsibility for environmental preservation is a collective responsibility, as well as an indication that the youth are committed and positive to government programs and policies.

Emmanuel Okia, aka Emma Degreat, Development Strategist, Leadership & Management Consultant, Trainer, Life Coach, and Communications Strategist & CEO Kearlmark Consults Ltd congratulates Katakwi's youth for setting a patriotic example for Uganda and demonstrating solidarity, emphasizing that society's growth is fueled by the solidarity of the young generation.


He urged recognition of positive actions by youth within a given society rather than solely lamenting and criticizing the negative aspects of youth. He did, however, urge the younger generation to embrace the activity without being pushed or reinforced, citing the fact that young people shape the development of communities.

Samuel Akorimo, District Youth Councilor; John Okello, Chairperson of Youth Kapujan, and Abraham Malinga Odoi, Youth Chairperson of Angodingod in Toroma County, expressed the need for district top leaders to sensitize the youth on transformative ideas that help youth get out of poverty in order to improve their livelihoods, rather than criticizing the young generation as the spoiled generation, which appears to be a cure spelled out for the youth.

According to them, in most cases youth do productive things but are not recognized and appreciated, and bad aspects are mostly painted on youth, criticized, and blamed rather than corrected.