Open Space Forum

As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen youth inclusion in governance and decision-making across West Nile, we convened a town hall dialogue in Maracha ahead of our upcoming mobile civic engagement drives.

We were honoured to be welcomed by the Executive Director of Olufe Rural Youth Development Strategies (CBO) and the Sub-County Chief and both expressed their genuine enthusiasm for a project centred on youth inclusion particularly in this election season, when young people are often targeted or lured into acts of violence.

A critical concern emerged during the dialogue where ommunity members noted that, in recent political rallies, some Boda Boda riders have been involved in instigating violence, often as a way of signalling that certain candidates are not welcome in the area. According to local experiences shared, these riders are allegedly offered fuel and alcohol to provoke disorder raising an important and uncomfortable question: to what end, and for whose benefit?

In response, today’s dialogue brought together Boda Boda association leaders, security representatives, and the riders themselves with the intention of emphasizing the importance of meaningful, peaceful youth participation in governance processes, and to encourage riders to serve as promoters of peace throughout the election period.