Youth rally Ugandans on a peaceful election, seek sh25b for national centre

KAMPALA - Youth under the National Youth and Students’ Centre have rallied fellow youths and Ugandans to remain peaceful in the 2026 General Election.

The call comes ahead of World Peace Day celebrations on September 21, 2025.

Addressing the media on September 21 at the Makerere University Guild Canteen, centre secretary for mobilisation Emmanuel Johnson Obo revealed that in Uganda, World Peace Day will be celebrated from Kololo with a peace run.

“We are organising the peace run because under the regime of President Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s peace has prevailed for over 30 years, and as we are heading to the 2026 General Election, we need to remain peaceful and have no violent elections,” Obbo said.

Obbo noted that with the help of various youth leaders established in the 71,000 villages across Uganda to the district level, the co-ordination of the people that will take part in the run will not be difficult, adding that these same structures will also be used in the fundraising for money for the peace centre.

“Because of the peace and security that President Museveni has maintained in Uganda, we believe he can give us more. In return, we are ready to deliver votes,” Obo said, adding that as youth, they are ready to campaign and vote for Museveni massively in 2026.

Youth centre

Obbo, however, said they are seeking Museveni's assistance in the construction of the National Youth and Students’ Centre that will be constructed in Gulu district.

“We seek shillings 25 billion for the construction of the National Youth and Students’ Centre. The centre is going to be a one-stop centre for the youths.

"The centre will have student and youth leadership programs, innovations, sports, among other activities,” Obbo said.

He revealed that they have earmarked some land in Gulu where they expect to construct the centre and have contracted a law firm in Gulu that will help them in the processing of the land titles, adding that the land in Gulu has some technical issues attached to it and is owned customarily.

Obbo added that they expect to start the construction of the centre by mid-2026.
Rodney Adroni, the speaker of the youth parliament, revealed that they are planning to construct in Gulu because of Gulu’s historical background.

“Gulu was one of the most unstable districts in Uganda, but currently it is one of the peaceful and successful districts in Uganda. Gulu district is a beacon of hope to the world that with peace, there can be development and stability,” Adroni said, adding that as the National Youth and Students’ Centre is being constructed, they are also targeting students from Uganda’s neighbouring countries.

Adroni also revealed that the youth parliament sits only once a year, but with the construction of the centre, this will act as an office of the youth parliament.