This Annual Uganda Civil Society Leaders’ Statement is in the tradition of the series that leaders of Civil Society have made in the last 5 years articulating our aspirations for Uganda and demanding action from leaders on what we consider the most pressing concerns affecting Ugandans.
This year’s Annual Statement is written against the backdrop of incessant failures by leadership at all levels. It is therefore a rallying call, directed more at ordinary Ugandans who we believe, in line with our ‘Citizen is Central’ philosophy, must play a stronger role in reclaiming their citizenship.
'We should all recall that Uganda is a country very endowed by nature and has some of the most generous people, deserving the best. We are a country with several fresh water lakes, rivers and swamps; a great tropical temperate climate; vast mineral and oil wealth; abundant thermal, solar, hydro, and wind energy; fertile soils; one of the youngest populations in the world; and an advantageous geo-strategic positioning in the great lakes region of east and central Africa among others. This is a potential which is far from being exploited to the maximum for the benefit of Ugandan citizens. As we start this year, let us remember that these are opportunities available
for us all to exploit as citizens of this great country', the statement noted in its preamble.
However, due to the growing climate change challenge, Ugandan CSOs have vowed to promote the implementation of the provisions of the Uganda National Climate Change Policy and the attendant National Level Climate Actions which prioritize community-based resilience building.
This year’s Annual Statement is written against the backdrop of incessant failures by leadership at all levels. It is therefore a rallying call, directed more at ordinary Ugandans who we believe, in line with our ‘Citizen is Central’ philosophy, must play a stronger role in reclaiming their citizenship.
'We should all recall that Uganda is a country very endowed by nature and has some of the most generous people, deserving the best. We are a country with several fresh water lakes, rivers and swamps; a great tropical temperate climate; vast mineral and oil wealth; abundant thermal, solar, hydro, and wind energy; fertile soils; one of the youngest populations in the world; and an advantageous geo-strategic positioning in the great lakes region of east and central Africa among others. This is a potential which is far from being exploited to the maximum for the benefit of Ugandan citizens. As we start this year, let us remember that these are opportunities available
for us all to exploit as citizens of this great country', the statement noted in its preamble.
However, due to the growing climate change challenge, Ugandan CSOs have vowed to promote the implementation of the provisions of the Uganda National Climate Change Policy and the attendant National Level Climate Actions which prioritize community-based resilience building.
This is in view of the increased reports which indicate that there could be more than one million people at risk of climate change and many are really food insecure, experiencing water scarcity and as a result are susceptible to poor health among others. The dry conditions due to late and below average rains in the northwest, central and eastern parts of Uganda from the outgoing season is an urgent call to action for more effort from local and national government, cultural, religious and other leaders in 2017.
'We need to take actions that support community-based resilience building to weather changes that emanate from drought or floods so as to reduce the current rush to encroach on fragile ecosystems like wetlands and forest catchment as the only ‘adaptive’ measure in sight', emphasized the statement.
Read the full Uganda Civil Society Leaders’ Annual Statement (January 2017) from here
