National Youth Union conducts convention to elect new leadership|Photo by Charles Wote-24-05-2024

The Minister of Presidential Affairs has urged political non-interference in youth affairs as they are set to elect new leaders on Friday.

Over 170 youth delegates from the ten states and three administrative areas converged for youth conference in Juba under the theme “United for Peace, Development, and Nation Building.

The delegates shall on Friday evening elect youth leaders to various positions at the national body.

In his opening remarks Friday morning, Minister Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro said the country’s leadership support free, fair and credible youth elections and warned there will be no interference into the process.

“We need free, fair and credible elections among yourselves. We don’t need interference in youth affairs.

“You have all the capacity; you have all the ability to have your election conducted well to move the country forward,” he said.

He also appealed to the youth to remain united and move the country forward. “As you continue with your discussion, see yourselves as united youth of South Sudan, look at your diversity,” he added.

The third South Sudan National Youth Union Convention 2024 was supposed to start on Wednesday, May 22nd and end today, Friday but delegates were blocked by security personnel from accessing the venue.

Delegates were supposed to discuss their role in the Constitution-Making Process, Youth in Peace and Economic Development.

Others include the role of Youth and Women in Governance, and Peace building as well as the opportunities for engaging youth beyond South Sudan.

However, the convention was delayed in what Bakosoro described as “politicizing the youth union” without naming those behind.

“Why are we today here opening it on Friday when we are supposed to open it on Wednesday? It is because some of you politicized the youth union, you know yourself and when we are saying don’t politicize the youth union,

“Some of you bought votes already only to come and sit and throw it to the ballot box, some of you have done it, that is politicizing youth union, be fair.”

For her part, the Minister of Environment and Forestry also agreed saying; “Let us give the opportunity to the young people to elect their leaders without any interference and I am also speaking here as a young person because for us to build this country.

Josephine Napwon says there is a need to give young people freedom to elect their leaders without interference from any government organ.

“We need to give to the youth freedom to elect their own leaders without any interference from any organ of the government. The government is there only to guide and the security is there to guide if there issues connected to insecurity within the youth or within the hall.”

“But the youth of this country need to practice so that they feel that they are the young people of this country. If we don’t give them that freedom, then we are heading no where in this country.”

Reports suggest that more than half of the total population of South Sudan are young people. ​

According to the Minister of youth and Sports, his ministry has prepared policies and initiatives to address challenges facing young people in the country.

Joseph Geng says he is soon going to present the South Sudan Youth National Policy 2024 and Sports development policy for empowering youth which according to him can be achieved if the national youth body is not politicized.

“A youth union that is not politicized, a youth union that is non-partisan because the development partners that are here, the corporate bodies would like to work with a youth body that is oriented in socioeconomic development of their country,” he said.