Makerere University in partnership with European Union is organizing a debate on; the Role of Parliament in shaping representative democracy in Uganda; to commemorate the International Democracy day. Scheduled to take place on 19th September 2019, the event is bringing on board politicians, members of parliament, diplomats, professors, researchers, journalists, activists and key leaders to debate the global perspective on democracy.

International Day of Democracy was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007 with an aim of encouraging governments to strengthen and consolidate democracy.

This year’s (2019) debates, will ponder on several issues such as representativeness in the parliament, the ability of Uganda’s representatives to advance gender equality, accessibility of parliament by the average Ugandan and the impact of media coverage on the public’s understanding of what parliament does.

During the Press Conference held on Monday 16th September 2019, in the Council Room, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe thanked the Ambassador of European Union to Uganda, H.E. Attilio Pacific for engaging Ugandan youth in democratic dialogues and governance programmes. He applauded the European Union for recognizing the impact of Makerere University in shaping the opinions and practices of future leaders.  

“At Makerere University, we believe that the voices of young people should be heard clearly to influence policy making at the highest level. We believe in providing our students with a platform for healthy and intellectual debates. Therefore, hosting the International Democracy Day helps us achieve that mandate,” said Prof. Nawangwe.

He called upon students, alumni, staff and well-wishers to turn up for the International Democracy Day.

The Ambassador of European Union to Uganda, H.E. Attilio Pacific commended Makerere University for hosting the International Democracy Day of 2019. Speaking about the event, the Ambassador said, “Democracies today face challenges as countries seek answers to serious questions about how their system of government can adapt in a complex and changing world. However, International Democracy Day provides an opportunity to both the public and policy makers to understand and discuss the role played by the Parliament in promoting democracy.”

Article by: Esther Joy Nakibombo Volunteer Mak Public Relations Office.