Angry Youths Threatened to Stop International Youth Day Celebration in Maracha District Over Lack of Accountability.

Story by Osuta Yusuf. 

Maracha District.

📸: Tents under which dignitaries, political leaders, clergies and other invited leaders sat under to attend the International Youth Day Celebration of Maracha District, held in in Alikua Sub-county on Friday 27-9-2024. Photo by Osuta Yusuf.

Youths in Alikua Sub-county, Maracha east constituency, Maracha District picked placards on Friday 27-9-2024 to demonstrate over the lack of proper accountability by the district youth council leadership.

📸: Some of the protesting Youths. Photo by Osuta Yusuf.

The over 40 Youths in number who were both hungry and angry hinted that, if a cow was bought and they slaughtered it, they would have been the one's eating the head because hosting of the event near their trading center forced hotel operators in the area not to cook food on the day of the Youth Day Celebration henceforth leaving them very hungry with no nearby hotel to cheaply eat food as they usually do.

📸: One of the placard with head of cattle drawn and words written on it, "We Still Need Our Head". Photo by Osuta Yusuf. 

The complaints mixed with hunger, anger and lack of accountability which resulted into demonstrations by the angry Youths in Alikua Sub-county who eagerly wanted to eat the head of the cow which would have been slaughtered for the event on Friday 27-9-2024, stems from monies mobilized by the district youth council to commemorate its international day and a pre-accountability wasn't given by Maracha District Youth council leaders.

📸: Another placard with words written on it, "Stop Corruption in Youth's Age for Good". Photo by Osuta Yusuf.

Majority of the Youths stated that, whereas they planned to eat the head of the cow which was to be slaughtered at the event, the leaders decided to buy some Kgs of meat from the butchery, something which angered them.

📸: Mr Ariaka Denis one of the demonstrators speaking while raising his hand. Photo by Osuta Yusuf.

Ariaka Denis, one of the protesting Youths who said they waked up from sleep at 5am to prepare Panga, Knife and other items for slaughtering a cow but only to wait in vain upto midday, upon decrying Maracha District local government's failure to contribute any money towards the Youth Day Celebration event, faulted Maracha District Youth Council over improper budgeting and dodging accountability for the millions of monies they lobbied from the public and politicians.

📸: Youth leader in Alikua Sub-county. 

A youth leader in Alikua Sub-county who refused to mention his name, blamed these kinds of weaknesses and gaps on poor leaders elected in Maracha District.

📸: Hon Asea Bosco, LC5 Vice and Councilor representing Agaii Town council. Photo by Osuta Yusuf.

LC5 Vice Chairman Hon Asea Bosco who doubles as the Councilor representing the people of Agaii Town Council to Maracha District council, described the demonstration over head of a cow as shameful and he urged the protesting Youths not to disorganize the event as there will be a comprehensive accountability report after the end of the celebration.

📸: The protesting Youths walking away after some of their grievance was settled. Photo by Osuta Yusuf.

After the district leaders listened and responded to the concerns raised, the district youth council decided to give 200,000 Shs to calm the angry protesters who then decided to quit the demonstration and they went to attend the celebration as the evaluation day has been fixed for a comprehensive accountability.