Kakira Secondary School emerged winners of the second Busoga schools regional debate competition held at Busoga College, Mwiri in Jinja recently.
According to a statement from Uganda Dialogue Arena (UDA), the organisers of the event, Kakira SS beat eight other schools to the trophy.
They include Busoga College Mwiri, Jinja Secondary School, Kakira High School, Rena College Mayuge, Mother Kevin Secondary School and St Florence High School.
“The competition focused on the motions, Student indiscipline has escalated strikes in schools and Income disparity has greatly affected Uganda’s tax base.
Founded in 2009 as the Uganda Youth Debating Society (UYDS) and since renamed UDA, the platform unites students and young people to tackle pertinent national issues through debate and dialogue.
Fredrick Musiimenta, the UDA founder and chief executive, says the organisation has inspired about 9,000 young people through debate, entrepreneurship skills, and career guidance, among others.
“The quality of debate in Uganda today, especially among the young generation,is wanting; some graduates are unable to sustain a conversation in English which is Uganda’s official language,” Musiimenta said.
“Some are shy and may fear to put across their ideas to solve problems; as a result, many riots and chaotic demonstrations have sprung up almost regularly in many parts of the country,”
So far, the debating competitions, held in various districts, have featured youth from western, eastern and central districts.
In 2016, the UDA held five regional youth debates that attracted at least 70 secondary schools with more than 1,900 young debaters and future leaders.
nangonzi@observer.ug