MPs on the Parliamentary Forum for Youths and Children have called on the Minister of State in Charge of Youth Affairs, Nakiwala Kiyingi to mind her business of getting street children off roads instead of attempting to suffocate the talent of young people in the name of education.
The MPs led by National Youth Affairs MP, Ann Adeke, Mwine Mpaka (Youth MP Western) and Gaffa Mbwakekamwa (Kasambya County) made the remarks today while addressing journalists in response to threats by the Minister to imprison Patrick Ssenyonjo also known as Fresh Kid if he insists on singing instead of attending school.
Adeke called on the Minister to guard Fresh Kid’s talent instead of suffocating it while hiding behind claims of education, saying Ssenyonjo will become a big deal in inspiring more young people to expose their talents so as to reduce on unemployment in the country.
Mbwatekamwa said: “There are a lot of things you can concentrate on, just look at the Karamojong kids here, what have you done for that? Why are you thinking about Fresh Kid who isn’t on the street, who feeds his family, who is working? Think about these kids who are vulnerable. President Yoweri Museveni, have mercy on us, I think your Ministers are redundant.”
The MPs’ remarks follow threats by Minister Nakiwala Kiyingi notdon’t allow anybody below the age of 18years to work and even warned she would have Fresh Kid thrown in juvenile prison if he disobeyed laws of the country.
When people criticized Nakiwala for her juvenile prison remarks, she backtracked on her statements this time around promising to offer counseling to Fresh Kid, a service the MPs rejected, with Mbwatekamwa arguing that Fresh Kid needs support from people who are trying to support youth affairs and said that if there is any person who needs counseling, it is the Minister Nakiwala.
He explained: “As a psychotherapist by profession, I am willing to bring probono services to the Minister. We shouldn’t be thinking about counseling Fresh Kid, actually Fresh Kid, has no problem, the problem is with the Minister who can’t recognize that we need to identify and promote talents from childhood.”
Mbwatekamwa added that there is no way Nakiwala would understand Fresh Kid’s plight given the fact that she grew up in a rich family where everything was placed on silver platter and Fresh Kid’s talent that is sustaining his family shouldn’t be suffocated.
“Calm down Minister, we have seen you. Actually, I am also going to become a music promoter, I am going to promote Fresh Kid because I know you are going to intimidate these people, now it is better you intimidate a fellow MP. I am ready to sponsor Fresh Kid, actually with effect from this month, I am going to look for the best studio, I think Swangz Avenue, I am going to sponsor one hit,” added Mbwatekamwa.
Mwine said the Minister needs to use her position in cabinet to lobby for more funding to invest in the entertainment industry instead of poking her nose in Fresh Kid affairs.
