He is a down to earth person who welcomes everyone with a lot of love at his advocacy offices located opposite Muto Hardware in Masaka Town. This is Rogers Bulegeya, the NRM Youth League chairperson in Masaka District who has been serving the youths for the past five years.
Bulegeya is one of the young enterprising politicians as well as a business man who has worked tirelessly for the youth in Greater Masaka Region. He has not only shone in Masaka alone, but even in the neighboring districts around Masaka, his voice and presence have been overwhelming. Altogether advocating for youths development keeps him going.
Born to the late Emmanuel Bulegeya and Rebecca Nabunja of Masaka Town, Bulegeya is quick like a wink to showcase some of the accolades in his office he has won in a manner of appreciating his efforts by his fellow youth in the area.
“As a youth leader I have been working tirelessly for the youths in my home town and am not afraid to continue serving and lobbying for them,” starts Bulegeya as he points at a portrait of his father Emmanuel Bulegeya whom he says used to inspire him.
The father alone Bulegeya was also a human rights activist in Masaka Town who was also recognized with the title Sir by the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi.
“We have been rallying around to ensure that youths from this region are working together thereby forming SACCO’s as well as starting up their personal businesses,” added Bulegeya who has been mentored by Gen. Tumukunde, Joseph Ssekasamba and Ddungu Tabula of Masaka Town.
At his offices, lays the portrait of the president of the republic of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the Buganda’s Kabaka Mutebi. He says both portraits mean a lot to him because his late father Bulegeya used to love Kabaka Mutebi so much and being an ardent supporter of National Resistance Movement (NRM), Museveni means a lot to him too.
Bulegeya, is a politician who has worked for all the youth during his five years in service without segregating anyone despite being an NRM affiliate.
According to him, managing the youth is one of the tiresome phenomena he has ever encountered but because he was born naturally to be a leader, Bulegeya has been able to walk the talk and worked for them.
“Every months, we meet under our umbrella Masaka Youths Sacco and so far we have saved almost shs50m,” shared Bulegeya who is also racing against time to ensure that they collect shs400 to start up a huge project for the youths in Masaka.
By the time he started off work, Bulegeya says the office was embedded with politics and it was difficult for the youth to work for themselves because more a times they were engaged in political debates, begging than working for themselves which he has changed.
“By nature am so innovative. When I looked around, politics had become the talk of the town than setting up projects for the youths. To this, I decided to differ and exerted all my efforts in lobbying for them which has brought them together,” he added.
Much as he is a politician, Bulegeya says politics is not a business because it attracts people to be beggars to the politicians than working for themselves.
“There was a general misconception about politics. Some youths believe that politicians are always there to give them money which is not correct,” he shared.
Bulegeya, 33, says during his five years as an NRM Youth chairperson, he has been denied a chance to meet president Museveni to discuss the issues that affecting youth in Masaka Region.
“We are always undermined by people who are so close to Mr Museveni. That’s why if the youth are to meet the president most of the times they hold riots and demonstrations,” he says.
As for the projects, Bulegeya had transfused energy in carrying out fishing at the shores of Lake Victoria in Bukakata but recently the army invaded them and destroyed the youths fishing project worth shs200m.
“We faced a huge blow because that’s one of the profitable projects that would have benefited the youths but the government’s directive couldn’t allow us to continue with it,” he agonizingly shared with his eyes turning teary.
Banding on his submissions, Bulegeya is still more hopeful that they can work together with local leaders to transform the lives of youth although he remains uncertain on whether he could bounce back come 2021 elections.
“It’s a tough arena. Politics needs a lot time, commitment, perseverance and money for you to exercise all the obligations,” he shared.
However, Bulegeya believes that if the ruling president, Museveni himself remains at the whelm of power come 2021 elections, youths are most likely to benefit from him more than before.
“When you look at docket of Museveni, youths are most thought after than anyone. All we need is to empower us with resources Mr that can transform our lives from the president,” he says.
Away from politics, Bulegeya runs R&R Service Limited company dealing in manufacturing supplying different commodities.
He is also the founder of ER Harvard associates company dealing in land trading in Masaka Town.
In addition to the youth-duty, Bulegeya has also embarked on advocating for the youth rights thereby setting up Women For Better Life, a Non-Government aided organization that empowers women in Masaka Region.
Among the projects, Bulegeya has been working on with women include; water and sanitation, skills development and sports which he says brings all and sundry together.
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