Invisible Stakeholders

The report examines the marginalisation of youth in Uganda, arguing that the state maintains power by subordinating young people and restricting their political agency. It highlights a disconnect between the 'success story' narrative of the Ugandan state and the reality of high youth unemployment, limited civil rights, and the 'invisibility' of youth in development agendas. The text explores various forms of mobilisation, from state-orchestrated electoral participation and populist movements to the lure of warlordism in Northern Uganda, while noting that skilled youth are often encouraged to emigrate to reduce domestic political opposition.

• Uganda is characterised as an authoritarian state where the National Resistance Movement (NRM) maintains a monopoly on power, and civil society is controlled or suppressed if it is deemed 'political' or challenges the ruling elite.
• Youth development is under-prioritised in Uganda, with international agencies focusing heavily on child soldiers in the North while ignoring the broader social and economic marginalisation of urban youth.
• Youth mobilisation in urban areas like Kampala and Entebbe is described as ad hoc and fragmented, often only occurring when orchestrated by the state for its own ends, such as during elections.
• Economic marginalisation is severe for youth, with the formal sector being too small to accommodate them. This leads to a reliance on self-employment, such as street vending, which the state has occasionally suppressed through evictions.
• The state may encourage the outward migration of skilled youth to prevent the emergence of a disillusioned intellectual elite that could form political opposition.
• In Northern Uganda, the combination of poverty, lack of education, and social marginalisation makes youth vulnerable to recruitment by warlord groups like the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

APA

Stavrou, A. (n.d.). Invisible Stakeholders. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/INVISIBLECHAP5.PDF

Chicago

Stavrou, Aki. Invisible Stakeholders. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/INVISIBLECHAP5.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Stavrou |first1=Aki |title=Invisible Stakeholders |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/INVISIBLECHAP5.PDF |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stavroundinvisible, author = {Stavrou, Aki}, title = {{Invisible Stakeholders}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/INVISIBLECHAP5.PDF}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }