By Yiep Joseph
The Central Equatoria State Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Bush Buse, has called on politicians to stop interfering in the upcoming youth convention.
He warned that political influence could undermine the credibility and independence of youth leadership in the state.
The minister appealed ahead of the 3rd Central Equatoria State (CES) Youth Convention, an event expected to bring together youth representatives from across the state to discuss issues affecting young people and elect new youth leaders.
Speaking to the media, Minister Buse urged politicians to refrain from involvement, manipulation, or openly supporting particular candidates during the convention process.
He stressed that the gathering should remain a platform for young people to freely choose leaders who represent their interests and aspirations.
“I also call on politicians to refrain from manipulating the process or publicly endorsing candidates. Let the youth exercise their democratic rights without undue influence,” Buse said.
He added that political interference often creates divisions among young people and weakens trust in democratic processes within youth structures.
The minister also pledged to ensure transparency and fairness throughout the convention, saying the state government is committed to protecting the integrity of the process.
“I want to assure the youth of CES and the public that this year’s 3rd CES Youth Convention will be conducted with utmost transparency, fairness, and free from political interference,” he said.
The upcoming convention comes at a time when youth participation in governance and decision-making continues to be a major topic of discussion in South Sudan.
Young people make up a large percentage of the country’s population, yet many youth groups have frequently raised concerns over unemployment, lack of opportunities, and limited representation in political and economic institutions.
In recent years, youth conventions in different parts of the country have sometimes been marred by accusations of favoritism, political sponsorship, and interference from senior politicians seeking to influence the outcome of leadership elections.
The CES Youth Convention is expected to focus on issues including youth empowerment, peacebuilding, education, sports development, and entrepreneurship.
Delegates attending the event are also expected to discuss ways of strengthening youth participation in community development and governance.
Some youth leaders in Central Equatoria State have welcomed the minister’s remarks, saying the convention should be free from outside influence to ensure credible leadership emerges from the process.