The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Under Muyinda’s coordination, YouLead will be at the forefront of several high-impact policy initiatives shaping the future of Africa’s youth.
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ugandan development practitioner Reagan Muyinda has been appointed as the new YouLead Project Coordinator, taking charge of the day-to-day operations of the continent’s flagship youth leadership program.
YouLead is a joint initiative of the MS Training Centre for Development Cooperation (MS TCDC) and the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, established to unlock youth leadership potential for a prosperous Africa. Since its inception in 2017, the program has evolved into a full-fledged initiative engaging young leaders across the continent through fellowships, summits, and policy engagements.
Under Muyinda’s coordination, YouLead will be at the forefront of several high-impact policy initiatives shaping the future of Africa’s youth.
The program is currently partnering with the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Continental Secretariat and Restless Development to appraise the African Youth Charter on its 20th anniversary. This initiative seeks to assess how African Union Member States and Regional Economic Communities are implementing youth commitments and will inform a continental policy brief to be launched during International Youth Day commemorations.
In addition, YouLead recently took the lead in the evaluation of the East African Community (EAC) Youth Policy. In November 2024, the program convened the East African Youth Forum as part of the YouLead Summit 2024, bringing together over 200 youth leaders and policymakers to shape a responsive, future-oriented EAC policy aligned with regional integration goals.
Muyinda holds a Master of Arts in Governance & International Relations and is a Danida Fellow. A passionate advocate for social learning and inclusive governance, he has previously worked with CHASEi at Makerere University as a Research, Learning and Subject Matter expert.
His areas of interest include youth programming, policy analysis, research, and political economy, with a deep vested interest in South-South and triangular development cooperation. In his new role, he will manage the YouLead Secretariat, coordinate flagship initiatives and ensure the effective delivery of programs that empower young leaders across Africa.
What does Muyinda bring?
Muyinda, who brings extensive experience in youth programming, governance and international relations, will oversee the implementation of YouLead’s key initiatives, including the Youth in Politics, Youth in Business, and cross-cutting thematic areas.
This appointment marks a significant career progression for Muyinda, who has been an integral part of YouLead’s growth over the years. He previously served as the Regional Consortium Coordinator, where he was responsible for managing YouLead’s consortium country partners across the region. He later rose to the role of Partnerships and Fundraising Coordinator, overseeing the wider pool of both international and continental partners, strengthening the program’s strategic alliances and resource mobilization efforts.
Prior to rejoining YouLead, he served as a Learning Consultant for ActionAid International Uganda where he facilitated social learning processes and supported the organization’s youth engagement initiatives. His work at ActionAid included convening young people to review and influence key regional policy frameworks, including the East African Community (EAC) Youth Policy.
YouLead is also actively pushing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agenda through its business arm, the Independent Continental Youth Advisory Council on AfCFTA (ICOYACA). The Council, a youth-led body initiated under the guidance of YouLead Africa, MS TCDC, and the GIZ-African Union office, was officially launched in 2021 and has established over 54 country chapters. It is dedicated to mobilizing and empowering young people to participate in decision-making processes and implementation of the AfCFTA.
