Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent out a strong message to the youth of Africa, urging them to take charge of the continent’s future. Speaking at the second annual Guild Leaders’ Summit at Makerere University, Kenyatta called on young people to become defenders of a united and independent Africa. His words were filled with urgency and emotion as he reminded the youth that they are the last line of defence for Africa’s destiny.
He challenged them to rise up and take responsibility for shaping the future, rather than waiting for others to do it. Kenyatta drew attention to how richer countries are now focused on themselves and no longer offer much support to struggling regions like Africa.
He described the current period as Africa’s new era of independence, stressing that the continent must now learn to stand on its own. He highlighted a worrying issue that intra-African trade only makes up less than 2.5% of global trade.
According to him, this shows how far behind Africa is when it comes to building its own economy.To solve this, Kenyatta pushed for removing barriers that limit trade and free movement across African countries.
He encouraged the youth to push for reforms led by young minds, driven by creativity and unity. He made it clear that no one is going to come and fix Africa’s problems for us.
As he put it, “No one is coming to save us.” He told the crowd of student leaders that they are the new generation of freedom fighters, not with guns, but with ideas, vision, and action.
Kenyatta also reminded the youth about the role of universities. He called them “incubators of change,” where new ideas should be born and grown. He described students as trustees of Africa’s tomorrow, trusted with the responsibility of building a better continent. His message was clear, the power to change Africa lies with its youth, and time is running out.
Uganda’s Vice President, Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo, also spoke during the summit. She stressed the importance of Pan-Africanism, unity, and hard work. She encouraged the youth to adopt the spirit of working together as Africans, rather than being divided by borders or politics. However, she acknowledged that it is one thing to speak inspiring words and another to turn them into real action. She challenged the young leaders to go beyond speeches and focus on implementing real change.
The Guild Presidents Leadership Academy, which organized the summit, brought together young minds from across East Africa. It gave them a chance to connect, share ideas, and discuss how they can take on the challenges facing the continent.
As the world becomes more focused on its own interests, the summit reminded African youth that the responsibility to protect and grow the continent lies in their hands. It was more than just an event it was a wake-up call to a generation that has the power to write Africa’s next chapter.
