President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has received Kenya’s fourth President, H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, who paid a courtesy visit to State House Entebbe.
The visit followed H.E. Kenyatta’s participation as the keynote speaker at the Second Annual Guild Leaders’ Summit 2025, held on Thursday, April 24, at Makerere University in Kampala. The summit was organised by the Guild Presidents Leadership Academy, a regional initiative that brings together Guild Presidents and student leaders from universities across East Africa.
“I am very grateful, Mzee, for your warm welcome. Your people have looked after us well,” said H.E. Kenyatta. “We hope that through our engagements, we were able to meet the expectations of our youth.”
Reflecting on the summit, which attracted student leaders from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, H.E. Kenyatta commended the young participants for their energy and sense of unity.
“The student leaders were highly engaging,” he shared with President Museveni. “They raised crucial concerns—chief among them being unemployment and the need for job creation. What gave me hope was their growing understanding that unity is their strength. They can’t wait for change—they must be the drivers of it.”
He urged young people to rise above ethnic and religious divisions and instead focus on building a shared future. “They must overcome these barriers and realise their common destiny. But that destiny won’t come to them while sitting in their bedrooms—they must go out and work for it,” he emphasised.
H.E. Kenyatta also noted that the summit featured two dynamic panel discussions where students challenged regional leaders with tough but necessary questions.
“When people don’t see results from their leaders, they lose trust. Leadership must start at the grassroots and address the real issues that matter to the people,” he said.
President Museveni welcomed the initiative and expressed interest in further engagement with the Guild Presidents Leadership Academy.
“I would like to meet the leadership academy and strategise on the kind of message we should be sharing with the youth,” he said.
The President also praised H.E. Kenyatta for his continued efforts to champion regional integration.
“H.E. Uhuru is a true pan-Africanist,” President Museveni noted, recalling the impression the former President made on him during his inauguration.
Addressing one of the summit’s core concerns—youth unemployment—President Museveni emphasised the link between economic opportunity and market expansion.
“The jobs you’re talking about will come when businesses succeed. But for businesses to thrive, we must resolve the issue of market access. Without markets, there’s no economic growth,” he stressed.
He drew on historical examples from Europe to underline the importance of unity in driving development.
“Germany was once divided into 31 kingdoms until business leaders demanded unity. In France, the middle class, blocked by internal trade barriers, sparked the French Revolution,” he explained.
President Museveni also revisited the early efforts to form the East African Federation in 1963, cautioning against isolated national economies.
“Some leaders wanted to remain big fish in small ponds. But without integration, our potential is stifled,” he warned.
He urged the youth to turn away from distractions and channel their energy into building a stronger, more connected region.
“Wake up. Let’s stop wasting time. Focus on expanding our markets and solving real problems,” he said.
Mr. Masesa Demiano, Executive Director of the Guild Presidents Leadership Academy, said the summit was designed to offer young leaders a platform to learn from accomplished elders who have helped shape the region.
“This was our second summit. We brought together delegates from universities across East Africa. Our goal is to make this an annual gathering of transformative leaders,” Mr. Masesa said.
He added that the Academy, hosted at Makerere University, is still in its early stages but offers training and mentorship to nurture future leaders.
“We are just getting started. This is our second year. We currently rent space at Makerere University, where we engage student leaders in leadership development,” he noted.
