Kenya’s fourth President, H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, has issued a passionate call to Africa’s youth, urging them to rise as the vanguard of the continent’s transformation.
Speaking as keynote speaker at the Second Annual Guild Leaders’ Summit 2025, held at Makerere University in Kampala, Kenyatta declared, “You are the last line of defence in the battle to rescue the heart and soul of Africa.”
Addressing hundreds of university student leaders, policymakers, and academics from across East Africa, Kenyatta framed the current era as Africa’s defining moment—an “independence moment” where young people must reclaim the continent’s destiny.
“No one is coming to save us,” he emphasised. “And as the world turns increasingly inward, the places to seek refuge are rapidly disappearing.”
Held under the theme “Leadership with Integrity: Building Foundations for Good Governance in East Africa,” the summit aimed to empower a new generation of leaders with tools for ethical leadership, regional integration, and economic resilience.
Kenyatta challenged attendees to view themselves not merely as beneficiaries of the future, but as architects of it. Highlighting Africa’s youth bulge—with over 65% of the population under 25—he pointed to the enormous potential for positive disruption.
“You have the numbers. You have the time. You have the energy,” he said. “Now use it. Stay involved in governance discussions until you effect the changes you wish to see.”
He underscored the importance of merit-based leadership, decrying short-term political opportunism and advocating for long-term, citizen-centred governance.
On the economic front, Kenyatta lamented that intra-African trade accounts for less than 2.5% of global commerce, calling it a missed opportunity for shared prosperity.
“Africa cannot afford to remain fragmented. Our survival and success depend on dismantling trade barriers and embracing innovation through unity,” he stated.
Reinforcing his belief in the role of academic institutions, Kenyatta described universities as “incubators of change,” and student leaders as “trustees of tomorrow’s Africa.” He concluded with a powerful reflection: “History has often been written by the powerful, but the future will be shaped by the principled.”
Uganda’s Vice President, Maj (Rtd) Jessica Alupo, who also addressed the summit, echoed Kenyatta’s sentiments on the urgent need for African-led solutions grounded in unity and hard work.
“As you, Guild Leaders, meet here, you must embrace unity. You must embrace the spirit of Pan-Africanism. You must embrace the spirit of hard work,” she said.
While acknowledging the frequent gap between vision and implementation, she challenged the youth to lead the charge toward actionable progress.
“It’s very easy to say what I’m saying—but more often than not, collective implementation is the real test,” Vice President Alupo noted.
Organised by the Guild Presidents Leadership Academy and hosted at Makerere University, the summit brought together student representatives from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It served as a platform for forging a unified youth agenda in an era when global alliances are weakening and African self-determination is more critical than ever.
