Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent a powerful wake-up call to African youth, urging them to step up and take control of the continent’s future.
Speaking at the 2025 Guild Leaders’ Summit hosted at Uganda’s prestigious Makerere University, Kenyatta delivered an impassioned address calling on young people to embrace their pivotal role in shaping a new Africa free from corruption, division, and dependency.
In a speech that resonated strongly with Generation Z and the rising student leadership across East Africa, Kenyatta described the current moment as Africa’s “second independence struggle.”
With over 65% of the continent’s population under the age of 25, he stressed that this demographic advantage presents an unmatched opportunity to drive transformational change.
“You have the numbers, you have the time, and you have the energy to influence and implement the change you want to see,” Kenyatta told an audience of student leaders, academics, and policymakers.
“This is your moment. History was once written by the powerful — but the future will be shaped by the principled.”
Kenyatta, who has adopted a more activist stance since leaving office in 2022, urged the youth to reject short-term political games and focus instead on building a culture of integrity, merit, and self-reliance.
He framed the call to action as a matter of urgency, asserting that as the world grows more inward-looking, Africa can no longer afford to wait for external rescue.
“No one is coming to save us,” he warned. “As the world turns inward, the places to seek refuge are rapidly disappearing. The burden of building a better Africa now lies with us — with you.”
Drawing attention to Africa’s persistent economic hurdles, Kenyatta pointed out the underperformance of intra-African trade, which currently accounts for less than 2.5% of global trade.
He called for the removal of bureaucratic and political barriers that hinder trade and the free movement of people across borders. To unlock Africa’s full potential, he encouraged the youth to harness innovation, unity, and pan-African ideals.
Universities, Kenyatta said, must serve as more than academic institutions — they should be “incubators of change.”
He stressed that student leaders in these institutions must act as guardians of Africa’s future by promoting transparency, accountability, and bold new ideas.
Uganda’s Vice President Jessica Alupo, who also addressed the summit, echoed Kenyatta’s sentiments. She highlighted the need for a renewed sense of unity and commitment among Africa’s young leaders.
“As you Guild Leaders gather here, you must embrace unity. You must embrace the spirit of pan-Africanism. You must embrace the spirit of hard work,” she declared.
While acknowledging the many challenges young people face — from high unemployment to systemic exclusion — Alupo urged them to move beyond speeches and embrace practical, collective action.
“It is very easy to say what I’m saying, but more often than not, it is a bit difficult to make implementation on a collective level,” she admitted, urging student leaders to convert their vision into tangible results.
The summit, hosted by the Makerere Guild Presidents Leadership Academy, marked a turning point for East Africa’s student leaders and youth advocates.
With the continent at a critical crossroads, the message from Kampala was clear: the future of Africa belongs to its youth — and it’s time to rise, lead, and build a self-sufficient, united Africa.
