NAIROBI, Kenya- Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has issued a rousing call to Africa’s youth, declaring them the continent’s “last line of defence” in a battle for integrity, unity, and self-reliance.
Addressing hundreds of young leaders at the 2025 Guild Leaders’ Summit at Uganda’s Makerere University, Kenyatta painted a stark picture of global indifference and urged young Africans to seize the moment as custodians of the continent’s future.
“You are the last line of defence in the battle to rescue the heart and soul of Africa,” Kenyatta declared to a packed auditorium of student leaders, policymakers and academics.
“No one is coming to save us.”
The summit, themed “Leadership with Integrity: Building Foundations for Good Governance in East Africa”, brought together emerging leaders from across the region for a frank conversation on the continent’s future. And in Kenyatta, they found a speaker who pulled no punches.
You Are the Last Line of Defence in Reshaping the Continent’s Future, asserts Kenyatta at the Guild Leaders’ Summit 2025.KAMPALA, 24th April 2025: His Excellency President (Rtd) Uhuru Kenyatta has urged young Africans to seize the moment as architects of a self-reliant and
Citing a shift in global priorities that has seen developed nations turn inward, Kenyatta described the current era as Africa’s “independence moment”—a chance for young people to take charge, shake off dependency, and shape their own destiny.
“With over 65 per cent of our population under the age of 25, Africa is in a unique position,” he said.
“You have the numbers, the energy, and the time to stay involved until you create the change you wish to see.”
Kenyatta challenged young leaders to pursue merit-based governance, warning against short-term political interests and endemic corruption. “History has often been written by the powerful,” he said. “But the future will be shaped by the principled.”
On the economic front, Kenyatta called for the dismantling of trade and movement barriers that continue to stifle Africa’s growth.
He lamented the continent’s marginal role in global trade—just under 2.5%—despite its vast potential.
“We must unlock intra-African trade, and that begins with unity and innovation led by our youth,” he said.
Uganda’s Vice President, Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo, echoed Kenyatta’s sentiments, urging youth to translate rhetoric into action.
“As you Guild Leaders meet here, you must embrace unity. You must embrace the spirit of Pan-Africanism. And above all, you must embrace the spirit of hard work,” she said.
Alupo acknowledged the challenges ahead, admitting, “It is very easy to say what I’m saying, but more often than not, it is difficult to implement at a collective level.”
Hosted by the Guild Presidents Leadership Academy, the summit provided a rare space for youth to engage with continental leaders and rethink their roles in shaping governance, policy and progress.
