Museveni, Kenyatta discuss youth priorities

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President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday hosted the former Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, at State House Entebbe. 

The visit followed Kenyatta’s participation as a keynote speaker at the second Annual Guild Leaders’ Summit 2025 held at Makerere University, Kampala, on Thursday, April 24, 2025.

Museveni welcomes Kenyatta upon his arrival at State House Entebbe. (PPU)

President Museveni and former Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta at State House Entebbe. (PPU)

The summit was organised by the Guild Presidents Leadership Academy, which brings together Guild Presidents and Student Leaders from universities across East Africa. 

The summit drew student leaders from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“I am very grateful, Mzee, for your warm welcome. We hope that we have met the expectations of our youth through the engagements we had,” Kenyatta said during the private meeting.

According to a release from the Presidential Press Unit, Kenyatta also commended the youth for their passion and unity.

“The student leaders were highly engaging,” he informed President Museveni. 

According to Kenyatta, the key issues raised by the youth were mainly unemployment and job creation.

"What impressed me most was their realisation that they are stronger together. They can’t just sit back and wait for things to happen; they must take the lead,” he remarked.

He urged young people to desist from ethnic and religious divisions and focus on their shared future.

(PPU)

Stressing that the youth must overcome these barriers and realise their common destiny, the former  president added, "But that destiny will not come to them in their bedrooms; they have to go out and work for it."

Kenyatta reported that the students also held two panel discussions where they posed critical questions to regional leaders.

“When people don’t see leaders producing results, they lose interest. Leadership must start from the grassroots and respond to the real issues affecting our people,” he emphasised.

President Museveni during the meeting at State House Entebbe. (PPU)

On his part, President Museveni welcomed the initiative and expressed interest in engaging directly with the leadership academy.

“I would like to meet the leadership academy and strategise on the kind of message we should be spreading to the youth,” President Museveni said.

He also praised Kenyatta for his efforts in promoting regional unity and recalled his own impressions from the former President’s inauguration.

“His excellence Uhuru is a pan-Africanist,” President Museveni noted.

He then addressed one of the summit’s key concerns, youth unemployment and delivered a strong message to young people across the region.

“The jobs you're talking about will come when businesses succeed. But for businesses to thrive, we must solve the issue of market access. Without a market, the economy cannot grow,” he emphasised.

Citing historical examples, President Museveni explained how economic unity fueled development in Europe.

“Germany was once 31 kingdoms until business leaders pushed for unity. The same thing happened in France: the middle class, who were blocked by internal barriers, triggered the French Revolution,” he said.

(PPU)

(PPU)

President Museveni warned against isolating national economies, recalling how in 1963 African leaders attempted to establish the East African Federation.

“Some leaders preferred to remain big fish in small ponds. But without integration, our potential is limited,” President Museveni added. 

He called on the youth to stop wasting time on unproductive distractions and instead focus on meaningful leadership.

“Wake up, stop spending too much time. Let’s work on expanding our markets and solving real problems,” President Museveni urged.

(PPU)

Mr Masesa Demiano, Executive Director of the academy, explained that the event aimed to provide a platform for young leaders to learn from elders who have inspired the region.

“This was our second summit. We brought in delegates from various universities in East Africa. Our goal is to make this an annual gathering of transformative leaders,” Masesa said.

He added that the Guild Leadership Academy, hosted at Makerere University, provides training and mentorship to student leaders.

“We have just started, and this is our second year. We rent space at Makerere University where we engage students in leadership development,” he noted.