H.E. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, delivered a compelling lecture to 72 students currently enrolled at the Kenya Defence College, addressing the significant themes of economic integration, strategic security, and the unity of East Africa.
In his engaging address, President Museveni emphasised the importance of producing goods and services as a pathway to prosperity, asserting, “The key to Africa’s prosperity lies in producing more goods and services, but we must also consider who buys them.”
He highlighted the necessity of prioritizing market access and consumer engagement to awaken East Africa’s economic potential, stating, “With unity and collaboration, we can build a brighter, more prosperous future for our people.”
The President articulated the historical mission and ideological principles underpinning the need for citizens of Uganda, Kenya, and Africa as a whole to embrace their shared destinies, driven by the imperative of shared prosperity. “Love Uganda because you need it. Love Kenya because you need it. Love Africa because you need it”, he proclaimed.
He illustrated that while people from the same region often produce similar goods, this similarity hinders effective trade among themselves. Instead, they must rely on individuals from other regions who require what they produce. “We all need each other to prosper,” he emphasised, reinforcing the idea that the wellbeing of each nation is intrinsically linked to cooperative relationships across the continent.
During his lecture, the President also addressed the strategic security imperative for East Africa, emphasising that the region’s stability is strengthened through economic interdependence. “There is a pressing need for economic integration for Africa to prosper,” he remarked, highlighting the commonalities among the East African people and advocating for the spirit of undugu (brotherhood). He further promoted the use of Swahili as a unifying language, underscoring its role in fostering connections among East Africans. “By embracing Swahili, we can create a strong unity in East Africa,” he stated.
Additionally, he asserted that to ensure the future of the African people, there must be a “centre of gravity” to discover the “undugu” that exists among Africans, using it as a foundation to achieve both prosperity and strategic security for the continent.
Among the guests in attendance included the Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Hon. Soipan Tuya, Cabinet Secretary for Cooperative and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Hon. Wycliffe Oparanya, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Hon. Patrick Mariru, and the Commandant of the National Defence College (Kenya), Lt Gen. Juma Mwinyikai.
President Museveni concluded his lecture by calling upon the leaders and future leaders present to play an active role in harnessing Africa’s abundant resources and rationalising economies effectively. He urged the audience to embrace the transformative potential of unity for the betterment of all Africans.