Ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta advises African countries to assume control over their health security and economic well-being, stressing the importance of self-sufficiency over foreign assistance.
Speaking at the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit 2025 opening ceremony at the PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort Convention Centre on January 29, Uhuru emphasized that Africa needs to reallocate its resources to address its most urgent health issues and other vital matters.
Uhuru dismissed those expressing disappointment over the withdrawal of funding by US President Donald Trump, saying that the US government has no responsibility to back Africa.
I noticed people upset that the US President has cut off funding. Why are you so emotional about it? It's not your government, nor your country's responsibility. The President is trying to appease his constituents.
He further emphasized the need for Africans to take ownership of their development journey and not rely on continuous financial aid from foreign countries.
"We can't rely on others to help with pandemics, whether we like it or not. Funds for pandemics must come from within our continent. We need to reassess our priorities and allocate resources accordingly, what is truly important to us as Africans," Uhuru stressed.
He cautioned that, in the event of future pandemics, developed countries will put their citizens' needs first and may only consider providing aid to Africa later.
He emphasized the need for African leaders to build robust health infrastructure and develop domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity to reduce reliance on external aid.
"We should not rely on others to come to our aid. As African nations, it's essential that we're prepared for future health challenges, bearing in mind that when crises arise, more developed nations will prioritize their own people and supply vaccines to third-world countries, if they have any left," he observed.
In addition, he criticized governments that place a higher priority on military spending than on fundamental services. "He strongly condemned recent violent attacks and killings in various areas."
"It is now time for us to utilize our resources for the right purposes. Instead, we squander them on the wrong objectives. The weapons and firearms we acquire are often employed against our own people – siblings taking up arms against one another over baseless reasons," he expressed regret.
He urged African nations to invest in sectors that foster stability and development rather than exacerbating internal conflicts.
The health forum, which joined essential players, served as a platform to address critical health security issues in East Africa and investigate stable solutions to improve regional healthcare systems.