Former President Uhuru Kenyatta Criticizes Aid Dependency in Africa

Mombasa, Kenya – Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged African leaders to stop lamenting over the withdrawal of U.S. health aid and instead focus on self-reliance. Speaking at the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit in Mombasa, Kenyatta emphasized the need for African nations to take charge of their own development rather than relying on foreign assistance.

His remarks come after U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive orders freezing foreign aid, including funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and USAID, which support efforts to combat diseases like tuberculosis (TB) in Africa. The move sparked concerns among African governments, who called on the U.S. administration to reconsider.

However, Kenyatta dismissed these concerns, stating, “I saw some people crying the other day that Trump has withdrawn aid. Why are you crying? It’s not your country; he has no reason to give you anything. You don’t pay taxes in America. This is a wake-up call for you to ask, ‘What are we going to do to help ourselves?’”

He urged African governments to utilize their resources effectively, invest in research and academia, and strengthen health systems. “It is time for us to use our resources for the right things. We are the ones using them for the wrong things,” he added.

The summit, running until Thursday, focuses on regional collaboration in health security. Discussions include strategies for future pandemic preparedness, with leaders reflecting on lessons from COVID-19 and Mpox. Kenyatta highlighted measures his administration took during the pandemic, such as lockdowns and budget adjustments, as examples of proactive leadership.

His call to action challenges African leaders to prioritize sustainable solutions, reducing reliance on external funding for critical sectors like healthcare.