Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged African nations to reduce their reliance on foreign aid, particularly in funding essential programs like healthcare, and instead focus on utilizing local resources for sustainable development.
Speaking at the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit in Mombasa, Uhuru described the recent U.S. decision to cut foreign aid as a wake-up call for Africa to become self-sufficient. He stressed that depending on external assistance is not sustainable and called on African leaders to take responsibility for their own development.
“Why are we crying over aid cuts when it is not our government, not our country? He [U.S. President] has no reason to give us anything—we don’t pay taxes in America. This should be a wake-up call for us to ask: What can we do for ourselves?” Uhuru stated.
He criticized the misallocation of resources in Africa, highlighting that many nations spend more on armed conflicts than on health services. “We have lost more people to bullets fired by Africans on Africans than we have to diseases. Yet, we spend more money on weapons than on protecting our health and our future,” he noted.
Uhuru called for an end to wars and internal conflicts, urging African nations to redirect funds towards research, healthcare infrastructure, and vaccine production. “It is time to prioritize our people’s well-being and stop wasting resources on destruction,” he said.
Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Deborah Barasa, also addressed the summit, outlining Kenya’s efforts to strengthen its health security. She noted that Kenya has invested in modern healthcare infrastructure, regional collaborations, and public-private partnerships to enhance innovation and resource mobilization.
Dr. Barasa emphasized the role of digital health transformation in improving healthcare services. “We are rolling out a 100 percent digitalized health system, which will enable better data management, enhance service delivery, and improve response to emergencies,” she said.
The summit, organized by Kenya’s Ministry of Health, regional partners, and the University of Nebraska, brought together health experts from across East Africa to discuss strategies for strengthening the continent’s health systems.
Uhuru concluded by emphasizing that Africa must prepare for future health challenges by funding its own research and manufacturing capacities. “We struggled to vaccinate our people during the COVID-19 pandemic because we lacked resources. We must ensure we are ready for the next challenge by investing in our own solutions,” he said.
He urged African leaders to foster unity and cooperation, stating that only through self-reliance and responsible governance can Africa achieve sustainable development.