What’s cooking? Uhuru and Muhoho’s latest stand reflects strong support for the youth

In a rare and coordinated show of generational advocacy, the former first family has emerged as an unlikely yet potent voice in championing youth empowerment across Africa.

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and his younger brother, Muhoho Kenyatta, appeared at separate high-profile events, each delivering impassioned calls for Africa’s youth to rise, lead, and reclaim their future.

Their messaging, delivered from Kampala to Mombasa, was clear: the time for young people to wait for permission is over. The moment to act is now.

Uhuru, whose post-presidency has been largely quiet, stepped back into the spotlight at Makerere University on April 24, 2025, where he addressed the Guild Leaders Summit 2025.

His words, sharpened by the urgency of the continental crisis and global apathy, struck a nerve.

“You are the last line of defence in the battle to rescue the heart and soul of Africa,” the former president declared, standing before hundreds of student leaders and policymakers from across East Africa.

“No one is coming to save us. The places to seek refuge are rapidly disappearing,” he added.

His message was part rallying cry, part reality check.

Uhuru urged African youth to confront the continent’s low intra-African trade, fractured leadership, and cyclical corruption.

But above all, he pushed for a collective awakening rooted in self-reliance and principled leadership.

“You have the numbers, the time, and the energy. History has often been written by the powerful, but the future will be shaped by the principled,” Uhuru said, echoing demographic projections that place over 65% of Africa’s population under the age of 25.

Muhoho’s rallying call

Across the border and about a fortnight later, Muhoho Kenyatta took a different stage with the same mission.

Addressing the Africa regional conference of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award in Mombasa, Muhoho offered a rare public address that leaned into optimism and innovation.

“It is their time now. To grasp and take over the mantle of leadership, and as such, the stewardship of our continent with their passion, innovation, and energy,” Muhoho said of the youth on Monday, May 5, 2025.

Though widely known for his behind-the-scenes roles in philanthropy and business, Muhoho’s tone was unusually forceful.

He critiqued what he called rigid systems that have locked out Africa’s youth from decision-making spaces.

“This demographic remains largely untapped,” he said, noting the continent’s projected youth population of 830 million by 2050.

Framing youth not as a problem but as a solution, he challenged African leaders to reimagine governance and education to match the scale and speed of today’s challenges.

“Africa stands at a crucial crossroads and our trajectory will be determined by how well we prepare our youth,” Muhoho warned.

Muhoho chairs the African region of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, a global initiative that encourages youth between 14 and 24 to build life skills through non-formal learning.

In Kenya, it is known as the Presidential Award.

For some observers, the Kenyattas’ twin interventions suggest a deeper recalibration in legacy and purpose.

Once seen as part of the entrenched elite, their tone now skews reformist, even urgent.

At Makerere, Uganda’s Vice President Jessica Alupo echoed similar sentiments, urging youth leaders to embrace unity and pragmatism.

“It is very easy to say what I’m saying,” she cautioned, “but more often than not, it is difficult to make implementation on a collective level.”

Still, the symbolism of two Kenyattas, speaking days apart on either side of Lake Victoria, is hard to miss.

Whether driven by legacy, concern, or a genuine awakening, their synchronised advocacy may just spark the conversations and the actions that Africa’s young people need to take centre stage.

When the conference in Mombasa closed, Muhoho left his audience with a message that could very well serve as a shared mantra between the brothers.

“This is our moment to showcase the innovation and resilience that define our youth. Every connection made here has the potential to transform lives,” he said.

Indeed, something is cooking. And this time, it may just be the recipe for a new African future – stirred by experience, but served by the young.

About The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award (the Award) is a Non-Formal Education and Learning framework supporting young people to find their purpose, place and passion in the world.

In more than 120 countries, its globally recognised accreditation is available to all 14 to 24-year-olds, inclusive of all backgrounds, locations, cultures and abilities.

Through the programme, each young person becomes part of something special while developing their individual interests, universal skills and life ambitions.

Founded in 1956, the Award highlights the value of Non-Formal Education and Learning. Today there are consistently over a million young people taking on the Award’s challenge to believe in the power of their potential, make a difference in their community and take control of their future.

Read more about The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award here.