ARUSHA, TANZANIA — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has assumed the Chairmanship of the East African Community (EAC) Summit, taking over from outgoing Chairperson William Ruto at the conclusion of the EAC Heads of State Summit held at the Arusha International Conference Centre.
The Summit also approved the appointment of Stephen Patrick Mbundi as the new Secretary General of the East African Community.
In his acceptance remarks, President Museveni thanked regional leaders for entrusting him with the responsibility of guiding the Community over the next year and conveyed greetings from the people of Uganda.
He described East Africa as standing at a critical historical moment and urged leaders and citizens to remain focused on the long-term mission of Africa’s transformation.
The President warned against what he called the challenge of “Okukonesa”, a metaphor drawn from local languages describing food that is not properly cooked due to insufficient heat.
He used the analogy to caution Africa against repeating historical mistakes that contributed to colonisation and underdevelopment, citing weak leadership, internal divisions, and slow adoption of scientific and technological advancement.
Museveni recalled that by around 1900, much of Africa had fallen under colonial rule partly because of fragmentation among African societies and strategic weaknesses in responding to external pressures.
He said Africa survived through the resilience of its people and the emergence of liberation movements across the continent and in the diaspora.
The President outlined what he described as the historic mission of the African liberation struggle, centred on four pillars: liberation, modernisation, prosperity and strategic security.
He emphasised that the foundation of progress remains “Uhuru na Umoja” (Freedom and Unity).
While Africa has largely achieved political independence, Museveni said the continent still faces the challenge of economic and political unity.
He stressed that production alone cannot create wealth unless producers have access to large markets.
Drawing comparisons with global economic powers, he noted that Africa’s combined GDP remains relatively small because of fragmented national markets.
He cited the experiences of China, India, and South Korea as examples of how large internal markets support industrialisation and economic growth.
The President called on the youth of the region to focus on building productive economies, strengthening regional integration, and avoiding distractions that could undermine development.
Museveni also highlighted the importance of strategic security, stating that modern states must be capable of defending themselves across land, air, sea, and space domains while cooperating to maintain regional stability.
He paid tribute to African liberation leaders including: Julius Nyerere, Abeid Amani Karume, Kwame Nkrumah, Ahmed Sékou Touré and Modibo Keïta.
He particularly commended Tanzania for its historical contribution to regional integration and support for African liberation movements.
Under President Museveni’s chairmanship, the East African Community is expected to deepen integration, strengthen economic cooperation, and promote shared prosperity and security for more than 300 million citizens across the region.
