General
Julius Nyerere Youth Festival 2025: A Call to Action for Africa’s Next Generation of Change Makers
On April 15th and 16th, 2025, the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC) at Makerere University hosted the Julius Nyerere Youth Festival 2025—a powerful and transformative gathering that moved beyond a simple celebration of Mwalimu Nyerere’s legacy to issue a bold call to action for Africa’s emerging generation of leaders and visionaries.
Held under the theme “Our Heritage, Our Voice: Culture, Innovation, and Servant Leadership,” the festival became a dynamic platform where young people were empowered to reimagine leadership, embrace civic responsibility, and commit to sustainable development. Grounded in the enduring ideals of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere—whose birthday, April 13th, is remembered across the continent as a symbol of Pan-African unity and ethical leadership—the event revived his vision, bringing it into conversation with the urgent challenges and opportunities facing African youth today.
One of the Festival’s most memorable highlights was the evocative evening event titled “Voices in the Night,” hosted at the JNLC. Set around a fireside, this intimate session combined poetry, spoken word, and honest conversation. It brought together an intergenerational mix of participants—including student leaders, poets, scholars, and even members of Mwalimu Nyerere’s family—creating a space where ideas, memories, and aspirations could be shared in the spirit of reflection and solidarity.
During this gathering, Dr. Nansozi Muwanga, Executive Director of JNLC, reminded the audience that servant leadership is not just a nostalgic ideal—it is a living, evolving practice that must respond to the demands of today’s world. She underscored the Centre’s commitment to integrating culture and innovation into its work, noting:
“While servant leadership and culture are very central to what we do, we have also come to realize the need to bridge these values with innovation.”
She emphasized that innovation is essential for keeping Africa’s heritage alive and relevant—especially in a rapidly changing world. Celebrating the diverse youth-led enterprises showcased at the festival—from local coffee brands to handmade art pieces—Dr. Muwanga commended the spirit of creativity. However, she challenged participants to further explore the digital space, expressing hope that future festivals would highlight youth-led tech innovations as well.
In closing, she issued a heartfelt appeal to young people across the continent: to honour Africa’s heritage, but also to dare to reimagine its future—through bold ideas, digital tools, and servant leadership rooted in humility, empathy and action.
She called for leadership grounded in cultural understanding and community-based solutions. While acknowledging the impact of affirmative action in enabling more female students to access higher education, she also advocated for a more nuanced and balanced approach—one that responds to the evolving needs of both girls and boys in today’s society.
Ms. Butiku Sangu, Head of the Languages and Culture Department at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi, anchored her message in the philosophy of Ujamaa and the essence of Africanness. She urged young people to critically re-examine their cultural foundations in the face of increasing global homogenization. True African leadership, she emphasized, must be deeply rooted in indigenous values—values that have sustained communities for generations.
Challenging the common assertion that socialism and African ideologies have failed, Ms. Sangu reframed Ujamaa not as a rigid political doctrine, but as a cultural and moral compass.
“The fact that socialism backfired in Europe was their problem,” she said. “Here in Africa, Ujamaa is a way of life.”
Rejecting intellectual colonialism, she encouraged youth to embrace unity and self-reliance as essential tenets of Nyerere’s vision. She went further to link culture with innovation, identifying mindset change as the most radical and necessary form of innovation.
At NALI, she explained, education is not about political indoctrination, but about decolonizing the mind—instilling pride in African history, language, and lived experiences.
“We teach Fikra—African thought,” she noted, warning that teaching young people that Africanness has failed only plants seeds of defeat and self-doubt.
She concluded with a powerful affirmation: authentic leadership begins with cultural clarity and confidence. Reclaiming African identity, she argued, is the foundation for building an innovative and self-determined future—crafted in Africa’s own image, not in the shadow of others.
The evening was further enriched by the presence of Dr. Susan Kiguli, a celebrated poet and literary scholar at Makerere University. During the “Voices in the Night” session, she spoke eloquently about the power of the spoken word, urging youth to embrace their authentic voices.
“Writing and performing is communication,” she declared. “And there is nothing stronger than the Word.”
Even when it seems no one is listening, she encouraged the audience, “Some of the words may just ring—sometime, somewhere.”
Dr. Kiguli paid tribute to Mwalimu Julius Nyerere not only as a historic leader, but as a lasting teacher.
“Julius Nyerere was named by the people who saw his work. We call him Mwalimu, and it means teacher. Even when he’s not here, he’s still teaching.”
She shared a poignant moment from 1999, recalling how she was asked by the then Deputy Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Epelu Opio, to write a poem in honor of Nyerere shortly after his passing. The piece, written in under a day and titled “Mwalimu Nyerere in Memoriam,” was later sent to his family and the people of Tanzania.
In the poem, Dr. Kiguli honors Nyerere as a Pan-African beacon whose influence transcends borders and generations. She describes him as “a walking stick for Africa,” “a trailblazer of African unity,” and “a champion of justice.” She links him with fellow visionaries like Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba, framing him as a “framer of our regard” whose light touched Uganda, South Africa, Burundi, and beyond.
As night deepened, Mr. Kagayi Ngobi, one of Uganda’s most dynamic spoken word poets, electrified the audience with his powerful poem, “But why am I telling you this in English?” Delivered with raw energy and emotional depth, his performance tackled the pain of post-colonial identity, the failures of African governance, and the struggle for cultural reclamation.
“A poem is like a person—it never ages,” he mused.
With scathing yet loving critique, Kagayi challenged the erasure of African languages and condemned the education systems that alienate children from their roots. Lines like “Sadness is me, not knowing what I need to know to know who I am” resonated deeply, reflecting the wounds of historical disconnection. Yet his poem also celebrated small acts of resistance—like eating a roadside Rolex—as symbols of enduring cultural pride.
In a moving poetic interlude, Grace Deborah Mirembe, a Bachelor of Arts in Education student majoring in Literature and English at Makerere University, performed her original poem, “When Africa Rises.” Her verses envisioned a Pan-African renaissance rooted in solidarity and identity. She painted a vibrant picture of a united Africa—linked across cities and diasporas, from Kingston to Kinshasa, Harlem to Harare.
“We are not lost… we are flowering… we are kin,” she declared.
Her work invoked the spirits of Nkrumah, Sankara, Lumumba, and Nyerere—not as relics, but as guides lighting Africa’s path forward. Her final words captured the heartbeat of the Festival:
“Africa is yesterday’s story, today’s voice, tomorrow’s promise… One people, One pulse, One power.”
This message was echoed by Ms. Faith Martha Atieno, a fellow Literature and English student at Makerere University, in her compelling poem, “A Letter to My African Friend.” Her piece radiated ancestral pride and resilience, reminding the audience of the unbreakable strength woven into African identity.
“Women were fearless warriors,” she declared, uplifting the often-forgotten heroines of history.
Ms. Atieno offered a defiant stand against identity erasure, proclaiming with resolve:
“It’s not breaking any time soon.”
The fireside evening closed on a powerful note with Ms. Aisha Nyerere, Mwalimu Nyerere’s great-granddaughter based in Canada, who recited her poem “Ode to Kanga.” Through this evocative tribute to the traditional East African fabric, she wove together memory, identity, and belonging. The Kanga, she said, was not just cloth—it was a quiet matriarch, a keeper of history and love.
It clothed brides, absorbed tears, cradled infants, and stood silently through generations.
Even folded away in distant lands, the Kanga waited—to reconnect, to remind, to reclaim. Through it, Ms. Aisha Nyerere affirmed her place in the lineage of African heritage, showing that distance could not unravel the threads of identity.
As twilight descended on the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre, Dr. Nansozi Muwanga rose with quiet grace and gratitude. She thanked the participants for their presence, for sharing in a day woven with dialogue, poetry, and purpose.
“Thank you so much for being with us today—for giving us your time,” she said. “I hope you are going home with something meaningful to carry forward.”
Bringing the Festival to a close, Dr. S. Kasozi-Mulindwa, Chairperson of the JNLC Board of Directors, delivered final remarks rich in reflection and encouragement. He spoke of the profound inspiration drawn from the energy, creativity, and courage of young people—affirming that their engagement breathes fresh life into the enduring legacy of Mwalimu Nyerere.
He extended heartfelt thanks to the JNLC team, especially Dr. Muwanga, whose visionary leadership made the Festival possible. He also acknowledged the contributions of sponsors, partners, and innovators who participated in the exhibition, whose collective efforts helped shape a space of learning, growth, and unity.
“This festival,” he concluded, “has not only remembered Mwalimu—it has reawakened him in each of us.”
In a landmark event symbolizing Uganda’s stride towards sustainable transportation, Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, commissioned the first Electric Fast-Charging Station at Makerere University on Friday 13th March 2026. The ceremony, held at the Senate Building Parking Lot, marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s e-mobility journey, blending academic innovation with industrial application and governmental support.
The station, a DC Fast Charger C6-180 installed in collaboration with Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC), is designed to power electric vehicles efficiently, supporting Uganda’s shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This setup ensures high-power DC charging ideal for fleet operations.
Hon. Dr. Musenero, in her keynote remarks, highlighted the profound significance of the occasion, tracing its roots back to 2011 when Makerere unveiled the Kiira EV – Uganda’s first electric vehicle prototype. “This infrastructure is the physical manifestation of a journey that began on this very hill nearly two decades ago,” she stated, emphasizing how the university’s initial proof-of-concept challenged skepticism about Africa’s role in automotive technology.
The event, she noted, completes a narrative full circle, with the birthplace of the Kiira EV now hosting the infrastructure to sustain a modern electric fleet. The commissioning aligns seamlessly with Uganda’s National E-Mobility Strategy, which aims to localize 65% of the e-mobility value chain by 2040 and create over 500,000 high-quality green jobs.
Hon. Dr. Musenero underscored the strategy’s focus on reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels while enhancing environmental well-being. “We are transforming Uganda into a net source of e-mobility solutions,” she declared, pointing to the potential for Ugandan intellect to produce vehicle parts and charging systems domestically.
In his remarks at the event, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe described the launch as a “multi-faceted achievement,” not only advancing the institution’s inclusive agenda but also setting an example for public institutions in adopting e-mobility. In so doing, Makerere University has positioned itself at the forefront of this transition.
On September 26, 2025, President Yoweri Museveni commissioned the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja and handed over three Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) buses to Makerere University to enhance staff and student mobility. The fleet included two diesel-powered Kayoola Coaches and one electric Kayoola EVS 8.5m bus donated by KMC specifically to aid the movement of differently-abled staff and students. This move demonstrates academia’s capacity to integrate home-grown solutions into daily operations, impacting the economy through practical science.
The commissioning of the fast-charging station is rooted in a long history of collaboration. The Kiira Electric Vehicle Project, hatched in the former Faculty of Technology, has evolved into a national movement for automotive manufacturing. Hon. Dr. Musenero praised this progression: “We have moved beyond proving that an electric vehicle can be built in Uganda. We are now ensuring our electric vehicles are deployed across the continent, solving Africa’s mobility problems.”
Academia’s role remains central, as Hon. Dr. Musenero elaborated. While government provides policy frameworks and the private sector offers capital, universities supply the essential knowledge. The E-Mobility Skilling Programme at Makerere University‘s Innovation Pod (Mak-UniPod) is training the next generation of electric vehicle engineers, who are tackling “moonshot projects” to redefine urban transport. Research into optimizing local resources, such as Uganda’s lithium and cobalt deposits for battery production, is also underway.
A key environmental highlight of this development is Uganda’s renewable energy advantage. With over 95% of the national grid powered by hydroelectric dams, every charge at this station utilizes clean energy. “We are using our own water to power our own vehicles, keeping our wealth within our economy rather than exporting it to purchase foreign oil,” Hon. Dr. Musenero remarked, framing the launch as Uganda plugging into the global renewable shift. She pledged the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Secretariat’s continued collaboration with Makerere University, KMC, and partners to proliferate such stations across Kampala and beyond.
Addressing Makerere students, Hon. Dr. Musenero issued a challenge: “See this charging station as a symbol of your own potential. The engineers who built the first Kiira EV were once sitting exactly where you are. They did not wait for permission to be great.” She urged them to leverage available resources to innovate, building on a legacy that has shifted national conversations.
The event drew distinguished guests, including Members of Management, Eng. Paul Isaac Musasizi, KMC’s CEO and his management team, private sector partners, development agencies, and university faculty.
Looking ahead, this launch propels Uganda towards a “Qualitative Leap” in its economy, as Hon. Dr. Musenero described. By fostering innovation and investing in young minds, the nation aims to lead in technological advancement. The station not only powers vehicles but ignites progress, ensuring Uganda remains at the forefront of Africa’s e-mobility revolution.
As the ceremony which was intermittently “blessed” by drizzles drew to a close, the feeling of hope for a cleaner, self-reliant future – one charged by Ugandan ingenuity, was unmistakable.
General
Makerere University and International Partners Sign MoU for the 9th Kampala Geopolitics Conference
Makerere University, on 10th March, 2026, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Embassy of France in Uganda, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), and Alliance Française de Kampala to organize the 9th edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference (KGC), scheduled to take place on 15–16 April 2026 at Makerere University.
The signing formalizes the continued partnership that has established the Kampala Geopolitics Conference as one of the region’s leading platforms for dialogue on global affairs, bringing together scholars, policymakers, civil society leaders, and students to debate the major geopolitical and socio-economic transformations shaping the world.
The conference, inspired by the Nantes Geopolitics Conference in France, was first launched in Kampala in 2018 and has since grown into a unique intellectual space for cross-continental exchange between Africa and Europe.
A Platform for Ideas, Dialogue, and Youth Engagement
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, emphasized the importance of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference as a platform that connects academic discourse with global policy conversations while empowering students to engage with the complex challenges shaping the international system.
The Vice Chancellor noted that hosting the conference reflects Makerere University’s long-standing commitment to fostering intellectual exchange and positioning the institution as a hub for regional and global dialogue.
“Makerere University is proud to host the Kampala Geopolitics Conference because it creates an important platform for debate and exchange on the global issues shaping our world, while giving our students the opportunity to engage directly with leading thinkers and policymakers,” said Prof. Nawangwe.
Prof. Nawangwe further commended the Embassy of France in Uganda, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Alliance Française de Kampala for their continued collaboration with Makerere University in organizing the conference over the years. He expressed confidence that the 2026 edition will once again provide a dynamic platform for dialogue, bringing together scholars, policymakers, and students to examine the geopolitical trends shaping Africa and the wider world.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, H.E. Virginie Leroy, Ambassador of France to Uganda, highlighted the significance of the conference as a platform that encourages dialogue on global issues while empowering young people to participate in shaping the future.
Since its inception, the Kampala Geopolitics Conference has created opportunities for students, researchers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to engage with some of the most pressing global debates. The Ambassador noted that the curiosity and engagement of Ugandan students have become one of the defining features of the conference.
“This conference has become a unique space where students, researchers, policymakers and civil society exchange ideas on the major transformations shaping our world,” Ambassador Leroy said, adding that the event demonstrates the intellectual vitality of Uganda’s youth and the strength of the partnerships that sustain it.
Strengthening Partnerships for Global Dialogue
The Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a long-standing partner in the initiative, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting platforms that foster meaningful discussions on international affairs and regional dynamics.
Speaking during the ceremony, Anna Reismann, Director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Uganda, emphasized the importance of the conference in connecting local perspectives with global debates.
She noted that Africa has increasingly become a focal point in global geopolitics, attracting engagement from a wide range of international actors through investments, trade, security cooperation, and diplomatic partnerships. While these engagements create new opportunities for economic growth and technological advancement, they also raise important questions about sustainability, governance, and the terms of international cooperation.
According to Reismann, the conference provides an important forum to examine these issues and to encourage dialogue that bridges academic perspectives with practical policy considerations.
The 2026 edition of the Kampala Geopolitics Conference will focus on key global and regional issues shaping international relations and development.
Among the themes to be explored are the future of development cooperation, particularly as global aid dynamics evolve and countries explore more sustainable and balanced partnerships. Another panel will examine youth and public policy in Africa, recognizing the critical role that young people play in shaping governance, innovation, and development across the continent.
With Africa home to the youngest population in the world, discussions will highlight the importance of ensuring that young people are not only beneficiaries of public policies but also active contributors to their design and implementation.
Makerere University at the Centre of Global Conversations
Hosting the conference reflects Makerere University’s continued commitment to fostering intellectual exchange and positioning the institution as a hub for regional and international dialogue.
Through its partnerships with global institutions such as the Embassy of France, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Alliance Française de Kampala, Makerere continues to create platforms that connect academic knowledge with policy discussions and real-world challenges.
The Kampala Geopolitics Conference is expected to once again bring together leading experts, scholars, and practitioners from across Africa and Europe, while providing students with a rare opportunity to engage directly with global debates.
As preparations for the 2026 edition gather momentum, the partners expressed confidence that the conference will continue to inspire critical thinking, encourage dialogue across disciplines and generations, and strengthen cooperation between Africa and its international partners.
Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office, Makerere University.
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