General
Youth Leaders and Scholars Chart Africa’s Leadership Future at the 2026 Nyerere Lecture
At a time when Africa stands at the intersection of demographic opportunity and governance uncertainty, a powerful question is emerging across the continent: what kind of leadership will define Africa’s future?
This question took centre stage at the 2026 Julius Nyerere Leadership Lecture and Youth Conversations, held on April 13, 2026, at Makerere University. Convened by the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre in partnership with the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), the event brought together policymakers, scholars, diplomats, and youth leaders from across East Africa under the theme: “Africa’s Next Generation: Youth Agency and the Leadership Africa Needs.”
Held on the birth anniversary of Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the gathering was not merely commemorative. It was deliberately forward-looking—an effort to reinterpret Nyerere’s legacy in light of contemporary realities and to position young people as central actors in shaping Africa’s political, economic, and social trajectory.
A Defining Moment for Leadership in Africa
Opening the event, Dr. Nansozi K. Muwanga, Executive Director of the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre, framed the conversation within a broader continental context marked by a rapidly expanding youth population, rising political awareness, and increasing demand for accountability.
“Africa is not short of potential,” she noted. “What is at stake is whether that potential is matched by the kind of leadership required to transform it into sustainable development and inclusive progress.”
Her remarks underscored a critical shift: young Africans are no longer passive participants in governance processes. Across communities, institutions, and political spaces, they are organizing, contesting, innovating, and demanding accountability. The challenge, she argued, is to ensure that this energy is channelled into ethical, competent, and service-oriented leadership capable of transforming institutions and delivering long-term change.
Reclaiming Unity as a Strategic Imperative
The importance of unity—long championed by Mwalimu Nyerere—featured prominently throughout the discussions. Representing Tanzania, Major General Paul Kisesa Simuli emphasized that Pan-Africanism must evolve from a historical ideal into a practical framework for cooperation and development.
“Africa’s unity is not optional,” he observed. “It is a necessity for survival in an increasingly competitive and interconnected world.”
He pointed to education, language, and shared values as critical foundations for building a cohesive regional identity, highlighting the need for deliberate investment in systems that strengthen cross-border collaboration. His intervention reinforced a central theme of the lecture: that regional integration and collective action are indispensable to Africa’s long-term stability and prosperity.
Leadership in Transition: From Authority to Influence
The keynote address by Israel Laryea provided a compelling reflection on how leadership itself is evolving. Drawing from Africa’s political history, he argued that the continent has moved through distinct phases—from liberation-era “builders,” to “controllers,” and now to a generation navigating democratic transitions that remain incomplete.
Yet, despite these transitions, a fundamental gap persists.
“Africa has never lacked leaders,” he remarked. “The real question is the kind of leadership each generation chooses to tolerate.”
In today’s context, he argued, leadership is increasingly shaped not only by formal authority but by influence, credibility, and the ability to mobilize and organize. Digital platforms have expanded access to information and participation, but they have also introduced new complexities—where visibility does not necessarily translate into power.
For young Africans, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge. While they are more connected and engaged than ever before, their influence in formal decision-making spaces remains limited. Bridging this gap requires a shift from digital engagement to structured political and institutional participation.
The Knowledge Question: Leadership and Intellectual Responsibility
A recurring theme across the lecture was the centrality of knowledge in shaping effective leadership. Scholars warned against the risks of historical distortion, shallow engagement with complex issues, and leadership divorced from intellectual grounding.
Discussions emphasized that Africa’s development challenges are not simply technical—they are deeply political and ideological. Addressing them requires leaders who are not only well-intentioned but also analytically grounded, historically informed, and ethically driven.
The idea that “ignorance remains one of the greatest obstacles to progress” resonated strongly, reinforcing the need for continuous learning, humility, and critical reflection as essential components of leadership.
Youth Leadership in Practice: From Ideas to Implementation
Beyond theory, the lecture provided a platform for young leaders to demonstrate how leadership is already being exercised in practical and impactful ways.
Across panel discussions, participants shared experiences in governance, entrepreneurship, and community development. These contributions highlighted a growing shift toward solution-oriented leadership, where young people are not waiting for opportunities but actively creating them.
Key insights emerging from these engagements included:
- The importance of policy reforms that enable youth participation, particularly in economic and governance spaces
- The role of innovation and technology in addressing local challenges and expanding opportunities
- The need for community-centred approaches that prioritize inclusion and social impact
What became evident is that Africa’s youth are not merely a demographic category—they are an active force shaping new pathways for development and leadership.
Intergenerational Dialogue: Bridging Legacy and Aspiration
The Ekyooto fireside conversations provided one of the most reflective moments of the event, bringing together seasoned leaders and emerging voices in an open and candid dialogue.
These conversations explored the deeper questions of identity, purpose, and responsibility. Participants emphasized that the future of Africa will depend on a generation that understands not only the challenges it faces but also the values and principles required to address them.
Lena Nyerere, representing the Nyerere family, highlighted the enduring relevance of Pan-Africanism as a vision rooted in unity, dignity, and collective progress. Her presence served as a symbolic bridge between legacy and the future—reminding participants that leadership is both inherited and redefined across generations.
From Reflection to Action
As the day concluded, a clear consensus emerged: Africa’s transformation will depend on the ability of its young people to move beyond participation toward active leadership and institutional influence.
This transition requires:
- Strengthening leadership development pathways
- Investing in education and critical thinking
- Expanding opportunities for meaningful participation in governance and policy processes
- Building a shared sense of Pan-African identity and purpose
Equally important is the need to move beyond episodic conversations toward sustained programmes, structured mentorship, and institutional support systems that enable young leaders to grow, collaborate, and lead effectively.
Looking Ahead: Reimagining Leadership for Africa’s Future
The 2026 Julius Nyerere Leadership Lecture and Youth Conversations ultimately served as more than a platform for dialogue—it was a strategic intervention in shaping Africa’s leadership trajectory.
As the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre continues to expand its work in youth leadership training, regional engagement, and policy dialogue, the challenge ahead is clear: to translate ideas into action, and action into lasting institutional change.
Africa’s future will not be determined by its challenges alone, but by the quality of leadership that emerges to confront them. In this regard, the legacy of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere is not a static memory—it is a living framework for leadership grounded in service, unity, and responsibility. The task for this generation is to reimagine that legacy in practical terms, and to carry it forward with clarity, courage, and purpose.
The two-week training programme aims to equip government officers with practical skills to assess project viability, manage investment risks and ensure public resources deliver value for money.
The Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) is strengthening the capacity of government officers to undertake financial appraisal and risk analysis of public investment projects through a two-week training programme designed to improve the quality of project preparation, appraisal and decision-making in Uganda.
The training, which started in Fort Portal on October 19, 2026, brought together participants from various government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), alongside facilitators from Makerere University, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Cambridge Resources International (CRI), the National Planning Authority and the Uganda Development Bank.
Officially opening the training on behalf of the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury, Ms Esther Ayebare, Acting Assistant Commissioner in the Project Analysis and Public Investment Department of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, emphasised the importance of rigorous project appraisal in strengthening Uganda’s public investment management system.
She noted that projects admitted into the public investment plan must be aligned with national priorities, technically sound, financially viable and capable of delivering value for money.
“Government must be able to compare investment alternatives and ensure that only viable projects proceed through the public investment process,” she emphasised.
Ms Ayebare explained that sound appraisal enables government to make informed investment decisions, maximise returns on public expenditure and ensure that limited public resources are directed towards projects with the greatest potential to deliver development outcomes.
Building practical skills for better investment decisions
The training builds on the Public Investment Management course conducted in June, which introduced participants to Uganda’s public investment management framework, including project conceptualisation, stakeholder analysis, project costing, implementation action plans, the Integrated Bank of Projects, and monitoring and evaluation of public investment reforms.
The current programme advances this foundation by equipping participants with technical competencies in financial appraisal, financial modelling and risk analysis.
Participants will explore integrated investment appraisal, alternative investment criteria, cash-flow statements, inflation and exchange-rate movements, asset valuation, project financing, project scale and timing, risk-sharing arrangements and cost-effectiveness analysis.
Through practical exercises and case studies, participants will apply these concepts to investment scenarios in sectors such as roads, health, education and water. The programme will also examine how climate change, social considerations and other risks can be integrated into project preparation and appraisal.
Ms Ayebare encouraged participants to engage actively with the facilitators, question the practical application of the tools and consider how the skills acquired could improve investment decisions within their respective institutions.
She also reminded participants that the programme includes an examination and that certification requires more than attendance. Participants are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and acquire practical skills that they can apply in their work.
Reducing dependence on externally prepared studies
A key objective of the training is to strengthen the ability of government institutions to undertake high-quality project appraisal studies using their own technical teams.
Ms Ayebare observed that many studies submitted to the Development Committee have traditionally been prepared by external consultants, often at considerable cost. Building the capacity of public officers to conduct these studies independently can help institutions strengthen their technical expertise and improve the quality of project proposals presented for consideration.
She urged participants to take full advantage of the facilitators’ expertise and return to their institutions equipped to undertake sound financial appraisals and provide evidence-based advice to decision-makers.
She further emphasised that project approval requires thorough preparation, analysis and justification, rather than simply identifying available funding and proposing a project to utilise it.
Strengthening public investment management through capacity development
In his remarks, Prof. Edward Bbaale, Director of the PIM CoE, thanked the Ministry of Finance for its financial support and for identifying participants from government institutions. He also recognised the contributions of the facilitators and partner institutions in delivering the programme.
Prof. Bbaale noted that the Centre’s work extends beyond training to include research and advisory services aimed at improving public investment management practices. He encouraged continued collaboration with government institutions and other partners to advance research, knowledge sharing and capacity development.
Speaking during the training, Dr John Sseruyange, Manager of the PIM CoE, highlighted the importance of commitment, active participation and punctuality throughout the programme. He encouraged participants to engage with the facilitators, ask questions and apply the knowledge gained to the projects they support.
Dr Sseruyange also acknowledged the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, for financing the training, and appreciated Cambridge Resources International for its continued support towards improving public investment preparation and analysis in Uganda.
The training reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen Uganda’s public investment management system by equipping public officers with the knowledge and practical competencies needed to assess projects rigorously, identify potential risks and make informed investment decisions.
By developing in-house expertise across government institutions, the programme seeks to contribute to better-prepared projects, more efficient use of public resources and improved delivery of Uganda’s development priorities.
President Yoweri K. Museveni while officiating as Chief Guest at the Julius Nyerere Annual Symposium 2026: Nyerere-Museveni Dialogue at Makerere University called upon the audience not to merely hold Nyerere’s Legacy as a historical footprint but as a masterplan for the future that remains unfinished. Organised by the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC), the symposium was a two day event that started with “ekyooto” on 13th October at the JNLC gardens and climaxed on 14th October in Freedom Square. The second day hinged on the theme: Borrowing from the Past, Building the Future.
In the President’s message delivered by Rt. Hon. Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of Makerere University, the president spotlighted, “Mwalimu Nyerere as the greatest African that ever lived in terms of contribution to the African people’s efforts for freedom, human rights, and dignity.”
This greatness, he notes, spilled not just to political ideals but also to economics and security. The President agreed with him and warned that “freedom without economic transformation and economic prosperity, without a robust strategic security, remains incomplete.”
Reaching out to the younger generation of scholars and leaders, the President issued a strong warning to move beyond simply remembering Nyerere to action. He said, “you must carry forward the torch of pan-Africanism, reject sectarianism and tribalism, build our regional markets, and champion the total political integration of our motherland.”
He appreciated Mwalimu for his; unwavering support for the struggle of the East African Federation, courageous backing of the armed anti-colonial struggles in the southern half of Africa, principled and decisive support for the anti-Idi Amin struggle, pro-people and pro-unity policies that kept Tanzania peaceful for decades, and ensuring that Tanzania remained a strategic rear base for the entire African resistance.
As a believer in Nyerere’s ideals, the President urged the audience to honor Mwalimu “not merely through commemorative speeches, but through completing the historical task of uniting, defending, and prospering our motherland,” for the motive is to ensure that the independence wars won by our predecessors were not in vain.
To this note, he reiterated the case for Uganda, saying “we shall never forget his profound contribution” to Africa.
Professor Nyamsenda’s Keynote Unparked Pan-Africanism
During the Nyerere-Museveni Dialogue symposium at Makerere University, Professor Sabatho Nyamsenda, a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam delivered the Keynote Address titled “The Unfinished African Project: From Liberation Legacies to a New Generation of Transformation” during the symposium”.
He started on a lighter noticing “Nyerere is being Ugandanised.” This he said looking at the annual Public Lectures dedicated to his name and felt like challenging his home institutions to follow suit.
At the calm of the room, he presented a critique of the current state of Pan-Africanism, arguing that it has been grabbed by the ruling elites, a challenge Professor Nyamsenda identifies to have started in the period of 1960 -1980.
He explained that it was around this time period that Pan-Africanism was snatched away from the masses and it became a state project. Currently, he said the ideology exists in two forms: Boardroom and Street Pan-Africanism.
Professor, characterised Boardroom Pan-Africanism as a State Project. He said “boardroom Pan-Africanism sits comfortably with imperialism and elite-centered accumulation.” While Street Pan-Africanism to which Professor advocates, he emphasised that historically, this approach “united the African liberation movement and liberated the African continent from the most barbaric colonial powers.”
As he concluded, Professor Nyamsenda joined Mwalimu and the President of Uganda in urging youth to consider joining and leading the struggle for a better Africa.
Role of JNLC in Realising Nyerere’s Ideas
Professor Saturninus Kasozi Mulindwa, the JNLC Board Chair highlighted the primary objective of the center as “imparting knowledge and sharing experiences from the old generations to the new generations.” Therefore, JNLC contributes to the actualisation of Nyerere’s ideas by focusing on the development of the next generation of African leaders.
To supplement this, Dr. Nansozi K. Mwanga the Executive Director at JNLC said that the center is committed to “nurturing ethical, conscious, and transformative leaders inspired by Mwalimu’s ideas of service, human dignity, self-reliance, and Pan-African solidarity.”
She explained their focus is on several key areas with training as core. They have “trained over 1,500 young people and young leaders from across Uganda.”, and developed leadership programs “grounded in ethical decision-making, civic responsibility, public service, and action.”
In her remarks, it was observed that training alone is not enough; they are also doing mentorship, to provide opportunities for networking and learning from experienced leaders. There are already testimonies when you visit the Centre wall of fame. To which Dr. Nansozi revealed “leadership development matters when learning becomes service and meaningful action.”
The Centre remains proud of those they have touched and are eager to support as many cohorts.
Julius Nyerere Family Pour their Heart out
Mama Maria Nyerere, addressed the Symposium virtually and commended the Centre for keeping Mwalimu’s values alive.
As a memory of her husband, she reminded the audience that his greatest legacy was anchored on the values by which he lived: service, humility, integrity, unity and love for Africa and its people. She also urged the young people to take up leadership responsibilities and lead with humility, integrity and always remember the people they serve.
Mama Nyerere also advised the youth to learn from those who came before them like her husband with courage to build a better Africa for their generation and those who will come after them.
Joining Mama Nyerere, on behalf of the Nyerere family was Ms. Julia Nyerere, a granddaughter, who attended physically and thanked H.E. Kaguta Museveni for supporting the establishment of the Julius Nyerere Centre at Makerere University and also commended the Keynote Speaker Professor Nyamsenda for Critiquing Nyerere’s ideas.
Julia further shared an understanding of her grand-father’s interest in preserving humanity as a moral.
As a family they are happy that his (Nyerere) values and legacies continue to inspire Africa and beyond.
Appreciation for All who Made the Symposium Possible
Addressing the symposium, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, represented by Professor Henry Alinaitwe the Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Finance and Administration expressed the University’s appreciation and commitment.
He thanked “the government of Uganda for the support they are giving to the Julius Nyerere Leadership Center,” and requested Dr. Kiyonga to “convey the message to the fountain of honour for this initiative that Makerere University is happy for, and is going on well.”
To the leadership of the Center, he specifically thanked the Director Dr. Nansozi for her focused leadership. He stated, “I commend my friend, Dr. Nansozi, for the work that you are doing.”
Professor Alinaitwe also emphasized “we” value these symposiums, saying, “as a university, we acknowledge that such activities create great visibility.”
Dr. Kiyonga was also thanked for delivering the President’s message, together with veterans like Professor Kabwegyere, among other distinguished guests and partners that attended.
Professor Tarsis Bazana Kabwegyere as well appreciated all and emphasised the collective duty of the youth in building the next generation.
He advised “your responsibility is to identify and build Africa forward, building on the legacies and foundations of our forefathers,”.
The Professor also argued that “being young on its own is not a virtue. It is what you are when you are young.” He challenges the audience to avoid being ignorant and claim that you are young.
Background of the Nyerere Symposium
The Julius Nyerere Annual Symposium is an intergenerational gathering hosted at Makerere University. For more than six years now, it has been connecting past leadership legacies of Nyerere and other revolutionaries with current regional and continental priorities under the (JNLC) centre.
The Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC) serves as a training ground and research hub designed to mentor the next generation of African leaders. Co-hosted by Makerere University and the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), the Centre bridges the gap between older statesmen and youth by focusing on Pan-African ideals, ethical governance, and social transformation.
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