National • 04 December 2025

Time to hand over power to younger generation - Amama Mbabazi urges

Speaking yesterday at the annual Tumusiime Mutebile memorial lecture, held at Makerere University in honour of the late Bank of Uganda Governor, Mr Mbabazi framed inter-generational leadership as the "missing link" critically needed for Africa’s transformation.

Former Ugandan Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi has challenged Uganda and Africa’s leadership establishments to initiate immediate and deliberate transfer of knowledge and power to the younger generation.

"We must create opportunities for young Africans to lead. We must build systems where young leaders do not merely wait their turn; they are prepared, guided and trusted to lead early responsibility," he said

Mr Mbabazi, who serves as Chairman of the Tumusiime Mutebile Foundation, argued that the theme for this year's lecture, ‘Shaping Africa’s future: the imperative and power of inter-generational leadership,’ was not simply academic but lay "at the heart of Africa's development challenges."

The former Prime Minister noted that the African continent is currently the youngest in the world, with projections indicating that by 2050, one in every four people across the globe will be African.

This demographic shift, he cautioned, presents a critical crossroads: it can either serve as a dynamic "turning point" for growth or be tragically recorded as a "missed opportunity."

Mr Mbabazi said what determines the outcome is the commitment of today's leaders to intentionally cultivate the leaders of tomorrow.

Mr Mbabazi outlined the first two imperatives for a successful transition. The foremost requirement, he asserted, is the "intentional transfer of knowledge and values."

He praised the late Governor Mutebile as a prime example of this model, noting that Mutebile "did not just lead; he taught, mentored, challenged and corrected and inspired."

This conscious, continuous transfer of expertise, Mr Mbabazi insisted, must become the "norm; not an expedition."

The second pillar involves building robust "institutions that do not depend on individuals." This, he stressed, is "a very critical point not just for Uganda but Africa," adding that the continent’s public and private organisations must be designed to ensure continuity across generations, irrespective of specific personalities.

Finally, Mr Mbabazi called for a definitive shift in how young leaders are treated and assimilated into positions of influence. He categorically stated the need for "creating opportunities for young Africans to lead," moving beyond the current cultural expectation that they must passively "wait their turn."

Instead, he demanded the immediate construction of systems where young leaders are actively "prepared, guided and trusted to lead early responsibility."

He concluded his address by affirming that it is precisely this kind of bold, trust-based leadership that will ultimately “unlock the potential for young Africans,” ensuring the continent secures its prosperous future.