President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has revealed that he recently met a group of Kenyan youths who claimed they were skilled in organising riots and had travelled to Kampala to coordinate protests with Ugandan activists.
The president shared the account on Saturday while addressing the 25th Ordinary Summit of the East African Community Heads of State held in Arusha, where he officially assumed the rotating chairmanship of the regional bloc.
Museveni took over the leadership role from William Ruto, the president of Kenya, during the summit attended by leaders from across the region.
In his remarks, Museveni said the Kenyan youths had travelled to Uganda intending to assist local activists with strategies for organising riots aimed at pressuring his government.
“Recently I met some Gen Zs from Kenya. They came to Uganda saying they are experts in organising riots and had come to give technical support to the Ugandan Gen Zs about how to riot,” Museveni said.
However, the president explained that some Ugandan youths convinced the visitors to meet him instead of pursuing their plans.
According to Museveni, both the Kenyan and Ugandan youths later held a discussion with him and explained their interest in organising protests.
The president said he challenged them to clarify the exact reason they intended to protest.
“They told me they are experts on riots. I said ‘okay, I can join you, but what are we rioting for?’ They said it is about corruption,” Museveni told the summit.
Museveni said he informed the youths that even if corruption were eliminated, deeper structural economic challenges would still exist, particularly in countries with small domestic markets.
He instead encouraged them to shift their focus toward promoting regional integration under the East African Community, which he said could help expand markets and strengthen economic growth.
The president urged the youths to advocate for the proposed East African Federation, a long-standing plan by regional leaders aimed at uniting East African countries under a single political and economic framework.
Museveni added that after the meeting, he facilitated the group’s return home by providing them with transport.
