Museveni Says Kenyan Gen Z Youths Came to Uganda to Teach and Organize Riots , He Gave them Transport to Go Back

President Yoweri Museveni has revealed that a group of Kenyan youths travelled to Kampala to teach local activists how to organise riots, saying he met them personally and later facilitated their return home.

Mr Museveni made the disclosure on Saturday while addressing delegates at the 25th Ordinary Summit of the East African Community Heads of State at the Arusha International Conference Centre in Tanzania, where the remarks drew laughter from fellow heads of state.

The President said the Kenyan youths, who described themselves as experienced in organising protests, had come to Uganda to offer what they called technical support to youth groups seeking to put pressure on his government.

“Recently I met some Gen Zs from Kenya. They came to Uganda and said they are experts in organising riots. They had come to Uganda to give technical support to the Ugandan Gen Zs,” Mr Museveni told the summit.

He said a section of Ugandan youths persuaded the group to meet him before carrying out any plans. When they did, Mr Museveni said he asked them what they intended to protest about.

“I said, okay, I can join you. But what are we rioting about?” he told delegates. The youths told him corruption was their main concern.

Mr Museveni said he engaged them on the issue, arguing that addressing corruption alone would not be enough and that deeper structural and economic challenges also needed attention. He then urged the group to redirect their energy toward advocating for the East African Federation.

“I urged them to go back and talk instead about the East African Federation,” he said.

After the meeting, Mr Museveni said he telephoned Kenyan President William Ruto to inform him of the visit, gave the youths transport money, and sent them back to Kenya.

“I told Ruto I am here with your Gen Z. I gave them some transport, and they went back,” he said.

Mr Museveni was on Saturday also handed the rotating chairmanship of the EAC, taking over from Mr Ruto, who had led the bloc since 2024. In his acceptance remarks, the President committed to advancing political, economic, and social cooperation among member states and said integration across the continent remained a necessity.

“Prosperity comes from production and markets. Fragmented markets keep Africa poor. Africa must build its own internal market through integration. The EAC and continental integration are therefore not optional. The mission remains: Uhuru na Umoja, Freedom and Unity,” he said.

Mr Ruto’s tenure as EAC chair focused on reforms in financing, institutions, and infrastructure projects to improve connectivity across member states. Mr Museveni thanked him for his stewardship and said he intended to build on that foundation during his own tenure.