Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s recent frank assessment of Africa’s dependency on foreign aid has sparked controversy, but his words carry the kind of wisdom that many leaders find uncomfortable to acknowledge.

Speaking at an event in Mombasa on Wednesday, Uhuru delivered a message that deserves not reproach but serious reflection.

When US President Donald Trump announced that his administration would pause most federal aid worldwide, the decision prompted a predictable chorus of disapproval. But Uhuru’s response was refreshingly different.

He said, “I saw some people crying that Trump has removed funding. It is not your government, nor your country, why are you crying?” He added: “He has no reason to give you anything, you don’t pay taxes in America. This is a wake-up call for you to know what you’ll do to support yourselves.”

His words may sound harsh, but they carry an undeniable truth – that Africa’s future cannot and should not depend on the political whims of leaders in foreign capitals.

Consider where we are. For decades, African nations have operated under a system that undermines their sovereignty and retards their economic development. African leaders often fly to the capitals of wealth countries with begging bowls, creating a cycle of dependency that stifles genuine progress and efforts to develop sustainable domestic solutions.

Uhuru’s observations about military spending are particularly relevant, considering the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While African nations collectively spend billions on weapons and conflict, critical sectors like healthcare and education remain underfunded. Resources that could build hospitals and schools instead go to fund the very conflicts that devastate communities and increase dependency on foreign aid.

The Covid-19 pandemic provided valuable lessons about foreign aid. As Uhuru noted, African nations watched helplessly as wealthy countries put their own populations first for vaccine distribution. This shouldn’t have surprised anyone – it was merely the natural order of things. Why should we expect foreign nations to prioritise African lives over their own citizens?

Critics have argued that the sudden withdrawal of aid programmes like PEPFAR (which funds HIV treatment, though reports from Washington, DC, indicated that the support would continue) puts vulnerable populations at risk. This is true, but it misses the larger point. The real risk lies in the very existence of such dependency. When a healthcare system like ours relies on foreign funding to provide basic services, this places it in a position of permanent vulnerability.

Rather than bemoaning the loss of foreign aid, let’s take Uhuru’s message to heart. African nations must develop self-sufficient mechanisms for funding essential services. This means mobilising domestic resources, bolstering regional cooperation, and, yes, redirecting funds from military expenditure to critical social services.

Let’s embrace Uhuru’s candour and work for a future built on self-reliance, not foreign charity.Uhuru is right about foreign aid dependency