Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has spoken in public for the first time following his absence from the public eye and months of speculation about his health.
Kenyatta spoke on October 25, a day after he resurfaced in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where he attended the 15th High-Level Retreat on the Promotion of Peace, Security, and Stability in Africa.
The office of the fourth president in a statement said that the event brought together prominent African Union (AU) Commission leadership, Special Representatives, Heads of Regional Economic Communities and Mechanisms (RECs) and international envoys to discuss the future of conflict resolution and peacebuilding on the continent.
The retreat focused on preventive diplomacy and mediation as vital tools in maintaining peace amidst emerging security challenges.
In his remarks, Kenyatta called for unified, self-sustained peace efforts, emphasizing the need for Africa to fund and support its own peace initiatives and the importance of African-led, sustainable solutions.
“If we truly want sustainable solutions that are African-born and led, we can’t do that if we are not in a position to back what we do through the resources that we generate,” he stated.
The former Head of State further urged African nations to work toward self-sustainability in peace processes, stressing that this approach is essential for achieving a peaceful and stable continent.
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Uhuru Kenyatta speaks during AU Summit
At the same time, Kenyatta who is a member of the AU High-Level Panel for Ethiopia and facilitator of the EAC-Led Nairobi Peace Process praised AUC Chairperson Moussa Faki for establishing the AU Peace Fund, which aims to support peace operations and crisis response across the continent.
He highlighted the importance of regional cooperation, noting that Africa cannot realize true integration unless it addresses challenges related to ethnicity, religious conflicts, resource disputes, and climate change-induced conflicts.
“No individual country can deal with them,” Kenyatta emphasized, urging for a collective approach.
He added, “None of us is an island.”
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According to the office of the fourth president, Kenyatta’s call for unity reflected the conference’s theme, as leaders from diverse organizations and backgrounds gathered to assess the AU’s impact on peace and security and to explore new approaches to sustainable conflict resolution.
“The retreat provided a platform for AU and global representatives to review past AU-led peace initiatives and exchange insights on improving the impact, effectiveness, and sustainability of future mediation efforts,” the office said.
Kenyatta’s whereabouts
Former President Kenyatta was making an appearance in public missing for a while, with concerns around his health becoming a topic of discussion following reports that he was ailing.
The last time the former president was seen in public was in June.
He addressed delegates during the 2024 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) Democracy Dialogue in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
Uhuru had shared a condolence message on the death of students at Hillside Endarasha Academy.
Later on September, 30 his official account retweeted a post from Huang Xia which read,” In preparation for my upcoming briefing to the UN Security Council on the Great Lakes region, I had a virtual meeting today with H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of Kenya and Facilitator of the EAC-led Nairobi Peace Process.”
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