Museveni recounts meeting Kenyan Gen Z riot experts in Kampala

President Yoweri 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.

Museveni shared the account on Saturday while addressing the 25th Ordinary Summit of the East African Community Heads of State in Arusha, where he officially assumed the rotating chairmanship of the bloc.

The Ugandan leader took over the position from William Ruto during the regional summit.

In his remarks, Museveni said the youths had travelled from Kenya to Uganda intending to assist local activists with strategies for organising riots aimed at putting pressure on his government.

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

However, he said some Ugandan youths persuaded the group to meet him instead of pursuing the plan.

According to the president, both the Kenyan and Ugandan youths later met him and explained their interest in organising protests.

Museveni said he challenged the group to explain what exactly they intended to protest about.

“They told me how they are experts on riots. I said ‘okay, I can join you. But what are we rioting for?’ They said it is about corruption,” he said.

The president told the youths that even if corruption were eliminated, deeper structural economic issues would still need to be addressed.

He argued that countries with small domestic markets struggle economically regardless of governance challenges.

Museveni said he instead urged the youths to shift their focus to promoting regional integration within the East African Community.

He encouraged them to advocate for the proposed East African Federation, which leaders in the region have long promoted as a way to create a larger market and strengthen economic growth.

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

Museveni added that he facilitated the group’s return home by providing them with transport after the meeting.