Why are you crying? Uhuru challenges African governments after Trump aid freeze
Former president says the US is not obliged to fund programmes in African countries, noting that they have misplaced priorities such as spending huge amounts of money on equipping the military.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged African countries to stop relying on foreign aid to tackle challenges facing their people.
Uhuru termed the recent move by United States President Donald Trump to freeze of all foreign assistance for 90 days, a move that will, among others impact heavily on HIV/Aids and Malaria programmes in Africa and other developing countries, as a wake up call.
In a series of Executive orders issued on January 20, the first day of his return to the White House, Trump also withdrew the US from the World Health Organisation, which would deny the UN body much-needed funding to tackle health challenges in Africa and elsewhere such as pandemics.
It has already seen the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ordered to stop working with WHO.
But Uhuru said the US is not obliged to fund programmes in African countries, noting that they have misplaced priorities such as spending huge amounts of money on equipping the military.
“I saw some people the other day crying that Trump has removed funding.. he is not giving us any more money. Why are you crying? It is not your government, it’s not your country. He has no reason to give you anything. You don’t pay taxes in America. He is appealing to his people. This is a wake-up call for you to say ‘okay, what are we going to do for ourselves’,” Uhuru told delegates attending inaugural East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit where he delivered the key note address.
“Nobody is going to continue holding a hand out there to give you (money). It is time for us to use our resources for the right things. We are the ones using them for the wrong things. The bullets and the guns we buy we are not given for free. We buy them. And we are not buying them to go and fight wars off our shores. We are fighting our own people. Brother killing sister, sister killing brother over stupid things,” he added.
Since 2003, the US, through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has provided life-saving antiretroviral treatment (ART) for over 1,299,989 men, women and children in Kenya, in addition to funding other programmes such as HIV testing and counseling and voluntary medical men circumcision.
Others are caring for orphans and vulnerable children, provision of healthcare work staff and HIV Comprehensive Care Clinics saving millions of lives.
Through, PEPFAR, the US government has invested over us$110 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response.
However, the ministry of Health has said it is looking for alternative funding to keep the programmes going.
The Mombasa summit provides a unique opportunity to engage with key stakeholders on the critical health security challenges facing East Africa while exploring sustainable solutions to strengthen regional health systems.
Its objectives are to share lessons learned from recent health crises, develop actionable strategies for pandemic preparedness and response, and foster collaboration to strengthen health security infrastructure across the region.