President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni warmly welcomed Charlene Ruto, daughter of Kenyan President William Ruto, and her team to Uganda, marking a significant step in strengthening Kenya-Uganda relations and promoting youth-led investment initiatives across Africa.

During the meeting at State Lodge, Nakasero, Museveni referred to Charlene Ruto as their “Muzzukulu”, which loosely translates to “grandchild,” highlighting a personal and cordial rapport between the leaders.

The discussions centered on key areas of cooperation, with a focus on investment, value addition, and regional collaboration. Museveni emphasized the importance of adding value to Africa’s raw materials to generate jobs and retain wealth within the continent. “Africa must continue to focus on value addition in order to create jobs and retain wealth within our region,” he said.

Charlene Ruto, a prominent youth champion and founder of the SMACHS Foundation (Smart Mechanized Agriculture & Climate Action for Humanity and Sustainability), shared her vision for empowering young Africans through climate-smart farming, food security initiatives, and leadership mentorship programs. Her foundation promotes reforestation, sustainable energy, mechanized agriculture training, and youth development through her “30 Things” agenda, covering digital literacy, mental health, and financial inclusion.

The meeting also explored strengthening regional collaboration to create more opportunities for Africa’s young people. Specific sectors, such as the leather industry, were highlighted as critical drivers of economic transformation through local value addition and intra-African trade.

Before meeting President Museveni, Charlene Ruto and her team were hosted by Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, at the Special Forces Command in Entebbe, signaling a continued commitment to deepening Uganda-Kenya cooperation.

This visit underscores a growing trend of youth-led investment and sustainable development initiatives in East Africa, positioning the region as a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and cross-border collaboration.