'Why are you crying?' Uhuru asks over Trump's decision to pause foreign aid

Speaking during the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit 2025, Kenyatta argued that African countries should work together to develop self-sufficient mechanisms for developing funds to aid in disaster management. 

He noted that excessive reliance often hinders a country's long-term economic progress; citing that it's a wake-up call to African leaders. 

"I saw some people the other day crying that Trump has removed funding. It is not your government, nor your country, why are you crying?" he posed. 

"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. Let's work together to bring an end to that."

In retrospect, the former president pointed out that the continent loses billions in purchasing weapons for war instead of channeling such resources to critical sectors such as health and education. 

"Whether we like it or not, funding for these (pandemics) has to come from ourselves because we have to begin to re-prioritise what is important for us as Africans on the continent," he noted. 

"We need to remember the resources wasted when we kill each other. When we remember the lives lost in Sudan, all the way to Sahel region, we've spent more buying bullets than protecting our health."

Kenyatta added that the African continent prepared for pandemics to ensure that policies are in place to deal with the issue and not rely on vaccines from foreign countries. 

"As Africans, we should not wait for others to come to our rescue. Our excitement when we watched CNN, BBC celebrate new vaccines being rolled out but none was coming to us. For any future pandemic, don't think they'll prioritise us, they give you the surplus, at times for free since they have sorted themselves first."

Following his inauguration, President Trump paused foreign aid and withdrew the United States from the World Health Organisation, orders that hurt countries supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 

For Kenya, this meant the end of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program which has been crucial in saving lives from HIV infections. 

The funding cut now places patients at risk of spreading the virus or succumbing to the disease as highlighted by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe," a statement read in part.