AfDB Group President, Donald Kaberuka, on Saturday April 28, 2012, at the Mt Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki, Kenya, told the "UWEPO" "to play their role, taking on the challenge of transforming the immense opportunities that Africa has into real possibilities so that future generations of Africans can live dignified lives and claim their rightful place in the in the global community of nations."
President Kaberuka was speaking to some 20 highly successful, entrepreneurial individuals from business, government and civil society, during their graduation ceremony as the 2010 Fellows class of the Africa Leadership Initiative East Africa (ALI-EA). The class was named "UWEPO" during the ceremony, meaning "presence" in Kiswahili.
Mr Kaberuka affirmed that the Bank Group's support for and partnership with the ALI East Africa, emanated from its strong belief in that tackling the leadership issues in Africa was key to the successful turnaround of our continent's fortunes.
He further told the "UWEPO": "The majority of African countries attained independence from their colonial rulers long before most of you were born. Half a century later, there is broad agreement Africa is turning the corner, building a new momentum. My view is that the challenge of the leadership now is how to sustain the momentum. It is for this reason that I am very pleased to be here to bear witness to a process of leadership development that gives me hope of a better future for our continent."
Also addressing the fellows, Ali Mufuruki, Chairman and Founder of ALI EA affirmed: "The future of East Africa and indeed of the African continent depends on the quality of its leaders and the choices they will make on behalf of their people."
The Fellows are men and women who have already achieved a high-level of success in their chosen fields and are committed to promoting and personally exemplifying effective and values-based leadership in their countries.
The fellowship comprises four seminars spread over a two-year period on a study of leadership styles; a search for the Good Society (going back in history to understand the evolution of human societies, the political, cultural and spiritual structures that underpin them, sources of strength and instability, etc.); a look at the challenges of leading in an era of globalisation, understanding the challenges leaders are facing in today's fast changing world.