Uganda attained independence in 1962As Uganda prepares to mark 64 years of independence on October 9, it is natural for us to look back with pride at the generation that fought for the right of Ugandans to determine their own destiny. But Independence Day should also be a moment of reflection. What did our forefathers imagine when they spoke of freedom? Did they see independence simply as the raising of a new national flag, the singing of a new national anthem and the replacement of colonial administrators with African leaders? Or did they imagine a continent whose people would eventually overcome the artificial boundaries that divided them and build a united, prosperous and peaceful Africa? For me, the answer lies somewhere in the history of the African independence movement. Uganda’s independence in 1962 was part of a much larger African awakening. Across the continent, Africans were demanding political freedom, dignity and the right to determine their own future. Leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Jomo Kenyatta and Patrice Lumumba belonged to a generation that understood that the liberation of one African country could not be separated from the liberation and unity of the continent. Nkrumah famously captured this idea when he argued that the independence of one African country had to be connected to the liberation of the entire continent. That vision remains unfinished. Independence was only the beginning.We have made considerable progress since the early years of independence. African countries have established regional organisations, the African Union has replaced the Organisation of African Unity, and the African Continental Free Trade Area has created a framework for one of the world’s largest single markets. Yet the dream of a truly integrated Africa remains incomplete. Our borders remain remarkably powerful. A young entrepreneur in Kampala may have a good product but struggle to reach a customer in Dakar. A student in Uganda may find it easier to access opportunities outside Africa than opportunities in another African country. A young innovator in Nairobi may have an idea that could transform lives in Kigali, Accra or Cairo, but face regulatory, financial or logistical barriers before reaching those markets. We cannot claim to have completed the work of African unity while our people, particularly our young people, still find it difficult to move, trade, study, innovate and collaborate across the continent. Political independence gave us the right to govern ourselves. The next stage must give Africans the practical ability to prosper together. This is where Uganda’s own post-independence experience becomes important. Over the years, different Ugandan governments have contributed to the country’s engagement with the wider African project. Under the National Resistance Movement government, Pan-Africanism has been explicitly identified as one of its core principles, alongside patriotism, socio-economic transformation and democracy. The NRM states that its vision is for a prosperous Uganda within a strong and united Africa and identifies the pursuit of a common African market and the realisation of the African Union among its objectives. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has also consistently placed African integration at the centre of his political and economic arguments. His Pan-African outlook predates his presidency. The NRM’s own historical account traces his student involvement in Pan-African and anti-imperialist activities in the 1960s, including his leadership in the University Students’ African Revolutionary Front. For President Museveni, African integration is not merely a diplomatic slogan. His argument has frequently been that Africa’s fragmented national markets limit the continent’s ability to create prosperity, industrialise and negotiate effectively in the global economy. That position was again evident when he assumed the chairmanship of the East African he unfinished task of African unity as a central challenge and urged the region, particularly its youth, to focus on productive economies and stronger regional integration. The NRM’s 2026–2031 manifesto similarly places regional integration and political federation among its major priorities, arguing that Africa’s fragmented markets constrain prosperity and that regional integration can help overcome those limitations. These efforts matter because the journey from national independence to continental integration requires both political vision and practical economic cooperation. The youth must inherit more than a slogan: Africa is the world’s youngest continent.This is often presented as a demographic statistic, but it is much more than that.It is a responsibility. The generation that fought for independence cannot be expected to complete the work of continental integration on behalf of today’s generation. The responsibility is gradually passing to us. And this is where the youth must move beyond being spectators. President Museveni has repeatedly challenged young Africans to think beyond the boundaries of individual countries and to embrace production, wealth creation and integration. In June 2026, he told young people that economic integration of the African market is one of the historical missions they should continue pursuing. That message deserves serious reflection. The youth should not inherit Pan-Africanism merely as a chapter in a history textbook. We must make it a living project. We cannot continue talking about Pan-Africanism only during conferences, anniversaries and political speeches. African unity must become something that young people experience in their everyday lives. It should be reflected in the businesses we build, the technology we develop, the music and culture we share, the universities we connect, the markets we create and the partnerships we establish across borders. The author is the Secretary General, Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC).The post Uganda’s independence and the unfinished business of African unity appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.