Elon Musk has responded to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta’s statement, criticizing people who opposed US President Donald Trump’s decision to halt foreign aid.
On Wednesday, Uhuru laughed off the wailing of several people who questioned what Kenya and other African countries would do without US funding.
The retired president questioned why they were protesting, claiming Trump had no motive to continue sponsoring global programs.“Why are you crying?
It’s not your government; it’s not your country. You don’t pay taxes in America,” he asked.He added, “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.”
In response to Uhuru, the South African tech billionaire stated, “Good for him.”Musk’s tweet on Friday included a three-word response to a viral video of Uhuru’s remarks.
Musk has been heavily involved in Trump’s reelection campaign and has taken on a strong adviser role, concentrating on enhancing government efficiency.
While it is not yet official, Trump has indicated that Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will co-lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
On January 24, 2025, Trump issued a 90-day suspension of practically all US foreign aid, with the exception of support to Israel and Egypt, pending a thorough assessment.
This unexpected suspension has interrupted several international activities, causing a panic in the population, and forcing the administration to clarify programs such as the distribution of ARVs.While reacting to the halt, Uhuru posed, “We should ask ourselves since the funding has been suspended what we should do to bridge the gap. What are we going to do to support ourselves?”
While addressing the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit 2025 in Mombasa, Uhuru stated that the funding freeze is a wake-up call for leaders to find a solution to serve Kenyans without aid.
“As Africans, we should not wait for others to come to our rescue. Our excitement when we watched CNN, and BBC celebrate new vaccines being rolled out, but none was coming to us,” stated Uhuru.
“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.”
