PAN AFRICA AWARDS: Irumba Calls for One African Passport, Army and President

KAMPALA, UGANDA — Pan-African Pyramid founding Speaker and Chairman Andrew Irumba Katusabe has called for the creation of a United States of Africa, arguing that the continent’s colonial-era borders should no longer stand in the way of the free movement of Africans, trade and economic integration.

Irumba made the call on Saturday at the 9th Pan-African Pyramid Global Awards and 12th Anniversary Dinner at Speke Resort Munyonyo, where the organisation honoured the late businessman and philanthropist Rajiv Ruparelia under the theme “Remembering the Humanitarian Legacy of our Comrade, Rajiv Ruparelia.”

In his address, Irumba said Pan-Africanism should move beyond speeches and become a practical project aimed at integrating the continent.

“Ultimately, our vision is a United States of Africa—an Africa united economically, socially and, eventually, politically,” he said.

He proposed an Africa with one passport, one president, regional governors and a common army, alongside mechanisms for continental policing and the protection of Africa’s natural resources.

Irumba said the vision should not be interpreted as an attempt to erase Africa’s diverse cultures or national identities, but rather as a push for greater continental unity.

“We are not calling for the disappearance of our cultures or national identities. We are calling for something greater: One Africa. Many nations. One destiny,” he said.

‘Borders must not become walls’

Irumba argued that African integration must include the free movement of people, capital, goods, services and ideas.

He said Africans should eventually be able to move, work, trade, invest and innovate across the continent without being treated as foreigners.

“The African border should be an administrative line—not a psychological wall,” he said.

His remarks build on PAP’s broader advocacy for African integration. In 2025, Irumba also argued that African youth have a central role in advancing the dream of a more integrated and liberated continent.

The PAP chairman said Africa’s young population should view the continent as a single economic space rather than 54 isolated national markets.

“Our young people must see the entire continent not as 54 separate markets, but as one African marketplace,” he said.

He also called for Africa’s mineral wealth, agricultural resources, technology and human capital to be harnessed primarily for the continent’s development.

Rajiv’s legacy

The speech was delivered against the backdrop of the posthumous recognition of Rajiv Ruparelia, who died aged 35.

The Pan-African Pyramid had announced the Humanitarian Award earlier this year, citing his contributions to education, healthcare, youth empowerment, sports and community development.

Irumba used the lives of other influential figures who died young—including Martin Luther King Jr., Thomas Sankara, Patrice Lumumba and Steve Biko—to illustrate his argument that the significance of a person’s life should be measured by impact rather than longevity.

“Rajiv lived on this earth for a relatively very short time—just 35 years,” he said, adding that “the measure of a life is not how long one lives, but how deeply one impacts humanity.”

He described Rajiv’s return to Uganda from the United Kingdom to attend a friend’s wedding shortly before his death as an illustration of the value he placed on friendship and humanity.

The Pan-African Pyramid’s tribute comes amid wider efforts by the Ruparelia family and others to preserve Rajiv’s legacy through humanitarian and community initiatives. The family has also been involved in memorial and charitable activities following his death.

Irumba said the awards should therefore not simply be viewed as a commemoration of Rajiv’s death but as an opportunity to reflect on the values he represented.

“Tonight we are not gathered to mourn his death, we are gathered to celebrate the life he lived and the legacy he left,” he said.

‘Africa must unite’

Irumba further argued that Pan-Africanism should not be defined by race or nationality.

“You don’t have to be born in Africa to believe in Africa. You don’t even have to be black to believe in Pan-Africanism,” he said.

He described Pan-Africanism as an ideology based on the conviction that Africans and those committed to Africa’s advancement share a common destiny.

Mr Daniel Rugarama (L), Chairman of the Pan African Movement Uganda chapter was also present

The PAP chairman invoked the legacy of African leaders including Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Jomo Kenyatta and Kenneth Kaunda, saying their vision of an Africa capable of determining its own destiny remains unfinished.

He specifically recalled Nkrumah’s famous call that “Africa must unite.”

Irumba said the continent’s leaders should accelerate efforts toward economic and political integration rather than merely maintaining colonial-era divisions.

He concluded his speech with a direct appeal for continental unity:

“Let us unite our people. Let us unite our markets. Let us unite our resources. Let us unite our vision. And ultimately—LET US UNITE AFRICA!”

He added: “Africa must unite—now, not tomorrow.”

The Pan-African Pyramid has positioned its annual awards as a platform for recognising individuals contributing to African development, unity and social transformation. This year’s event brought together political leaders, diplomats, business figures, Pan-African activists and other