Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu to visit Kenya this week
Tanzania's new President Samia Suluhu Hassan addresses the National Assembly as the first female President in the country's history, at the Parliament in Dodoma, Tanzania, on April 22, 2021.
What you need to know:
- If the visit goes ahead as planned, the Tanzanian leader will be coming to Nairobi nearly five years since her predecessor made a similar visit.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu will visit Nairobi this week in a trip laden with diplomatic significance.
State House Spokesperson Kanze Dena made the announcement on Sunday, saying President Sululu will arrive on Tuesday for a two-day State visit.
"President Uhuru Kenyatta will receive his Tanzania counterpart at State House, Nairobi, on the same day. Other details of Her Excellency's visit will be shared in due course," she said.
The trip was also confirmed by two diplomats familiar with the arrangement.
On Tuesday she will meet President Kenyatta before addressing the combined Houses of Kenyan Parliament. The last address by a Tanzanian president was in 2015 by Jakaya Kikwete.
On Wednesday, the Tanzanian Head of State will address a business forum on various issues of trade and investment.
The Tanzanian leader, who took over from John Pombe Magufuli following his death in March, will come to Nairobi nearly five years since her predecessor made a similar visit.
She has the responsibility of correcting the continuous trade tiffs between the two neigbouring countries.
In a speech to Parliament last week, President Suluhu told legislators that her administration will pursue economic diplomacy with partners in the region and across the world, signaling intent to repair relations with the outside world.
“If you call it a change, then it will be a renewed effort on economic diplomacy,” she said, referring to better ties with the East African Community, Southern Africa Development Community and the recent Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Collaboration
President Suluhu’s policy will run on a smoother domestic programme to attract investors, while sustaining relations with key partners the country trades with.
She thinks her diplomats must work better at making the country attractive rather than being an island.
“Our diplomatic staff have to be competent in striking deals in investment and trade promotion as well as seek strategic partners in tourism”, she said.
The itinerary of the planned Kenyan trip had not been made public by Sunday, with officials indicating final touches were being done.
But the Nation understands President Suluhu intends to meet business lobbies in Nairobi, after discussing bilateral issues with President Kenyatta.
Renewed trust
This will be the Tanzanian leader's first State visit since taking power, although she has already made an official trip to Uganda.
She and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed a multi-billion dollar oil pipeline deal with French oil giant Total and China’s CNOOC.
Frequent non-tariff wars with Kenya have slowed down trade to an average of Sh40 million a year, down from Sh64 billion during Jakaya Kikwete’s era.
Nairobi has indicated renewed trust in the organs of the East African Community, whose secretariat is now headed by Kenyan, Dr Peter Mathuki.
“We intend to sort out the issues through the established organs of the EAC,” Principal Secretary Johnson Weru said when asked on Kenya’s plan to eliminate the trade wars.
