Kenya, France Sign 11 Deals Worth Over Ksh129.2 Billion During Macron Visit

Kenya and France have signed 11 bilateral agreements worth more than Ksh129.2 billion during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Kenya.

In an interview on Sunday, May 10, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the agreements cover critical development programmes, including transport infrastructure, and commuter rail modernisation.

"The moment President Macron landed, we went straight to State House and had bilateral engagements with France. We have signed 11 instruments, all critical, and in total, it comes to over $1 billion (Ksh129.2 billion) worth of programs and commitments," he said.

According to Mudavadi, a major focus of the agreements is the planned upgrade of Nairobi’s commuter rail network. 

He said the investment will support expansion of Line 5 toward Embakasi and Ruiru, while complementing ongoing plans to modernise the Nairobi Railway City project.

"We are signing off so that we can modernize our commuter rail system, especially line 5, expanding it so that it can go to Embakasi and into Ruiru. We are also working with the UK so that we can modernize Nairobi Railway City. Once this program is complete, with the line going up to Thika, we should be able to evacuate up to 30,000 people per hour," he added.

Mudavadi also used the occasion to underline the long-standing diplomatic relationship between Kenya and France.

He described the current engagement as part of an African agenda aimed at strengthening the continent’s collective voice in international negotiations.

"The French have been with us since 1963. France was one of the first countries to recognize Kenya’s independence, and France has invested heavily in Kenya; there are a lot of businesses.

"We are not ditching Francophone for Anglophone. The plan is to make sure that out of this gathering, we can gain more coherence as Africa, have a stronger and purposeful narrative, and to say our negotiating skills have come of age," he further said.

Mudavadi added that the timing of the meeting also carries wider diplomatic significance as France prepares to assume leadership of the G6.

"France is taking over the G6 leadership next month, and President Ruto has been invited to attend the G7 session. This gathering gives him legitimacy on behalf of the continent to be able to canvas certain positions. Kenya has become a continental voice, and that is positive for our country," he noted.

Elsewhere, Mudavadi faulted Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka after he dismissed the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi.

Mudavadi said he was surprised by Kalonzo’s remarks noting that having served as a Foreign Affairs minister, he ought to understand the importance of diplomacy.

"I am hard pressed to understand him because he was a diplomat, he is a diplomat; he understands all these matters, he was one of the longest serving foreign ministers of this country.

"I am astounded that he would speak like that. Diplomacy is about engaging, and he did it for so many years. It is unfortunate that he would assume that this summit is of no consequence," he said.

Speaking during a church service in Donholm, Kalonzo said Kenya was only picked to host the Africa Forward Summit due to divisions among Francophone countries.

"Ideally, that summit used to happen in French West Africa, but because of the global situation, the realignment and alignment in the west African coast, the French president decided to convince President William Ruto to host the summit in Nairobi," Kalonzo said.

The former Vice President said there was nothing to celebrate about the summit, adding that Kenya should not pretend to be a fully democratic nation.

"There would be a presence that we are a cohesive nation, that we are democratic and a nation at peace with itself, while we know that it is far from the truth," he added.