President Ruto Hands Over COMESA Chairmanship to Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa

President William Ruto has handed over the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) chairperson role to Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa. 

President Ruto handed over the role to Mnangagwa on Tuesday during the 25th COMESA summit of Heads of State and Government in Harare. 

President Mnangagwa will serve in the role for the next one year, while President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia will be Vice Chairperson. 

Speaking during the summit, President Ruto thanked fellow heads of state and government for their support and cooperation during his tenure. 

“On behalf of the Republic of Kenya and as the Chairperson of the outgoing COMESA authority, I thank fellow Heads of State and government for your support, cooperation and the privilege you gave me to serve our region and I do not take that for granted,” said Ruto. 

The Head of State paid tribute to Zimbabwe and Burundi, which served as the Vice Chair and Rapporteur

Ruto also thanked COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe and the secretariat for helping translate the bloc’s regional integration agenda into practical programmes and results.

“I also thank the Secretary General, Her Excellency Chileshe Kapwepwe, and the entire secretariat. You turned our collective vision into programs, our programs into progress, and our progress into results,” said Ruto. 

Further, the President expressed confidence in Mnangagwa’s leadership as he takes over the position. 

“As I hand over the chair, I do so with full confidence in my dear brother, President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Under his stewardship, and with the support of every state, I trust we will turn every ambition of one market, one future into progress our people can see and feel,” Ruto added.

President Ruto assumed the COMESA chairmanship on October 9, 2025, succeeding Burundi’s Evariste Ndayishimiye. 

The Head of State took over the role during the 24th Heads of State and Government Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.

In his acceptance speech, President Ruto thanked the COMESA heads of state for entrusting him with the role.

“It is with profound gratitude, humility, and a deep sense of purpose that I stand before you today as the new chair of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

“I thank you for the trust you have placed in me and in the people of the Republic of Kenya to lead this great regional organization, one that remains a cornerstone of Africa’s economic transformation and a model for continental integration under the African Union,” he said.