Editor's Review

Ruto is expected to exploit the visit to build bilateral ties with the host  country and president Samia Suluhu.


President William Ruto on Sunday evening arrived in Tanzania for a two-day State Visit. 

The Tanzania visit came immediately after he ended his tour of Uganda on the same day.

Ruto had travelled to Uganda on Saturday where he spent the night there and attended their Independence Day celebrations on Sunday.

It is upon the completion of the celebrations that he proceeded to Tanzania.

Ruto is expected to exploit the visit to build bilateral ties with the host country and president Samia Suluhu.

Kenya has been having a hot and cold relationship with Tanzania occasioned by trade tariffs that has limited trade between the two nations.

President William Ruto in Tanzania. PHOTO | COURTESY

While addressing the Independence day celebrations in Uganda, Ruto called for the need to open East African countries' borders for trade.

"We are looking in our lifetime that in the next few years people, goods, and services can move across this East Africa as we lead the way in ensuring that Africa's Continental Free Trade area becomes a reality," Ruto said. 

The President said that East African countries should share opportunities to advance each other.

"It is very clear to us that we cannot share poverty and hunger but we can share opportunity and prosperity," he said.

He said that the region should eliminate barriers across East African borders.

"It is our place as leaders and citizens of the East Africa region for us to work together so that we can transform our borders which today stands out as barriers and convert them to bridges so that goods, services, and people can move across East Africa without impediments," he said.