President William Ruto has concluded a two-day state visit to Tanzania with a historic address to the country’s parliament, calling for stronger economic ties between East Africa’s two largest economies.
Speaking in Dodoma, Ruto acknowledged that mistrust between Kenya and Tanzania has held back trade for decades, insisting that political differences should not stand in the way of business.
Breaking Down Barriers
Ruto’s visit came at a critical time. Kenya-Tanzania bilateral trade has dropped for the first time in nearly a decade, according to new data from Business Daily. The Tanzania-Kenya Business Forum 2026, held alongside the visit, set an ambitious target of USD 12 billion in investment growth between the two nations.
“What nature has made seamless, policy must not make difficult,” Ruto told Tanzanian lawmakers, in a line that drew applause from both sides of the aisle.
The President identified mistrust — not infrastructure or policy gaps — as the single biggest obstacle to East African Community integration. He called for sweeping EAC reforms to remove non-tariff barriers that continue to frustrate cross-border business.
Investment Charm Offensive
Beyond the diplomatic speeches, Ruto’s agenda was squarely focused on opening doors for Kenyan businesses in Tanzania and attracting Tanzanian investment back home. The business forum brought together hundreds of private sector leaders from both countries, with discussions centred on easing work permit restrictions, harmonising tax regimes, and boosting logistics corridors.
The visit also saw agreements on improving the Northern Transport Corridor, which connects Mombasa port to landlocked neighbours through Tanzania — a route that has been plagued by delays and bureaucratic red tape.
What This Means
With general elections approaching in Kenya, Ruto’s diplomatic push doubles as an economic scorecard. If the Tanzania trip translates into tangible trade gains, it could bolster his administration’s credentials on regional integration — a promise that has been slow to materialise since he took office.
