President Ruto departs for Tanzania, Zimbabwe

According to State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, President Ruto's first stop will be Tanzania, where he will attend celebrations commemorating the 60th anniversary of the union of mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. 

Ruto will then embark on a two-day State Visit to Zimbabwe, with the goal of strengthening Kenya-Zimbabwe political, economic, and socio-cultural ties.

 The visit will be highlighted by President Ruto's appearance as the chief guest at the 64th Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo.

The visit is expected to highlight the importance of international trade fairs and forums as drivers of economic development, industrial growth, global connectivity, and job creation. 

According to State House, the visit will strengthen Kenya-Zimbabwe's already strong bilateral relations by transforming the current Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation at the ministerial level into a Bi-National Commission at the Head of State level. 

The visit will conclude with the signing of seven bilateral cooperation instruments spanning health, defence, investment, education, transportation, and capacity building in public service. 

President Ruto, who will also meet with his counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is expected to advocate for increased air connectivity between the two countries, in line with the spirit of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) and the Tripartite Alliance Free Trade Area. 

This initiative aims to improve trade relations between Kenya and Zimbabwe.