Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan arrived Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) this morning and was received by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Rachael Omamo, Sports CS Amina Mohamed and Ambassador Dan Kazungu.
President Samia is on a two-day state visit in Kenya where she is expected to hold bilateral talks with her host counterpart President Uhuru Kenyatta.
A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed President Samia will inspect a guard of honour and receive a 21 gun salute at State House Nairobi.
She is expected to address a joint Parliamentary sitting later on Wednesday at the National Assembly Chambers, main parliament buildings in Nairobi.
President Samia will also attend a trade forum for Tanzania and Kenya business community including women groups to explore possible opportunities for both countries in areas of enterprise and investment.
“The State visit comes at a time when Kenya and Tanzania are working closely to deepen ties in the area of trade and people-to-people relations including the private sector, arts, culture, wildlife matters, tourism and cooperation at the continental and Multilateral levels,” read the statement by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Kenya and Tanzania experienced a frosty relationship during the era of the late President John Pombe Magufuli that saw trade tariffs imposed on each other.
The conflict was occasioned by measures imposed by the Kenyan government to arrest the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and also economic competition.
Tanzania announced then that it was Covid-19 free but Kenya on the other hand believed otherwise.
Kenya’s announcement that Tanzania’s nationals arriving in Kenya must undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine was retaliated with a ban on Kenya Airways from landing the neighbouring country’s airspace.
The mandatory Covid-19 certificate for truck drivers also became a bone of contention as businessmen from the two countries complained of mistreatment by authorities.
The visit is expected to chart a way forward for both countries and broaden its relationship across the East African community.
