Hard truths. Bold Insights. Real talk.
Speaking on Saturday, September 12, the President said Kenya remains open to investors, workers and visitors from different countries, including members of the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
Speaking during a boda boda empowerment drive in Endebess Constituency, Trans Nzoia County, on Friday, Wetang’ula said the President’s remarks should not be interpreted as an attempt to close Kenya’s doors to other Africans.
The permit is open to nationals of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia. The government does not charge a processing or issuance fee for the permit.
Sing’oei made the assurance during a visit to the Burundian Embassy in Nairobi on Monday, where he met nationals seeking clarity over their status following President William Ruto’s recent remarks on foreign traders.
Long queues formed at the Embassy of Burundi on Dennis Pritt Road, with applicants carrying identity cards, passports and permits as they sought documentation either to regularise their stay or prepare for a possible return to Burundi
The funding agreement was signed at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha by EAC Secretary General Amb. Stephen P. Mbundi and KfW Development Bank Country Director for Tanzania and the EAC, Ms Vanessa Eidt, as the region intensifies efforts to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak and improve its readiness for future public health threats.
EAC Health Ministers agreed to harmonise Ebola surveillance, traveller screening and protective measures at airports, ports and land borders. They also approved an EAC regional technical taskforce and directed exit screening and lab capacity support.
In a statement on Sunday, the regional bloc said the Extra-Ordinary Virtual Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers responsible for Health will deliberate on measures aimed at containing the outbreak and strengthening preparedness among member states.
Kenya’s growth rate also dipped slightly from 4.7 per cent in 2024 to 4.6 per cent in 2025, despite the report noting that “positive growths in all sectors of the economy” were achieved during the year.
The association pointed to deep-rooted challenges affecting drivers in the region, including unreliable security arrangements, slow or ineffective emergency response systems, and gaps in responsibility among employers and cargo handlers.
Farah is a distinguished expert in trade policy and a former TMEA Country Director.
The Cabinet Secretary cautioned that efforts to collapse veterinary medicines regulation into a human medicines authority, through bills under consideration at both national and regional levels, run counter to Kenya’s obligations under the East African Community (EAC) and COMESA frameworks.