Kenya and Uganda on Wednesday, July 30, signed eight major bilateral agreements aimed at deepening ties between the two East African nations.
The deals were sealed at State House, Nairobi, during Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s State Visit. President William Ruto officially welcomed his Ugandan counterpart before the two leaders witnessed the signing of the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
The agreements span several sectors, including trade, investment, education, energy, transport, urban development, and foreign affairs. They are expected to strengthen cross-border cooperation while addressing long-standing challenges, especially in trade and logistics.
One of the most notable agreements targets improved trade relations. Kenya and Uganda committed to ironing out recurring issues that have caused disputes over the movement of goods, taxation, and customs procedures.
Ruto and Museveni also discussed plans to extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to Malaba and onward into Uganda. They also pledged support for the expansion of the Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit highway, which is set to stretch all the way to Malaba and into Uganda – moves designed to enhance regional transport and connectivity.
The two leaders also tackled long-standing cross-border challenges, including the contentious dispute over fishing rights around Migingo Island.
President Ruto said the newly signed eight Memoranda of Understanding would not only boost cooperation between Kenya and Uganda but also drive economic growth, strengthen grassroots ties, and deliver real benefits to citizens on both sides of the border.
“The signing of eight new Memoranda of Understanding not only strengthens our cooperation, but also catalyses economic development, deepens people-to-people ties, and ensures our relations deliver tangible benefits for our citizens,” Ruto said.
President Museveni, on his part, called on African nations to move beyond political grandstanding and instead focus on integrating their markets. He argued that the continent’s economic growth continues to suffer under the weight of fragmented economies.
“Modern economies are built on the production of goods and services. The more goods and services you produce, especially industrially, in agriculture, and so on, the wealthier you are. But when you produce goods and services, the next question is, who buys what you produce? So the issue of the producers and the consumers is central to a modern economy,” Museveni explained.
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