ADDRESS BY H.E. JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA,
TO THE PARLIAMENT OF REPUBLIC OF KENYA,
NAIROBI-KENYA 06TH OCTOBER, 2015
His Excellency Honourable Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta,
the President of Republic of Kenya;
Honourable Justin Muturi, Speaker of the National
General Assembly;
Honourable Ekwe Ethuro, Speaker of the Senate;
Honourable Members of the Parliament;
Honourable Senetors;
Honourable Ministers;
Invited Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I thank you Honourable Speaker for availing me with this rare opportunity to address this esteemed Parliament of Kenya. It is an honour and a privilege I will always remember. You have availed me this opportunity at a very opportune moment indeed. Three weeks from office as directed by the constitution of my dear country. So to me, this is an opportunity to bid farewell to this House and through you to my brothers and sisters of the Republic of Kenya.
When H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta invited me to visit his great county. I did not hesitate to accept the invitation. This was because of the importance of Kenya in Tanzania’s foreign policy. Kenya is a very important neighbour of ours. Kenya is a great friend of Tanzania and an ally. Our political and diplomatic relations are strong. We see eye to eye on many bilateral, regional, continental and global issues.
We have been working together very well and support each other at regional, continental and global fora.
We have also supported each other at the bilateral level as well. To me and to Tanzania, Kenya’s problems are our problems.
It is in this spirit that during 2007 and 2008 crisis I did not wait to be invited, I came to lend a helping hand. Fortunately, God was kind enough to the people of Kenya, you were able to navigate safely out of the crisis. It is in the same spirit also we have not only grieved with our Kenyan brothers and sisters whenever there was a terrorist attack, but we have supported Kenya’s efforts in fighting terrorism. Our Intelligence services and Police Forces have been working closely. They have been sharing intelligence and arrested suspected terrorists who flee to Tanzania after committing crimes in Kenya. We never hesitated to send them back to Kenya to face justice.
The Purpose of the Visit
Honourable Speaker;
We also have robust and longstanding cooperation in the fight against narcotic drugs and cross border crime. This way, we have been able to deal with criminal gangs operating in our two countries. Recently, we have began to develop cooperation in fighting poaching and illegal trade in wildlife. This cooperation has worked well for our two countries. What is required of us going forward is to strengthen and advance this cooperation. Lets make it clear to criminals that if they cause trouble in any of our countries there is nowhere to hide and nowhere to run to.
Honourable Speaker;
On the social-economic front there has been vibrant cooperation as well. Our two countries have been undertaking joint infrastructure projects. Take for example, the Althi-River-Namanga-Arusha road which was completed in 2012. Currently, we are now doing the Mwatate – Taveta – Holili – Moshi- Arusha road.
As you know, my first function in my visit to Kenya this time was at Taveta, where together with President Uhuru Kenyatta we inaugurated the construction of this road on the Kenyan side.
We are working on a suitable date to do the same on the Tanzanian side.
Other important infrastructure projects are in energy.
In the electricity subsector we have been doing two things. One, whenever one of our countries has electricity and the other doesn’t, the people on the other side of the border are connected. This is what we have done at Namanga where power from Kenya has been extended to Namanga and Longido on the Tanzanian side. We did the same between Sirari (Tanzania) and Isbania Kenya. Secondly, we are building a power transmission line from Tanzania to Namanga where the Tanzania electricity grid will be connected to the Kenyan grid.
This way power from Tanzania will be made available to Kenya and vice versa. Our two countries are discussing how to extend the gas pipeline from Tanzania to Kenya so as to enable Kenya produce more electricity from a cost effective source.
Honourable Speaker;
On investment and trade our two countries have been able to develop strong bonds of cooperation.
For us in Tanzania, Kenya is not a competitor but a strategic partner. Kenya ranks 5th in the Top Ten list of countries with the largest investments in Tanzania. Kenya comes after only United Kingdom, United States, China and India.
Actually, in that Top Ten List, there are only two African countries namely Kenya and South Africa, on which Kenya is the leader. Kenya’s investments in Tanzania account for 518 projects with the total value of 1,685.47 million USD and have created about 55,762 jobs.
Kenya is Tanzania’s largest trading in East Africa. Trade between our two countries is growing fast and in the last five years there was a 40 percent increase.
Tanzania’s exports to Kenya have increased from 179.3 million USD in 2009 to 227.1 million USD in 2013 and imports have increased from 301.5 million USD to 333.6 million USD in 2013.
I am told trade between our two countries account for over 80percent of trade in East Africa. It demonstrates in no uncertain terms how much our two countries contribute to the East African integration agenda. Also its how important it is for our two countries to forge closer and stronger cooperation in investment and trade.
As a matter of fact, what we have accomplished now is simply a tip of an iceberg in relation to what we can do together. This morning when speaking at the Kenya-Tanzania Business Forum I assured the Kenyan business men and women that Tanzania is ready to do more business. We can absorb more investments and opportunities are plenty in oil and gas, energy, mining, transport, agribusiness, manufacturing, ICT, health care, education and many more. Moreover, the business environment is both conducive and permissive. Investments are safe. No nationalisation, and it is allowed to repatriate profits and dividend.
Tanzania and EAC
Honourable Speaker;
To us in Tanzania, regional integration is a matter of both principle and policy. We have always remained believers in African Unity and the East African economic and political integration. We hold strong belief that, a divided East Africa will not be able to claim its rightful place and compete effective in the regional and global marketplace, therefore, that Tanzania commitment to the East African integration and its flagship the East African Communities. We will do everything within our power to see the East African integration agenda is implemented to the letter and spirit. It is pleasing to note that the same understanding is shared by you our brothers and sisters in Kenya.
Conclusion
Honourable Speaker;
I will leave office fully satisfied I leave behind strong bonds of friendship and cooperation between of two countries and two people. I would like to assure you that Tanzania’s policy towards Kenya will remain the same even after I have left office. If anything there will be stronger and closer cooperation in the coming years.
I know there is a lot of anxiety and speculation about what will happen after the elections. Have no worries have peace. I don’t see any change or shift of policy. And, if the candidate of my party wins that is completely assured. I am not only hopefully but confident that he will emerge victorious. By the way he sends his greetings to you all. He has asked me to assure you that if elected President he will strengthen and advance our bilateral relations to the greatest heights possible.
With these many words, I thank you once again Honourable Speaker and Members of this House for your kind attention, and for the honour given to me to address and bid farewell to this Assembly.
Ahsante sana!
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