Kenya’s government welcomed South African President Jacob Zuma Monday, with a full in-tray of pending business in trade, immigration and reduction of taxes for Kenyan goods entering the South African market.
Zuma, who touched down in Nairobi on Sunday evening for a three-day State visit, will Tuesday morning be confronted with a push to honour a deal that the two countries reached early this year (May) when Kenyatta visited Zuma in South Africa.
“What President [Uhuru] Kenyatta will now be seeking, is to fast-track implementation, and to ensure that these policy changes are implemented with greater urgency,” said Manoah Esipisu, Kenyatta’s spokesman at a news conference ahead of Zuma’s visit.
Zuma, who is accompanied by six of his ministers and a delegation of dozens of business people, will also face pleas to cut tariffs levied on Kenyan tea imports, soda ash and processed meat.
It is a heavy agenda for the maiden state visit by a South African president since 1994, but it appears both countries are aggressively looking for business for their people, opportunities for their citizens, and each other’s support in the geopolitical arena.
“The presidents will be seeking to tackle non-tariff barriers, remove barriers impeding greater people-to-people contact between the two countries and examine ways to cooperate and collaborate in the security area in a globalised environment,” said Esipisu.
Kenya wants the cost of South African visas to be reduced by at least 30 per cent from US$71 to US$49, and insists on visa exemptions for Kenyans with diplomatic passports. Esipisu said this was key for many of the Kenyan businessmen and students studying in South Africa, and in neighbouring countries of Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Kenya also wants South Africa to issue a ten-year multiple-entry visa for frequent business travellers and academics and to remove the transit visa requirement for travellers passing through South African airports. Nairobi is adamant that in the May meeting, the two countries agreed to these issues, and now its time for Pretoria to implement them.
Kenyatta, who is facing re-election next year, has been inviting top leaders in the world, mainly those who do business, for state visits, as a way to cement Kenya’s relations with major trading partners, and South Africa is certainly a priority.
South Africa is the 6th biggest investor in Kenya after China, Britain, the United States, India and Nigeria. The leaders of all these countries have visited Nairobi during President Kenyatta’s tenure. Save for Britain, whose then leader David Cameron was expected in Nairobi this year, all the other countries have been honoured with state visits and now it is South Africa’s turn.
“Kenya is an important partner for South Africa in the advancement of inter- and intra-African trade and investment,” Zuma’s office said in a statement.
South Africa is also Kenya’s fourth source of imports, with South African exports amounting to R 8.3 billion and imports standing at only R366 million in 2015.
This explains Kenya’s demand for the lowering of import tariffs in South Africa, as a way of achieving more balanced trade.
“Further opportunities exist for strengthening the economic ties through optimising investment opportunities in the mutually identified areas of energy, infrastructure development, blue economy and retail,” said the dispatch from Zuma’s Presidency.
The respective countries are set to sign deals in trade, counter-terrorism, defence, infrastructure development, environment and revenue services. There will also be further talks on Agriculture and tourism.
“The signing of these instruments is an indication of South Africa’s determination to enhance the bilateral relations and serves as confirmation of its desire to forge a strategic partnership with Kenya,” Zuma’s statement said. .
A formal reception for Zuma will be held in Nairobi Tuesday morning. Zuma will get the 21-gun salute, inspect the Guard of Honour by the Kenyan military and enjoy a State banquet with his host at State House Nairobi.
