President William Ruto held talks with President Samia Suluhu Hassan at State House, Dar es Salaam before witnessing the signing of the eight Memoranda of Understanding, ahead of his address to the Tanzanian Parliament scheduled at 11am on Tuesday May 5, 2026.
In a statement shared on his X account, President Ruto noted that the signing of 8 agreements on Monday May 4, 2026 will significantly broaden and deepen cooperation between Kenya and Tanzania.
“Began my two-day State Visit to Tanzania today with fruitful talks with President Suluhu Samia at State House, Dar es Salaam. We witnessed the signing of 8 agreements that will significantly broaden and deepen cooperation between our two nations,” Ruto shared on social media.
He added that Kenya and Tanzania have renewed their pledge to cultivate closer ties as they seek to accelerate economic growth and deepen regional integration by signing eight new agreements and setting a June 30, 2026 deadline to eliminate all remaining non-tariff barriers that have long frustrated cross-border commerce.
The pacts mark a substantive expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two East African countries, touching sectors that directly affect traders, manufacturers, and millions of households.
The MoUs cover energy, legal cooperation, agriculture, railway development, public service capacity building, maritime cooperation, certification standards for seafarers, and harmonisation of standards between the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and Shirika la Viwango Tanzania.
The two leaders said the standards harmonisation deal is critical as it creates a joint technical committee to align testing and certification, meaning a product cleared in Dar will no longer face repeat inspection by KEBS at Namanga or Holili.
The railway MoU commits both governments to revive the Voi-Mwatate-Taveta line, linking it to the Standard Gauge Railway and cutting freight time to Moshi and Arusha. The energy agreement advances the Isinya-Singida transmission line and sets up a working group on joint renewable projects.
“This visit reflects the deep-rooted and enduring friendship that binds our two nations, a relationship enriched by vibrant people-to-people connections, shared heritage, and a common destiny.”
President Ruto described the relationship as one that transcends politics and goes back to the vision of the founding fathers, who championed Pan-Africanism and saw regional integration as a vehicle for transformation.
“Our enduring cordial relations continue to flourish, anchored on mutual respect, shared rich history and vibrant trade,” he said.
“Kenya attaches top strategic importance to this unbreakable bond which continues to deliver substantial benefits to our people.”
Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $860.3 million in 2025, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all intra-East African Community commerce. That makes Kenya-Tanzania the bloc’s strongest trading pair.
“As vibrant as our trade is, we need to work towards strengthening our ties further,” President Ruto said, adding that the countries must find a way to ensure resources are added value to create jobs and generate wealth for Kenyans and Tanzanians.
President Samia said the two countries can significantly increase trade and investments by ironing out issues that inhibit the movement of goods. She said Tanzania would move to digitise customs and establish a 30-day dispute resolution window under the new Kenya-Tanzania Business Council.
The leaders said the Joint Commission for Cooperation, which has held four sessions since 2009, will convene for a fifth session later this year to track progress on trade, agriculture, and education.
The commission has become the main technical vehicle for implementing Heads of State directives, and will now receive quarterly reports on NTB removal and MoU implementation.
