President Uhuru Kenyatta is set to launch a key road that connects the border town of Namanga to Arusha in the neighbouring Tanzania.
Uhuru, who arrived in Arusha on Thursday, July 21, for the East Africa Community (EAC) Heads of States meeting to discuss regional development, will open the bypass on Friday.
Addressing the press in his office on July 21, EAC Secretary General, Peter Mathuki, stated that Uhuru - together with his counterparts - will officially open the 42.4 km Arusha Bypass road before chairing the EAC summit.
The road project is expected to play a key role in streamlining movements of goods between Kenya and Tanzania and was sponsored by the EAC.
“The EAC bypass road is one of the roads sponsored by the EAC and connects Arusha to Namanga road, all the way into Kenya. This road is going to reduce the number of days people take transporting goods between Kenya and Tanzania.
“For business, the time taken on the road is very critical and that is why they will be opening that road, whose design and securing of the funds for the construction were done during the tenure of President Kenyatta as the chair of EAC,” Mathuki stated.
The sitting makes it the 22nd Ordinary Summit for the region where all the Presidents are expected to agree on a roadmap for the full realization of the Common Market with full realisation of admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into the community.
The admission of DRC forms part of Uhuru's key achievements while chairing the regional body and will bolster the economic growth of East Africa. DRC has a population of 100 million people and will expand the regional economic bloc’s market by raising its population to over 300 million people.
The President's diary appears to be fully booked with foreign trip, with Arusha meeting coming a day after he concluded a three-day state visit to Indian Ocean Island of Seychelles.
While in Seychelles, the President, together with his counterpart - Wavel Ramkalawan, on July 18 signed 10 key bilateral agreements at State House, Victoria.
Uhuru agreed to work together on cooperation in the blue economy sector with an aim of enhancing capacity building and exchange of expertise in the governance aspects of the blue economy as well as bolster the circular economy and collaboration in the aquaculture sector.
Other agreements signed between the two countries include Defence Cooperation Agreement, Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal, MOUs on tourism development, Cooperation in the areas of agriculture, livestock and cooperative sectors.
Also sealed was cooperation in the field of sports and promotion of partnership on gender equality and women economic empowerment.
“Seychelles is a leading champion of the blue economy. We have, in that regard, agreed to strengthen our collaboration in protecting and ensuring sustainable utilization of our ocean resources,” President Uhuru said.
