Kenyans bash Ruto after praising Tanzania for surpassing Kenya in trade
Kenyans have reacted strongly to President William Ruto recent remarks praising Tanzania for surpassing Kenya as East Africa's top trading country
Kenyans have reacted strongly to President William Ruto recent remarks praising Tanzania for surpassing Kenya as East Africa’s top trading country.
President William Ruto has praised Tanzania for taking the lead in trading goods and services within the East African Community (EAC).
Speaking at the EAC Heads of state summit in Tanzania, Ruto said the inter-trade between EAC countries has grown and Tanzania has dethroned Kenya in East Africa.
He said that this indicates that trade between member states is growing.
The president noted that countries are now selling more different products and services between each other in a common market.
Ruto insisted that this is EAC member states must continue to work together.
“Today in the inter trade between all our countries, Kenya was the leading country in terms of goods and services that we trade in east Africa. Today Tanzania has overtaken Kenya, and I must commend Tanzania for the progress they are making, that the numbers are growing of trade between our countries and as the numbers grow, different countries are selling more different products, different services within our common market. It is what it is, and that is why we must work on this consistently together,” he said.
Ruto noted that the bloc must work together because they have common interests, which converge.
He added that if the EAC is to thrive then it needs a bigger market which can only be provided by their unity.
He said this is the only way there can be market for all that is produced or manufactured in different member states.
Ruto’s comments sparked heated reactions on X (formerly Twitter), with many Kenyans expressing dissatisfaction.
Critics pointed to his policies as a contributing factor to Kenya’s perceived economic struggles.
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“What kind of reasoning is this? Our economy is in tatters, and he wants to commend Tanzania instead of resigning!” one user wrote.
Another criticized the president, calling his remarks “shameless,” while others attributed Kenya’s lag to “punitive policies.”
Amid the criticism, a few voices supported Ruto’s stance, applauding him for embracing regional integration and acknowledging the growth of intra-regional trade.
Tanzania surpassed Kenya as Uganda’s largest source of imports in Africa.
The Bank of Uganda noted the landlocked country imported $4.17 billion worth of products from COMESA and the rest of Africa in the year that ended in June 2024, with Tanzania accounting for nearly half of this total.
In the year ended June 2024, Tanzania accounted for 42.56 percent of Uganda’s imports from Africa, while Kenya and South Africa accounted for 19.55 percent and 6.43 percent, respectively.
According to the Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda mainly imports gold, rolled iron or non-alloy steel, carboys and groundnuts, bottles, and asks from Tanzania.
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