Continuing the revival of the Pan-African spirit sweeping the continent, Kenya’s President William Ruto made a two-day visit to neighboring Tanzania on May 5-6, with the theme of cooperation being set on day one by Ruto, in a first-ever address to Tanzania’s Parliament. On Wednesday, May 6, the two leaders signed eight MOUs valued over $500 million, from integration of rail transportation to facilitating cross-border transfer of goods. Trade between the two countries was $860 million in 2025, with Ruto saying it could top $1 billion this year.
In his speech, Ruto put forward the primacy of transport infrastructure, emphasizing highway upgrades and expansion of the (not yet completed) SGR rail network. Raised by Ruto was an upgrade of a 500 km line linking the Kenyan SGR to the Tanzanian line, going from Voi, Kenya to Singida, Tanzania. In the middle of this 100-year-old line lies Mount Kilimanjaro, a popular tourist destination. Ruto also raised improvements in electrical connectivity, with additional cross-border high-voltage connector lines. Another topic under discussion is construction of a refinery at Tanga, Tanzania, the planned port terminus of the 1,400 km East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) from Uganda.