Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Kenya and Malawi ushered in a new dawn in their bilateral relations yesterday by signing eight new agreements designed to strengthen socioeconomic bonds between the two nations.

Agreements were signed yesterday at State House, Nairobi at the end of bilateral talks between Kenyan and Malawian delegations led by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Malawian counterpart Lazarus Chakwera.

The pact covers broad areas of co-operation in politics, diplomacy, defence, fisheries and aquaculture as well as cooperatives development. Others are technical cooperation in health and tourism.

State ceremony

Earlier, President Lazarus Chakwera, who was accompanied by Malawi’s First Lady Monica, was received at State House by their hosts Uhuru and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta in an elaborate State reception ceremony that included a guard of honour mounted by a detachment of the Kenya Army and a 21-gun salute.

In a joint press address, President Uhuru said collaboration and consolidation of ties between the two countries would guarantee socioeconomic growth of their citizens and the African continent as a whole. 

He called for effective implementation of the newly signed agreements.

Noting that the founding fathers of the two countries were committed to and envisioned a truly free Africa, the President said subsequent generations were required to innovate and transform their societies through economic emancipation and genuine political independence. 

“Through the years, Kenya and Malawi have maintained a strong bond of friendship that has seen the nations collaborate in initiatives aimed at securing the prosperity of our people,” Uhuru said. 

 He added: “Your Excellency, our founding fathers were visionaries. In their foresight, they prophesised a totally liberated Africa, supported the liberation movements across the continent, and midwifed the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity.”

Head of State noted that a strong Kenya-Malawi partnership would enhance competitiveness, saying Nairobi was committed to working with the Southern Africa nation to ensure the EAC-COMESA-SADC Free Trade Areas and the Africa Continental Free Trade arrangements succeed.

“Kenya believes that these arrangements, if well implemented, hold the answers to our continent’s African Solutions to African Problems doctrine. Through these multilateral platforms Kenya, Malawi and other African nations have an excellent opportunity to explore tangible approaches to build strong and resilient economies, post Covid-19,” President Uhuru said.

Express concern

At the same time, the President expressed concern over the terrorist threats facing Mozambique, saying Kenya fully supports the steps taken by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) towards addressing the challenge.

President Chakwera regretted that the strong historical ties between Nairobi and Lilongwe had been dormant for a long time and expressed confidence that the signing of the agreements would help reignite mutually beneficial relations.

“I personally felt that bond of kinship when  Your Excellency and I met on the sidelines of the Global Education summit in London of which  the Head of State was a great co-host.

I also felt the same bond of kinship when I interacted with President Uhuru and other Kenya officials at various forums,” Chakwera said.

Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiang’i (Interior), Eugene Wamalwa (Defence), Monica Juma (Energy), Betty Maina (Trade), Najib Balala (Tourism), Peter Munya (Agriculture), Joe Mucheru (ICT) and Mutahi Kagwe (Health) as well as Head of Public Service Dr Joseph Kinyua and Foreign Affairs Chief Administrative Secretary Ababu Namwamba were in attendance. 

– PSCU