Dodoma, Tanzania- President William Ruto has pitched Kenya and Tanzania as a combined economic powerhouse, calling for expanded trade, joint investments, and shared infrastructure to unlock billions in untapped regional potential.
In a high-level address to Tanzania’s Parliament, Ruto laid out an ambitious economic vision anchored on deeper cooperation between East Africa’s two largest economies.
He revealed that Kenyan firms have invested over $1.7 billion in Tanzania across sectors such as manufacturing, energy, logistics, and finance.
Meanwhile, Tanzanian investments in Kenya have reached $336 million and are expected to more than double in the near term.
“These are not just capital flows — they are catalysts for jobs, skills transfer, and industrial growth,” he said.
Ruto emphasised that private sector partnerships and small business collaborations, particularly in agro-processing, are already driving cross-border economic integration.
He said the next phase of growth depends on scaling up infrastructure and removing trade barriers.
Key projects include a major coastal road corridor linking Malindi, Lunga Lunga, and Dar es Salaam, as well as expanded railway lines connecting inland markets to the Indian Ocean.
Energy cooperation also featured prominently, with Ruto highlighting the 400kV Kenya-Tanzania power interconnector and future plans to deepen regional electricity trade.
He also referenced Uganda’s recent stake in the Kenya Pipeline Company as a model for shared ownership of strategic infrastructure.
In a notable shift, Ruto confirmed Kenya’s readiness to invest in Tanzania’s planned oil refinery in Tanga — despite previously preferring a similar facility in Mombasa.
“What matters is not where the asset sits, but whether it strengthens shared prosperity,” he said.
The President also linked regional integration to youth employment, noting that millions of young people entering the workforce need opportunity rather than aid.
He tied this vision to the broader goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which aims to create a single African market of over 1.5 billion people.
Ruto argued that stronger regional blocs like the East African Community will be critical to Africa’s competitiveness on the global stage.
