President Yoweri Museveni Kaguta Museveni, on Sunday, met and held discussions with his Kenyan counterpart, Dr William Samoei Ruto, at State House, Entebbe.
During the brief meeting, the two leaders discussed bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.
According to Ruto, the discussion between the two leaders mainly centred “on matters of mutual interest especially trade, security and agriculture.”
“Kenya and Uganda have a firm partnership based on decades of East African brotherhood, strong cooperation, and consistent engagement,” Ruto wrote on Twitter.
On his part, President Museveni said: “I thank H.E William S. Ruto for paying me a visit this evening at State House Entebbe. We discussed bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.”
The meeting came only a week after the coming of his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, who was in Kampala to brief President Yoweri Museveni on the status of the peace process in the DR. Congo.
Both Uganda and Kenya form part of the East Africa Community Regional Force (EARF), deployed in DR Congo to quell a flare-up of violence in the eastern part of the country.
It should also be remembered that despite the lifting ban on Ugandan agricultural produce by authorities in Kenya last year, Ugandan traders still say they find difficulties to export some commodities to Kenya.
In late October 2022, President Ruto announced plans to lift the March 2021 ban imposed by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration on Ugandan agricultural produce.
The Kenyan government said at the time that it was protecting its farmers from being disadvantaged by the cheaper produce from Uganda.
When President Ruto assumed office and subsequently toured Uganda in October, he suggested that the ban on farm produce from the neighbouring nation would be lifted.
“It is our place as leaders and citizens of the East Africa Community (EAC) to work together to transform our borders which today stand out as barriers and convert them to bridges so that goods, people, and services can move across this East Africa without any impediments,” Dr. Ruto said on October 9, 2022, during his address as the guest of honour at Uganda’s Independence Day celebrations in Kampala.
“There is absolutely no reason why food can not be available in our region. If there is food in Uganda, it should find its way to Kenya. If there are opportunities in Kenya, Ugandans should be able to access those opportunities,” added Ruto.
The ban on agricultural produce from Uganda, especially milk, maize, and eggs, saw a significant reduction in the volume of trade between the two nations.
