Zimpapers Logo

Kudakwashe Mugari in NAIROBI, Kenya

President Mnangagwa has arrived in Nairobi where he is expected to join at least 20 Heads of State from across Africa for  the inauguration of Kenyan  President-elect William Ruto at Moi International Sports Centre tomorrow.

The President who is accompanied by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Friedrick Shava, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President, George Charamba, and Cabinet and senior Government officials, was welcomed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Zimbabwean Ambassador to Kenya Winpeg Moyo, Kenyan government officials and embassy staff.

President Mnangagwa signs the visitor’s book on arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport flanked by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Kenya, Mrs Winpeg Moyo (left) and her Kenyan counterpart Ambassador Stella Munyi.

President-elect Ruto garnered  50,4 percent of the votes to beat his closest challenger Mr Raila Odinga who polled 48,8 percent.

Mr Ruto stood for the elections on the United Democratic Alliance ticket.

A petition by Mr Odinga challenging the results was dismissed by Kenya’s Supreme Court, paving the way for President-elect Ruto, 55, to be sworn in as Kenya’s  fifth president tomorrow.

Zimbabwe and Kenya share cordial relations and in March President Mnangagwa was here on a state visit during the meeting of the Zimbabwe-Kenya joint permanent commission cooperation.

The two countries agreed to boost cooperation in many areas that include trade and investment in tourism ,science ,trade among others. In 2020 the Kenyan government also granted citizenship to nearly 1 700 people of Shona origin who settled in the country from Zimbabwe in the 1930s when both countries were under the old British empire.

The move was welcomed as it allowed the community which had been stateless rights to obtain identity documents and be treated as full Kenyan citizens.