ADDRESS BY H.E. JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA TO THE PARLIAMENT OF REPUBLIC OF KENYA,
NAIROBI-KENYA 06TH
OCTOBER, 2015
His Excellency Honourable Uhuru
Muigai Kenyatta,
the President of Republic of
Kenya;
Honourable Justin Muturi, Speaker
of the National
General Assembly;
Honourable Ekwe Ethuro, Speaker
of the Senate;
Honourable Members of the
Parliament;
Honourable Senetors;
Honourable Ministers;
Invited Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I
thank you Honourable Speaker for availing me with this rare opportunity to address
this esteemed Parliament of Kenya. It is an honour and a privilege I will
always remember. You have availed me this opportunity at a very opportune
moment indeed. Three weeks from office
as directed by the constitution of my dear country. So to me, this is an
opportunity to bid farewell to this House and through you to my brothers and
sisters of the Republic of Kenya.
When H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta invited me to visit his great county.
I did not hesitate to accept the invitation. This was because of the importance
of Kenya in Tanzania’s foreign policy. Kenya is a very important neighbour of ours.
Kenya is a great friend of Tanzania and an ally. Our political and diplomatic
relations are strong. We see eye to eye on many bilateral, regional,
continental and global issues.
We have been working together very well and support each other at
regional, continental and global fora.
We have also supported each other at the bilateral level as well. To me
and to Tanzania, Kenya’s problems are our problems.
It is in this spirit that during 2007 and 2008 crisis I did not wait to
be invited, I came to lend a helping hand. Fortunately, God was kind enough to
the people of Kenya, you were able to navigate safely out of the crisis. It is
in the same spirit also we have not only grieved with our Kenyan brothers and
sisters whenever there was a terrorist attack, but we have supported Kenya’s
efforts in fighting terrorism. Our Intelligence services and Police Forces have
been working closely. They have been sharing intelligence and arrested
suspected terrorists who flee to Tanzania after committing crimes in Kenya. We never hesitated to send them back to Kenya
to face justice.
The Purpose of the Visit
Honourable
Speaker;
We also have robust and longstanding
cooperation in the fight against narcotic drugs and cross border crime. This
way, we have been able to deal with criminal gangs operating in our two
countries. Recently, we have began to develop cooperation in fighting poaching
and illegal trade in wildlife. This cooperation has worked well for our two
countries. What is required of us going forward is to strengthen and advance
this cooperation. Lets make it clear to criminals that if they cause trouble in
any of our countries there is nowhere to hide and nowhere to run to.
Honourable
Speaker;
On
the social-economic front there has been vibrant cooperation as well. Our two
countries have been undertaking joint infrastructure projects. Take for
example, the Althi-River-Namanga-Arusha road which was completed in 2012.
Currently, we are now doing the Mwatate – Taveta – Holili – Moshi- Arusha road.
As you know, my first function in my visit to Kenya this time was at Taveta,
where together with President Uhuru Kenyatta we inaugurated the construction of
this road on the Kenyan side.
We are working on a suitable date to do the same
on the Tanzanian side.
Other
important infrastructure projects are in energy.
In the electricity subsector
we have been doing two things. One, whenever one of our countries has
electricity and the other doesn’t, the people on the other side of the border
are connected. This is what we have done at Namanga where power from Kenya has
been extended to Namanga and Longido on the Tanzanian side. We did the same
between Sirari (Tanzania) and Isbania Kenya. Secondly, we are building a power
transmission line from Tanzania to Namanga where the Tanzania electricity grid
will be connected to the Kenyan grid.
This way power from Tanzania will be made
available to Kenya and vice versa. Our two countries are discussing how to
extend the gas pipeline from Tanzania to Kenya so as to enable Kenya produce
more electricity from a cost effective source.
Honourable
Speaker;
On
investment and trade our two countries have been able to develop strong bonds
of cooperation.
For us in Tanzania, Kenya is not a competitor but a strategic
partner. Kenya ranks 5th in the Top Ten list of countries
with the largest investments in Tanzania. Kenya comes after only United Kingdom,
United States, China and India.
Actually, in that Top Ten List, there are only
two African countries namely Kenya and South Africa, on which Kenya is the
leader. Kenya’s investments in Tanzania account for 518 projects with
the total value of 1,685.47 million USD and have created about 55,762
jobs.
Kenya
is Tanzania’s largest trading in East Africa. Trade between our two countries
is growing fast and in the last five years there was a 40 percent increase.
Tanzania’s exports to Kenya have increased from
179.3 million USD in 2009 to 227.1 million USD in 2013 and
imports have increased from 301.5 million USD to 333.6 million USD
in 2013.
I am told trade between our two
countries account for over 80percent of trade in East Africa. It demonstrates
in no uncertain terms how much our two countries contribute to the East African
integration agenda. Also its how important it is for our two countries to forge
closer and stronger cooperation in investment and trade.
As
a matter of fact, what we have accomplished now is simply a tip of an iceberg
in relation to what we can do together. This morning when speaking at the
Kenya-Tanzania Business Forum I assured the Kenyan business men and women that
Tanzania is ready to do more business. We can absorb more investments and
opportunities are plenty in oil and gas, energy, mining, transport,
agribusiness, manufacturing, ICT, health care, education and many more.
Moreover, the business environment is both conducive and permissive.
Investments are safe. No nationalisation, and it is allowed to repatriate
profits and dividend.
Tanzania
and EAC
Honourable
Speaker;
To
us in Tanzania, regional integration is a matter of both principle and
policy. We have always remained
believers in African Unity and the East African economic and political
integration. We hold strong belief that,
a divided East Africa will not be able to claim its rightful place and compete effective
in the regional and global marketplace, therefore, that Tanzania commitment to
the East African integration and its flagship the East African Communities. We will
do everything within our power to see the East African integration agenda is
implemented to the letter and spirit. It is pleasing to note
that the same understanding is shared by you our brothers and sisters in Kenya.
Conclusion
Honourable
Speaker;
I
will leave office fully satisfied I leave behind strong bonds of friendship and
cooperation between of two countries and two people. I would like to assure you
that Tanzania’s policy towards Kenya will remain the same even after I have
left office. If anything there will be stronger and closer cooperation in the coming
years.
I
know there is a lot of anxiety and speculation about what will happen after the
elections. Have no worries have peace. I don’t see
any change or shift of policy. And, if the candidate of my party wins that is
completely assured. I am not only hopefully but confident that he will emerge victorious.
By the way he sends his greetings to you all. He has asked me to assure you
that if elected President he will strengthen and advance our bilateral
relations to the greatest heights possible.
With
these many words, I thank you once again Honourable Speaker and Members of this
House for your kind attention, and for the honour given to me to address and
bid farewell to this Assembly.
Ahsante
sana!
mh rais hutuba nzuri sana ila ingekuwa kwa kiswahili ingekuwa tamu sana ukizingatia muelekeo wa Jumuia ya Afrika Mashariki. Tujivunie kiswahili chetu wana afrika mashariki
ReplyDeleteHotuba imechapishwa kwa kiingereza lakini aliongea kwa kiswahili. Wakenya walifurahia sana
DeleteHotuba imechapishwa kwa kiingereza, lakini JK aliongea kwa kiswahili. Wakenya walifurahia sana
Deletenaungana nawe anony 1-1 of1, na ingali sisimuwa sana
ReplyDeleteHotuba ilikuwa nzuri mpaka alipoiharibu kwa kutumbukiza ushabiki wa chama.
ReplyDeleteMwishoni mwa hotuba jk alivua kofia ya uraisi wa Tz na kuvaa kofia ya mwenyekiti wa ccm.
Kidiplomasia si jambo zuri hata kidogo ukizingatia kwamba alialikwa kama raisi wa Tz.
Hotuba ya Rais wa Tanzania ilikuwa ni hotuba nzuri yenye kuleta faraja na matumaini mema kwa watu wa Tanzania na Kenya. kulihutubia bunge la Kenya na kuzungumzia uhusiano mwema wa kibiashara na muingiliano wa kikada (regional Integration) ni jambo jema sana. lakini pia Rais kwenda kuwaaga majirani zetu ni utamaduni mzuri sana wa kidemokrasia na hata kuwa na imani kwa Rais ajaye atayaenzi yaliyo mema ndio aina ya kiongozi tunayetakiwa kuwa naye.
ReplyDeletekila kheri Mh Rais,
Tanzania itakukumbuka kwa mchango wako mzuri hasa kwenye Tasnia ya Diplomasia.