Kenya’s agenda as Ruto takes over COMESA chair

President William Ruto will take over the chairmanship of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) when Kenya hosts the 24th Heads of State and Government Summit in Nairobi from October 7 to 9.

Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui confirmed the handover, saying it marks a significant moment for Kenya’s leadership in regional trade. “

More importantly, Kenya will be assuming the chairmanship of COMESA, and President William Ruto will now become the new chairman of COMESA, again championing African trade,” he said during a television interview.

Summit focus on trade integration

The three-day summit will bring together leaders from COMESA’s 21 member states to review existing trade arrangements, address challenges, and strengthen economic integration. 

Kinyanjui explained that the bloc’s agenda is centred on opening borders and creating opportunities for cross-border trade.

“We want to trade, open our borders, look at the challenges we have had, evaluate how each country is doing, and try to open up our borders so that maize from Malawi can be sold in Kenya. And when we have excess product, we can sell—that’s the whole agenda,” he noted.

The minister added that Kenya’s role will be elevated under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which unites regional blocs such as COMESA into a broader framework. 

“What we want to do is not complain but be at the table where decisions are made on trade, industry, and investment. Using such platforms, we’ll be able to reach out to investors, reach out to industry, solve problems, open up our borders, and allow Kenyans to trade and do business,” he said.

COMESA’s vision and Kenya’s role

COMESA, which represents a market of more than 600 million people, was founded on the philosophy of Pan-Africanism, that Africa’s growth must be built through Africans trading, producing, and prospering together.

The bloc aims to reverse decades of dependence on exporting raw materials while importing costly finished goods, by encouraging regional value addition and intra-African trade.

Kenya has positioned itself as a key player in this transformation. 

Government data shows that through COMESA, Kenyan exports such as tea, coffee, flowers, apparel, and processed foods earn higher margins when traded within the region. 

Duty-free access to production inputs has reduced costs for industries, while safeguards in sensitive sectors such as sugar have stabilised local markets.

According to the Ministry of Trade, these priorities align with COMESA’s drive to connect producers, traders, and investors across borders.

For example, County Aggregation and Industrial Parks are being rolled out to link farmers to factories and regional markets, while special economic zones in Naivasha, Dongo Kundu, and Konza are attracting investors into manufacturing and processing. 

Informal traders are also being integrated into formal structures, giving small-scale cross-border businesses better access to finance and protection.

Expanding opportunities

Kenya has also emphasised labour mobility and skills development as part of its regional agenda.

Recently, over 700 young Kenyans completed technical and language training for employment in Europe, a move officials say reflects wider efforts to make the workforce regionally and globally competitive.

Infrastructure development, including roads, ports, and ICT connectivity, remains central to Kenya’s regional trade strategy. 

Projects such as the Standard Gauge Railway and expanded road networks linking Uganda, Ethiopia, and South Sudan are seen as vital to unlocking COMESA’s economic potential.

Next steps

The Nairobi summit is expected to adopt new measures on digital trade, customs harmonisation, and investment facilitation. 

Kenya’s leadership will be watched closely as President Ruto assumes the chairmanship at a time when regional blocs are aligning with the broader goals of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.