Uhuru Kenyatta says he has received special message from Russia's President Vladimir Putin

Uhuru receives special message from Russia's President Vladimir Putin

Mumbi Mutuko

March 15, 2019 5:40 PM

Putin send special meeting to Uhuru

President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) and Russian President Vladimir Putin

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday received a special message from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Through a message on Twitter, President Kenyatta revealed that the message had been delivered by the Russian Federation's Deputy Foreign Minister and the Russian President's Special Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Mr. Mikhail Bogdanov.

The statement from Uhuru read: "Today I received a special message from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mr. Mikhail Bogdanov."

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Russian President's Special Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Mr Mikhail Bogdanov1 Pulse Live Kenya

Good ties

In 2017, President Kenyatta met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the first face-to-face meeting between these two leaders.

The meeting, in an exclusive room at the Lanqi Lake Convention Center on the northern outskirts of the Chinese capital, happened on the sidelines of the Roundtable Summit of the forum.

China and Russia were the earliest countries President Kenyatta visited in his first year in office.

Favorable trade

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Russian President's Special Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Mr Mikhail Bogdanov Pulse Live Kenya

At the time, State House said it was “seeking new markets” especially after a series of travel advisories by the West which has traditionally been Kenya’s largest source of tourists.

Russia is the only country among the five Permanent Members of the UN which Kenya enjoys a favorable trade deficit.

Kenya exports goods worth $137.5 million mainly tea, coffee and flowers to Russia.

Mumbi Mutuko