Rwandans in Kenya came together on Wednesday to mark the 24th Liberation anniversary. Clad in ‘Made in Rwanda’ attire with “Visit Rwanda” theme, delegates danced to patriotic songs as officials outlined milestones achieved under the post-Genocide leadership. Speaking about the existing bilateral relations between Rwanda and Kenya, the High Commissioner to Kenya James Kimonyo told the gathering that Kenya may be the country’s biggest trade partner but there is still a lot of opportunities for more investors to explore. The envoy asked more Kenyans to take advantage of the enabling environment that includes an all-inclusive business permit acquired within six hours of application. “In the area of trade, we are witnessing a steady increase of the overall trade volumes between our two countries,” he said. The envoy noted that Rwanda’s exports to Kenya include coffee, tea, hides and skins and cereals and last year, they raked in $112m (approx. Rwf97bn) while investments by Kenyan companies in Rwanda are currently worth US $ 418 million. This, he said, makes Kenya a major contributor to the country’s Foreign Direct Investment. “We deeply appreciate the role of Kenya’s private sector for its huge contribution to Rwanda’s economic transformation,” he said. Kimonyo announced that country has dedicated this year’s anniversary to highlighting investment and business opportunities in Rwanda. “The ‘Visit Rwanda’ movement has attracted a lot of attention globally. After Rwanda signed a deal with Arsenal Football Club in May this year, the number of people searching Rwanda on line has increased by almost 6,000 per cent,” said the envoy, noting that they are confident that this marketing strategy will bring a lot of tourists in Rwanda and the sub-region. He said, through the Northern Corridor Integration Projects framework relating to Single Tourist Visa, one can visit Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda on a single visa. Speaking at the same event, Kenya’s Permanent Secretary in the Foreign Ministry Ambassador Macharia Kamau who was chief guest commended the Rwandan people for their resilience. “The transformation you have seen in Rwanda is monumental and was unimaginable 24 years ago,” said Macharia who was a UNDP official coordinating humanitarian and reconstruction effort after the 1994 Rwanda genocide against the Tutsi. Macharia said Kenya will continue with the good bilateral relations and thanked Rwanda for choosing Kenya as the preferred source of FDI. Both Kenya and Rwanda enjoy warm relations that are marked with close collaboration and strategic partnerships on issues of sub-regional, regional and international scope. Since 1994, Rwanda has made tremendous strides that have elevated the country to a nation of reference in regard to various aspects of state recovery and national development. “Rwanda’s transformational leadership and resolute political will has been at the center of the transformed governance and socio-economic fabric of the Rwandan economy. This has been made possible through strengthening of national institutions, consolidating peace and security, cultivating national unity, spearheading women empowerment and gender equality. In this regard, Kenya takes great pride in the economic milestones achieved by Rwanda.” Macharia noted. The event coincided with a property and mortgage roadshow that was co-organised in Nairobi between KCB Rwanda and a local real estate firm, Century Real Estate with an aim of seeking investment partners in Rwanda’s real estate sector. “We invite Kenyans to access mortgage facilities to invest in Rwanda,” said Charles Haba the Managing Director at Century Real Estate in Kigali. KCB Rwanda is a subsidiary of the Kenya-based KCB Bank Group. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
