President Ruto lauds Tanzania for surpassing Kenya as East Africa's top trading hub

President William Ruto has lauded Tanzania for surpassing Kenya as the leading trading hub in East Africa, further commending the Samia Suluhu-led nation's progress in boosting regional trade.

Speaking during the 25th commemoration of the East African Community (EAC) in Arusha on Saturday, Ruto praised Tanzania for its achievements in increasing trade within the bloc.

"Kenya was the leading country in terms of goods and services that we trade in East Africa. Today, Tanzania has overtaken Kenya and I must commend Tanzania for the progress they are making, the numbers are growing of trade between our countries," he said.

Further, President Ruto noted the growing trade volumes between EAC member states, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts to further enhance regional trade.

“As the numbers grow, different countries are selling more...different products and services within our common market. It is what it is and that is why we must work on this consistently together,” he said.

President Ruto also echoed Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's sentiments that the EAC is not about love but about shared interests. 

"President Museveni has said that we are not in this community because we love one another but we are in this because we have common interests. If we have to prosper, we need a big enough market for our producers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs to trade and to invest," said Ruto.  

"It is good for business people in Tanzania, Rwanda, and every country that we have a bigger market and it is a market that has no barriers."

Ruto's remarks sparked frustration among some Kenyans, who took to social media platform X to express their displeasure over his comments.

Many questioned the implications of his acknowledgment that Kenya had been overtaken in regional trade, while others voiced concerns over the broader economic impact.

"The termite may be small, but it can bring down a mighty tree. The "small" cracks caused by burdensome policies, high taxes, and an unfriendly business environment are  eating away at Kenya’s powerhouse status juu people can't sustain whatever they were doing before," Jackson Tochi, another user, added.