President Ruto's regional tour: What does it mean?

Twenty-seven days after his inauguration, President William Ruto has visited three regional countries- Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania.

The head of state during these visits gave a glimpse of his foreign policy agenda which places Kenya at the epicenter of regional peace, security, trade and diplomatic projects.

According to foreign policy analyst Professor Macharia Munene, President Ruto must balance between policies that his administration will craft and those employed by his predecessor retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.

"I think the president is trying very hard to establish his presence in the region. And it is good that he has made the East African Community the first area to pay serious attention among the first areas," says Prof. Munene.

President Ruto’s reign started amid regional dynamism and a new world order, pointing to the need for strengthening of existing bilateral and trade relations, craft new ones and playing a key role among the community of nations.

But more fundamental is Ruto's visit to Tanzania and meeting with President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Foreign policy observers see this as a move to bolster relations with Dar es Salaam that may not largely agree with some of his latest decisions, including lifting the ban on GMOs.

"The move to Tanzania, he is maybe trying to see whether there can be an understanding given that he has started badly especially on the GMO thing. And given that Tanzania has responded indirectly by saying that it would be hesitant to deal with GMO imports from anywhere. That is a slap on kenya’s face," says Prof. Munene.

While President Ruto tries to find a balance, economic stability and trade are among the foreign policy priorities for administration, who called for opened up borders within the EAC to deepen regional trade integration and ease trade restrictions.

"His statement in Uganda about opening up the borders is a good statement but it runs counter to the expectations of some other countries, if the others are saying do not bring bad things to us. Then that is a contradiction,"adds Prof. Munene.

Nairobi, seen as an anchor state by world powers has been on a diplomatic mission to reconcile warring parties in Ethiopia, following the conflict between the federal government led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in what the UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths called a "stain on our conscience’’

"Kenyan role to try and help both sides cool down the temperatures. I think that is what Uhuru has been trying to do,"says Prof. Munene.

The president’s direction can shape or reshape a country’s foreign policy, and his in-tray is full with competing regional interests that want Nairobi’s attention.

"Why would Kenya be interested in cooling down the temperatures? In any of the countries in the region. It is because when they have problems there, Kenya feels it. Because, the refugees, they all come to Nairobi and that is a burden for the country," says Prof. Munene.

However, President Ruto’s administration starts on a foreign policy-ploughed road by his predecessor President Uhuru Kenyatta.

"Prof. Munene points out: "There would be continuity with the Uhuru policies, which is good and there will be some deviations here and there depending on issues at hand. So, we expect some continuity but not everything because there have to some distinctions as to why he is there and what it is that he aims at."