President Uhuru Kenyatta wraps up visit to Botswana

President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport yesterday on arrival from a three-day official visit to Botswana. (PHOTO: DPPS)

President Uhuru Kenyatta has wrapped up his three—day State visit to Botswana where he pushed for a review of regulations that limited business and employment opportunities between Kenya and the southern African country.

The President, who arrived in Botswana on Monday morning, first held talks with his host, President Ian Khama, to discuss bilateral issues.

Top on the agenda during the talks was a review of immigration rules that made the obtaining of work permits restrictive.

President Khama agreed to review the rules so that Kenyans can continue accessing employment and work opportunities in the country.

Thousands of Kenyan professionals have been working in Botswana's public and private sector, some of them for many decades.

Kenya and Botswana have been exchanging human capital for the last fifty years, an engagement that started with Kenya offering training and education to Botswana nationals after it gained independence in 1966.

The two leaders also reached an agreement to review an air services agreement that regulates flight frequencies and destinations for national carrier KQ in Botswana.

President Kenyatta's request was to have KQ allowed to fly to Botswana more than three times a week as it does currently and to fly to destinations including Maun, Francistown and Kasane besides Gaborone.

The two Presidents also oversaw the signing of bilateral agreements in the areas of mining and water services.

Kenya and Botswana have agreed to collaborate to develop Kenya's mining sector where the southern African country's experience will help Kenya.

During his visit, President Kenyatta opened the Botswana—Kenya Seminar that brought together business people from the two countries to explore more avenues for partnership.

The President also met with Kenyans living in Botswana and assured them that President Khama has undertaken to address the issue of work permits, which has been a concern for those already working in the country.

The plane carrying President Kenyatta departed from the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport shortly after 10.00 a.m.

He was seen off by President Khama and senior officials of the government of Botswana.

During the visit, President Kenyatta was accompanied by a delegation that included Cabinet Secretaries including Amina Mohamed (Foreign Affairs), Dan Kazungu (Mining) Willy Bett (Agriculture)