President William Ruto arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Wednesday evening for the 25th Summit of COMESA Heads of State and Government, where he is expected to hand over the chairmanship of the regional trade bloc to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Ruto landed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. He was received by Zimbabwe's Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi and other senior officials, The Star reported. Kenya's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Gertrude Angote, said Kenya looked forward to strengthening regional ties.

The summit takes place on Thursday, 22 October. The handover to Mnangagwa ends Kenya's term at the head of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), KBC and The Star reported. Ruto took over the chairmanship in 2025 from Burundi's President Évariste Ndayishimiye.

A late change of plan

The trip came as a surprise. The Eastleigh Voice reported that, as late as Wednesday afternoon, sources had indicated Ruto and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi would skip the summit. They had reportedly been preparing for a trip to Russia over the weekend. The President instead chose the shorter regional journey to formally pass on the gavel.

The outlet noted that Ruto had earlier scaled back foreign travel to focus on domestic issues, including the high cost of living, as campaigns for the 2027 General Election intensify.

Trade, industry and security on the agenda

The summit is running under the theme "One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA."

In a post on X after landing, Ruto said discussions would focus on deepening regional integration, strengthening peace and security, speeding up implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and advancing industrialisation. He also pointed to the need to add value to Africa's natural resources so they support local manufacturing and regional value chains.

A key item is the launch of COMESA's Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2026–2030, which will set the bloc's priorities for the next five years. According to KBC, the plan is expected to cover regional integration, trade among member states, industrialisation, infrastructure connections and digital transformation.

Leaders will also review progress on the bloc's economic integration agenda and look at ways to raise trade among member states.

Who is attending

COMESA has 21 member states with a combined population of more than 600 million people. Zimbabwe's Foreign Affairs Minister said at least 18 member states had confirmed participation. Burundi's Prime Minister was among the leaders who arrived ahead of the meeting, and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema also travelled to Harare for the summit.

What it means for Kenya

COMESA is one of Kenya's most important export markets, especially for tea, manufactured goods and processed foods. During its year in the chair, Kenya pushed for faster trade facilitation and implementation of the AfCFTA, The Eastleigh Voice reported.

Kenya will remain an active member of the bloc after the handover. The Star reported that Kenya is seeking wider regional markets to grow exports, create jobs and strengthen commercial ties.

For Mnangagwa, chairing COMESA offers a diplomatic platform as Zimbabwe works to re-engage with the rest of the continent and the wider world.

Photos: President Ruto arrives at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, Harare (The Standard/PCS); President Emmerson Mnangagwa (kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons).