Nairobi — Kenyans holding ordinary passports will be allowed to enter South Africa on a visa free regime for upto 90 days per calendar year, President William Ruto has said.
The decision to allow visa free entry into South Africa was arrived at when President Ruto and visiting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa led their respective delegations in bilateral talks at State House, Nairobi, on Wednesday.
"From January 1 next year, we will have a different regime, thanks to your personal intervention on this matter and the welth of experience that has been brought on board by your officials," President Ruto told his South African counterpart.
President Ruto spoke when he and President Ramaphosa addressed a joint press briefing shortly after the bilateral talks where three Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and one agreement were signed.
The signed pacts were on cooperation in the fields of correctional services, housing and human settlement, cooperation between the Kenya School of Government and the National School of Government as well as an agreement on Audio Visual Co-Production.
"We can only reap the full benefits of the MOUs and agreement that we have signed through the full and effective implementation of all undertakings we have committed ourselves to," said Dr Ruto.
He said Kenya and South Africa have also agreed on a 'return policy' when immigration laws and regulations are breached ensure bad elements that try to infiltrate the borders of the two countries are dealt with firmly and decisively.
"President Ramaphosa and I have also agreed to develop a sustainable mechanism to identify, monitor and resolve non-tarrif barriers that limit the trade potential between our two countries," he said.
The Head of State lauded President Ramaphosa for making the State Visit, saying it is instrumental in developing a permanent dialogue as well as building common principals and shared values between the two countries.
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"the visit affirms the cordial relationship between Kenya and South Africa and our shared desire to deepen the bonds between our two countries," President Ruto said.
On his part, President Ramaphosa said the visa free regime will be monitored and reviewed within a year to see how it is functioning.
"This will also be underpinned by other processes that we have agreed should take place including close monitoring of the implementation of this process," said President Ramaphosa.
The bilateral talks between Kenya and South Africa also focused on intra-Africa trade, climate change, transport as well as regional peace and security.
Earlier, President Ramaphosa, who is in the country for a two-day State Visit, was received at State House, Nairobi by President Ruto in a colourful state reception that included a guard of honour mounted by the Kenya Air Force and a 21-gun-salute.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Felix Kosgey as well as Cabinet Secretaries Prof Kithure Kindiki (Interior), Dr Alfred Mutua (Foreign Affairs), Moses Kuria (Trade) and Prof Njuguna Ndung'u (National Treasury) were among senior Government officials who attend the bilateral talks.
