US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is slated to visit Kenya next week ahead of President William Ruto's upcoming State visit to Washington in May.

The visit coincides with growing concerns among farmers, as negotiations for the Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership between Kenya and the US advance. Recently.

American poultry farmers are advocating for access to the Kenyan market for their finished products, a matter that has sparked opposition from local poultry farmers.

Recent reporting by Business Daily highlights the resistance among Kenyan poultry producers to the inclusion of US poultry exports in ongoing trade discussions between Nairobi and Washington.

This development reinforces longstanding apprehensions within the East African Community regarding the potential influx of foreign finished goods into Kenya.

Observers suggest that the US may be leveraging the proposed trade agreement, which would grant duty and quota-free access for Kenyan exports to the American market, to secure favourable conditions for its products in Kenya.

During her visit from April 23 to April 25, Secretary Raimondo will lead a delegation comprising private sector entities from the President's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA).

The visit aims to spotlight the bilateral commercial and investment ties between the US and Kenya, as well as the burgeoning digital landscape in Kenya and across Africa.

A statement from the US Public Affairs office indicates that Ms Raimondo's agenda will include meetings with Kenyan government officials, discussions with trade and digital ministers from various African nations, and engagements with representatives from both US and Kenyan private sectors.

Additionally, she will interface with women and youth leaders active in the fields of science, technology, and creative industries.