Ruto, Kiir Deepen Kenya–South Sudan Ties as December Elections Near
By Jeff Kizzilah Digital Editor
President William Ruto on Monday hosted South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit at State House, Nairobi, for high-level bilateral talks focused on strengthening relations between the two neighbouring countries.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the strong ties between Kenya and South Sudan and agreed to continue creating opportunities for trade, investment and economic cooperation that can benefit citizens of both nations. South Sudan’s Presidency said the visit was aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation, with discussions also expected to cover the country’s electoral preparations and regional economic partnerships.
President Ruto also thanked President Kiir for South Sudan’s participation in last week’s launch of the Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery project in Lamu. The $16 billion project, launched on September 30, is planned to have a processing capacity of about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and is positioned as a major regional energy and industrial project.
The discussions also turned to South Sudan’s upcoming General Election, scheduled for December 22, 2026. President Ruto commended South Sudan for its preparations and reaffirmed Kenya’s readiness to support the electoral process.
Kenya encouraged continued dialogue and consensus among South Sudan’s political stakeholders as the country moves toward the December polls. President Kiir has also been engaging political parties through an inter-party dialogue process aimed at building consensus around a peaceful and credible election.
The Nairobi meeting therefore placed economic cooperation, regional integration and South Sudan’s political transition at the centre of Kenya–South Sudan relations.
