Kenya was his third country to visit in the region after he acceded to power in June 2020, following his election.
His first visit as president was last year, to Tanzania, a country that many Burundians consider a second home, given that it houses the largest population of Burundian refugees (140,740) , but also imports majority of its goods through the Dar es Salaam Port.
While in Tanzania, he referred to the Late President John Magufuli as his father, remarks he repeated while visiting Uganda in May when he met his counterpart Yoweri Museveni.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Burundi?? counterpart Evariste Ndayishimiye have arrived at Kisumu Port where they are scheduled to commission several projects among them the Kenya Shipyards Limited, the new Kenya Railways Marine School, and the refurbished MV Uhuru Cargo Ship. pic.twitter.com/Q8ZNrZMzZM
— State House Kenya (@StateHouseKenya) May 31, 2021
Burundi’s interest in Kenya
But Ndayishimiye’s visit to Kenya was not just ceremonial, as the others, but carried more weight in terms of influence.
Abbas Mbazumutima, a political commentator with the independent Iwacu newspaper in Burundi, says Ndayishimiye’s visit was crucial given the economic and political powerhouse that is Kenya.
“He
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