Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi/FILE.Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has assured Kenya's diplomatic partners that the government is committed to a safe, free and peaceful 2027 General Election.
Speaking during the quarterly Diplomatic Briefing in Nairobi, Mudavadi urged the diplomatic community to support Kenya's constitutional institutions and democratic processes ahead of the August 10, 2027 polls.
"The Electoral Commission should be allowed to discharge its constitutional mandate independently and professionally," Mudavadi said.
He said democracy depended on strong institutions, respect for established rules and constitutional processes.
Mudavadi said the government was strengthening inter-agency coordination to identify and address emerging threats ahead of the election.
He said those who threaten peace and security would be held accountable in accordance with the law, regardless of their political affiliation or status.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary also highlighted the performance of the economy, saying real Gross Domestic Product grew by 5.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 4.9 per cent during the same period in 2025.
He said foreign exchange reserves stood at $14.9 billion, equivalent to 6.2 months of import cover, while the Nairobi Securities Exchange had crossed Sh4 trillion in market capitalisation for the first time.
Mudavadi encouraged diplomats to engage with the Kenya Development Corporation and the Nairobi International Financial Centre to strengthen links with investors, businesses and financial institutions in their countries.
He said Kenya was seeking to increase value-added exports, expand trade and investment, facilitate technology transfer, advance the digital economy and strengthen local manufacturing.
Mudavadi also clarified the government's position on foreign nationals engaged in small-scale trade and informal retail.
He said directives announced on September 2 were intended to protect vulnerable sectors of the economy, promote fair competition and safeguard the livelihoods of Kenyan citizens.
"Kenya is not implementing a blanket ban on foreign nationals engaging in small-scale business," he said.
Mudavadi said foreign nationals could engage in small- and large-scale trade provided they complied with immigration, work permit, registration and licensing requirements.
He said Kenya's position was also guided by the East African Community Common Market Protocol and applicable national law.
The Cabinet Secretary assured diplomats that the government would safeguard the rights of foreign nationals and warned that anyone who threatened or interfered with foreign nationals or their businesses would face the law.
Mudavadi reaffirmed Kenya's commitment to the African Union, East African Community, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
He said Kenya was preparing to host the 4th COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Summit in Nairobi, bringing together 29 countries representing more than 700 million people and a combined GDP exceeding $1.4 trillion.
He also reiterated Kenya's support for the African Union Agenda 2063, including the free movement of people, capital, goods and services in accordance with applicable legal frameworks.
On security, Mudavadi said Kenya continued to support African-led solutions to conflicts on the continent.
He called for greater support for the African Union Peace Fund and adequate financing for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia.
On Sudan, he said the crisis could not be resolved through military means and called for a unified and coordinated mediation process alongside a humanitarian truce.
Mudavadi also called for regional and international cooperation to counter terrorism and transnational crime, including terrorist financing, recruitment and radicalisation.
Mudavadi said Kenyans living abroad continued to contribute to investment, innovation, skills and expertise.
He said the government was implementing the Diaspora Investment Strategy and establishing a Diaspora Investment Support Office to enhance engagement and unlock investment opportunities.
He also called for stronger international cooperation on labour market information, recognition of qualifications and professional certifications, technical and vocational education and training, and industry-based skills development.
On food security, Mudavadi said Kenya had experienced below-average rainfall in cereal-producing regions and that national harvest projections indicated a decline in food production.
He said the government was strengthening preparedness through irrigation, subsidised agricultural inputs and measures to ensure adequate food supplies.
He also said Kenya had heightened its preparedness against Ebola through surveillance and passenger screening at major points of entry.
Looking ahead, Mudavadi said Kenya would host several major international and diplomatic engagements, including the inaugural Global Trust Summit on October 22–23, 2026, in Nairobi and the inaugural Diplomatic Conference on the Provision, Administration and Management of Privileges and Immunities to the Diplomatic Community in Kenya on November 23–24, 2026, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.
He also sought diplomatic partners' support for Kenya's candidates for international positions, including Judge Phoebe Okowa's candidature to the International Court of Justice and Lady Justice Njoki Ndung'u's candidature to the International Criminal Court.
Mudavadi thanked diplomatic missions and international organisations for their partnership with Kenya, saying the government attached importance to the effective functioning of the diplomatic community.
"You remain our foremost point of contact for Kenya's international relations," he said.
He reaffirmed Kenya's openness to investors and international partners, positioning the country as a manufacturing base and launchpad for digital growth across Africa while reiterating its commitment to peace, international law, human rights and democratic governance.
