Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi called for stronger accountability at the Nairobi summit.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi calls for stronger oversight and African representation, as Tanzania outlines steps to tackle trade barriers with Kenya.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has urged the Global Trust Summit in Nairobi to prioritise accountability and fairer international institutions. He said institutions must demonstrate integrity and deliver results to sustain public confidence.
Speaking on the summit’s second day, October 22, Mudavadi warned that declining trust threatens institutions and economic prosperity. However, he cautioned that confidence in political leaders should never replace scrutiny of their actions.
Accountability at the Global Trust Summit
Mudavadi cited an Afrobarometer working paper based on surveys across 37 African countries. It linked greater trust in presidents and ruling parties with weaker public support for accountability mechanisms.
Those mechanisms include parliamentary oversight, media scrutiny and citizens’ ability to hold governments accountable. He therefore argued that trust and accountability should strengthen each other, rather than compete.
Institutions should earn confidence through their conduct while remaining transparent and open to scrutiny, he said. He also described trust as an economic asset that makes business and cooperation easier.
However, contracts and legal protections cannot fully replace integrity or a reputation for honouring commitments. Mudavadi warned against valuing profits and results above the ethical standards used to achieve them.
Africa’s voice in international institutions
Mudavadi also called for international institutions to build confidence through fairness, representation and practical results. He highlighted Africa’s lack of a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council as a legitimacy concern.
He argued that Africa should participate directly in decisions affecting its security and future. Permanent representation, consistent with the African Union’s Common African Position, would strengthen Africans’ confidence in the UN, he said.
Meanwhile, he pointed to pressure on public confidence in science, citing the Wellcome Global Monitor 2026. The share who believed science benefited most people in their country fell from 42% in 2018 to 37% in 2025.
Mudavadi said scientific credibility requires rigorous evidence, but also fairness, accessible healthcare and openness about uncertainty. Institutions must also show how scientific advances improve everyday lives.
Kenya and Tanzania tackle remaining trade barriers
Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, James Millya, connected the debate to regional trade. He said Kenya and Tanzania had resolved 54 of 68 identified trade barriers, leaving 14 outstanding.
However, traders still face repeated inspections, delays and unexpected border charges despite the shared customs union and common market. Millya said resolving the remaining barriers would test confidence between the two countries.
He cited agreements signed in May 2026, including common standards intended to prevent repeat inspections of certified goods. The measures cover Namanga and Holili, alongside a 30-day dispute settlement window and quarterly implementation reports.
Tanzania had also removed its Industrial Development Levy on a range of Kenyan goods, Millya said. He credited sustained government engagement, joint technical committees and private-sector feedback for the progress.
Despite those efforts, bilateral trade fell from approximately US$950 million in 2024 to US$860 million in 2025. Traders with complaints also lacked a clear channel for resolving their concerns, he acknowledged.
Turning commitments into measurable results
Millya said Tanzania would designate a focal point to follow up complaints with Kenya within the agreed 30-day period. It would also propose regular consultations with traders, truckers, women and young traders at the two border points.
He said faster clearance, fewer repeat inspections and timely complaint resolution should determine whether the measures succeed. Signing agreements alone would not establish their effectiveness.
Similarly, Mudavadi urged the summit to move beyond declarations and agree on a practical framework for rebuilding trust. He proposed clear commitments, a coalition responsible for implementation and a credible system to track delivery.
The Nairobi summit runs from October 21 to 23. It brings together public-sector leaders and other stakeholders to examine trust in governance, economies and international cooperation.
