I'm the chief diplomat': Ruto tells critics as he touts China trade deal

President William Ruto has defended his diplomatic engagements with foreign governments, saying a new agreement with China will give Kenyan manufacturers and exporters duty-free access to the Chinese market.

Ruto said opening international markets for local businesses was part of his responsibility as Head of State and would help manufacturers expand production, create jobs and grow the economy.

He said the agreement would allow Kenyan manufacturers, exporters and industrialists to sell their products in China without paying duties, describing it as one of the interventions his administration was pursuing to support local enterprises.

“We have signed an agreement with the Chinese government, and our manufacturers, our exporters, our industrialists can now have access to the Chinese market, duty free,” he said.

The President was speaking Wednesday at the KICC, where he presided over the official opening of the 2026 Industrialisation Summit.

He defended his role in negotiating trade opportunities abroad, dismissing criticism from politicians who question whether securing markets for local businesses should be part of a president's job.

“Sometimes I hear some politicians say, ‘Is that the job of the president?’ Yes, it's my job. I mean, I'm the chief diplomat of the country,” Ruto said.

He added that his responsibility was to open doors and create opportunities for Kenyan industrialists and entrepreneurs to access international markets.

That is what my job description is: to open doors and to create avenues for us to help our industrialists, our entrepreneurs, to access other markets,” he said.

Ruto also addressed the future of Kenyan exporters who have benefited from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), saying his administration had outlined interventions to address the opportunities and challenges in that market.

Agoa provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with preferential access to the US market for thousands of products. Its future has been a concern for exporters who rely on the trade arrangement.

The President cited the performance of special economic zones and export promotion zones as evidence of the contribution of industrialisation initiatives to employment.

He said the zones employed 104,000 Kenyans last year, representing a 16 per cent increase.

The summit brings together players in the manufacturing sector and other stakeholders to showcase local products, discuss investment opportunities and examine ways of strengthening Kenya's industrial base.

Before the opening ceremony, Ruto toured exhibition stands where local enterprises were displaying Kenyan-made products, highlighting the range of goods produced by domestic manufacturers.