Time to reboot Kenya-Russia ties

 The mention of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu City gets an instant response: “Oh, you mean Russia Hospital?” That is how the facility built in 1969 with funding from Russian funding is embedded in the minds of Kenyans. 

It’s an enduring landmark and legacy project, which was unfortunately caught up in the ugly and costly ideological and ego tussles framed on the East-West divide in post-independence administration. The Russian support for the country’s freedom struggle is well documented and cemented by the fact that it was the second nation to recognise our victory for self-determination.

It also extended significant training for young Kenyans in various professional fields and equipped with much-needed skills to drive the country’s socio-economic development. For instance, since 1963, hundreds of Kenyans have benefitted from scholarships from the Russian government to study specialist disciplines such as medicine, economics and journalism.

 According to Ambassador Dmitry Maksimychev, one in every10 doctors were trained in Russia. As part of the continued aid to develop human capital, about 60 young Kenyans two months ago left for various universities to study.

Unfortunately, the project and other assistance, especially in human resources and skills development, got blurred in the post-independence political fallout in the government in the East-West Cold War era. But did not hurt the ties between the two countries because Kenya as a key member of the Non-Aligned Countries has continued to enjoy cordial relations with Russia and massive assistance.

And an unbeknown fact to many Kenyans was the technical and financial assistance by the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in the early 1960s to set up the Kenya News Agency, as a catalyst for rural information dissemination and development. This edifice has withstood the test of time and technological dynamics.

There is evidence of strong bilateral relations and growing cooperation in trade with Russia, mainly exporting importation of agriculture inputs such as fertiliser and machinery and various pre-fabricated metals. Kenya exports tea, coffee, horticultural products and flowers. 

To re-energise the strong ties between the two nations that are significant players in a world where globalisation and unipolarism are backpedalling in the face of multipolarism, it calls for assessment — and even re-approachment — in the areas of common interest.

 Mr Bosire is a consulting editor; [email protected]