Malaysia’s Prime Minister pledges stronger ties with Kenya’s Muslims
Meeting the leadership of Jamia Mosque Committee, the Prime Minister who was on a two-day state visit to Kenya, reaffirmed Malaysia’s dedication to elevating the dignity of Islam through initiatives that emphasise education, da’wah, and dialogue.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pledged to foster closer relations with Muslims in Kenya to advance da’wah and education, in a move that underscored his country’s commitment to strengthening religious and cultural ties with the country’s Muslim community.
Meeting the leadership of Jamia Mosque Committee, Nairobi, on Monday, November 24, the Prime Minister who was on a two-day state visit to Kenya, reaffirmed Malaysia’s dedication to elevating the dignity of Islam through initiatives that emphasise education, da’wah, and dialogue between civilizations, noting that such programmes have the potential to enhance the Islamic values of compassion and tolerance, which are central to Islamic teachings.
"In this context, I also emphasise the importance of education, responsible da'wah, inter-civilizational dialogue, and close cooperation with the Muslim community in Kenya," he said.
He stressed that cooperation with Kenya’s Muslim community is vital to fostering mutual understanding and strengthening social harmony.
The Prime Minister hailed the meeting with Jamia Mosque officials, saying that it provided an opportunity to exchange views on efforts to strengthen institutions and build a morally upright and capable society.
Anwar expressed his commitment to support Da’wah activities, saying his country will endeavor to print and publish the Holy Quran in various languages—including Kiswahili—making the holy text more accessible to diverse communities worldwide.
The meeting, held at the Villa Rosa Kempiski hotel in Nairobi, provided a platform for exchanging views on the development of the ummah, focusing on education, da’wah, and institutional growth.
Leaders of the Jamia Mosque welcomed Malaysia’s initiatives, noting that such cooperation strengthens the foundations of faith while supporting the broader development of society.
The meeting was also attended by Salim Mvurya, Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports.
During his visit, the Prime Minister commended Kenya’s robust commitment to poverty reduction and affordable housing, calling the country’s efforts a display of remarkable leadership.
Speaking on Sunday during a state banquet hosted by President William Samoei Ruto, Anwar said Malaysia will share its expertise to help Kenya’s economic and social development so it can make further progress in economic development.
“This visit opens vital space to reinforce the longstanding friendship between our nations while exploring new investment opportunities and strategic cooperation that will deliver real benefits to the peoples of both Malaysia and Kenya.”
Anwar praised President Ruto for the affordable housing programme stating that it underscores the president’s determination to advance the country’s development agenda. “One aspect that is exciting for me, because like you, I am very passionate about poverty alleviation and housing for the poor, when I learnt that there is an ambitious programme of 150,000 units of affordable housing, this exemplifies the spirit of remarkable leadership,” he said.
The Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim with President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi
Speaking during the banquet, President Ruto said Kenya draws inspiration from Malaysia’s transformation. “We draw profound inspiration from Malaysia's remarkable transformation. A nation that chose bold ambitions over the comfort of ordinary and rejected mediocrity in favour of excellence,” he said.
“This is a clear and practical path to help Kenya become a first-world economy that lifts our people from poverty and creates wealth for shared prosperity,” President Ruto added.
The Prime Minister delivered the keynote address at the Malaysia-Africa Higher Education Forum, where he gave insightful remarks to education stakeholders drawn from Kenya, Somalia, and Malaysia on the
transformative role of artificial intelligence, strategic investment in digital
technology, and the advancement of education systems.
Later, he engaged with the delegation at the Malaysia–Kenya High-Level Business Forum, strengthening dialogue on trade, investment, and innovation partnerships.
The Prime Minister also engaged the alumni of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP)-a short-term training programme under the Malaysian government offered to developing countries around the world, including Kenya.
The programme was introduced in 1980 as Malaysia's commitment to sharing development experiences with developing countries.
Under this programme, Malaysia offers various short-term training courses, scholarships, and capacity building programmes in fields such as public administration, education, technology, economics, and social management.
To date, more than 600 people in the country have benefited from the programme.
Over the years, the relationship between Malaysia and Kenya have been steadily expanding across trade, education, science, technology, and investment.