Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has hailed the long and historic ties between Malawi and Kenya and has urged that his two-day state visit should be a springboard for further cooperation.

Kibaki, who will be leaving the presidency in two months time after serving his mandatory two terms, said the visit was a fulfillment of both a personal ambition and a pledge he made to President Joyce Banda.

He arrived in the country through Kamuzu International Airport at around 11.15am aboard a Kenyan airways plane.

He was immediately welcomed by Banda and a guard of honour organised by the Malawi Defence Forces.

“I am very, very happy indeed, everyone of us from Kenya, feel happy. This is a very great honour and great prestige,” said Kibaki at Civic Offices upon been conferred the honorary freedom of the capital city of Lilongwe.

“To give me this great honour is great joy. I am also on my way out of the city life in two-month time. I will retire as president and I will carry this for a long time”.

He said he was glad to be in the country after promising President Banda that he will visit the country during the state funeral of former president Bingu wa Mutharika.

Kibaki narrated his historic connections to Malawi dating back from pre-independence days when he was a student in the United Kingdom.

He said while in London, he joined a group of African students who met founding president Dr Kamuzu Banda to persuade him to return home and lead the fight for independence.

Later, the Kenyan president held talks with Banda behind closed doors at Kamuzu Palace and presided over a business forum.

He is today expected to officially launch a road construction project in the capital city, among other engagements.