Nairobi, Jan. 31 -- Kenya's President William Ruto is beating the drums for an early partial Eurobond payment again just a month after the government missed its self-imposed target for doing so by December last year.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Italy-Africa Summit in Rome on Tuesday, Dr Ruto said the government had received the green light from its lead managers -- Citi Bank and Standard Bank -- to effect the buyback within the first quarter of this year before making consideration for a new Eurobond issuance.

"What they have recommended is we do a buyback in February, March, and then we go to the market. Thank God we were right. In fact, the markets have opened for Kenya, as it has for most other countries," the President was quot...