This archive report was first published on 18 July 2020.
On July 17, 2020, Health Cabinet Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman assured traders in Busia that the government would not adversely affect their trade despite the surge in Covid-19 cases.
Dr. Aman attributed the increase in cases to the huge traffic snarl-ups caused by truck drivers who queue to deliver goods on either side of the boundary.
He emphasized that the country had reached the stage of community transmission and urged people to observe the stipulated health protocols.
As part of efforts to combat the pandemic, the European Union, in partnership with Trademark East Africa, donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) worth Sh552 million to various stakeholders at the border.
The consignment included safety boots, reusable masks, infrared thermoguns, reusable face masks, hand sanitisers, and gloves.
However, cross-border small-scale traders raised concerns that Covid-19 had caused them huge losses and adversely affected their livelihoods.
Ms. Mariam Babu, the chairlady of the Busia Cross-Border Cooperative, stated that the banning of border trade had adversely affected over 7,000 traders, mostly women.
