This archive report was first published on 20 May 2020.
On May 20, 2020, Arusha Regional Commissioner Mrisho Gambo issued a statement explaining the recent border tiff with Kenya over the denial of Tanzanian truckers who tested positive for COVID-19 from entering Kenya through the Namanga border.
According to Gambo, on May 12, samples of 44 truck drivers arriving from Kenya sent to the National Health Laboratory Quality Assurance and Training Centre in Dar es Salaam for COVID-19 testing returned 13 positive cases, including 11 cases of Kenyan drivers, a Ugandan, and one case whose nationality was withheld.
On May 16, samples from 23 drivers tested found 10 Kenyans positive of COVID-19 while the rest were negative. Gambo noted that 11 truckers from Kenya were waiting for results of samples taken on May 18.
Mr Gambo claims that the denial of Tanzanian drivers entry into Kenya could be a tactic to kill the tourism industry in Tanzania when the season resumes in June following the decision by Tanzania to re-open its skies.
