This archive report was first published on 21 May 2020.
On Thursday, May 21, 2020, Tanzania's President John Maghufuli announced that he had spoken to President Uhuru Kenyatta and the two leaders had agreed to resolve the ongoing border dispute between the two countries.
According to Maghufuli, the two leaders had agreed to trade with each other without hurdles, and their ministers would resolve the border problems.
Maghufuli's statement comes after Tanzania announced a ban on Kenyan truck drivers entering its territory on Monday, accusing Nairobi of sabotaging its battle on Covid-19.
The ban was in response to President Kenyatta's Saturday directive on mandatory coronavirus screening for drivers at border points.
Tanga Regional Commissioner Martin Shigella had accused Kenyans of spreading the disease in Tanzania and said that closing the border was aimed at stopping coronavirus infections.
However, Tanzanian Health minister Ummy Mwalimu later clarified that Kenyan lorry drivers would be allowed in as long as they obeyed the anti-coronavirus measures.
It now emerges that ODM leader Raila Odinga played a key role in bringing Kenyatta and Maghufuli together, with claims that he may be flying to Tanzania over the weekend to Maghufuli's residence in Chato.
