This archive report was first published on 23 May 2020.
On Friday, May 22, 2020, Kenya and Tanzania reached an agreement to reopen their borders, ending a tense week marked by a simmering trade dispute occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Travel guidelines and restrictions had rekindled a festering trade war between the two countries, with both imposing sanctions on each other and banning trade in certain goods.
Government officials from both countries, led by Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary James Macharia and Tanzanian Transport Minister Isack Kamwelwe, met in Namanga for the better part of Friday and resolved to facilitate a seamless cross-border movement of goods.
According to a source close to the meeting, both sides were reluctant to cede ground on the procedure for screening truck drivers, but ultimately reached a memorandum of understanding.
CS Macharia emphasized the importance of unity in protecting trade interests and addressing health concerns, stating, “Kenya and Tanzania are trade partners, recording a turnover of more than $500 million (Ksh53 billion) annually. We have reached an agreement that Tanzanian and Kenyan drivers will be subjected to the WHO standard Covid-19 testing in their territories and issued with clearance certificates.”
Mr. Kamwelwe noted the need for seamless transportation of goods, urging citizens to support their governments’ efforts to address the economic disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
East African Business Council Executive Director Peter Mathuki welcomed the diplomatic intervention, stating, “The Namanga one-stop border post remains a strategic entry point for East and Central Africa, but currently we are witnessing an economic disruption. The diplomatic intervention is a positive gesture.”
