End the costly Kenya, Tanzania trade rows – Business Daily
Kenyan President William Ruto with his host President Samia Suluhu Hassan at State House Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on October 10, 2022. PHOTO | IKULU
The renewed focus on closer trade ties between Kenya and Tanzania must bring an end to the perennial economic disputes between the two neighbouring countries.
The move followed a bilateral meeting between President William Ruto and his Tanzanian counterpart, Samia Suluhu, where contentious trade issues were addressed.
While we welcome the development, we aver that the stalemates between the two countries are entirely avoidable and should not have been allowed to fester for so long.
The ramifications of the trade disputes have been felt far and wide. Given that Tanzania has been Kenya’s second-largest market in the region, the cost of the standoffs have been huge, leading to losses, business closures and job cuts.
When the East African Community member states entered into the common market protocol in 2009, the main goal was to ease trade in the region.
But we still have member states running their respective trades as distinct and separate units. Hurdles include customs regulations that have seen some countries operate on their own thereby restricting the flow of goods.
