Market News

Lobby wants restrictions at Kenya-Tanzania border lifted

truck

Trucks parked at the border town of Namanga. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The East African Business Council (EABC) has petitioned Kenya and Tanzania to lift restrictions on movement across their shared border points at Taveta-Hoili and Isebania-Sirare, citing suppressed business.

Chief executive Peter Mathuki said only truck drivers and individuals with emergency health conditions are presently allowed through the border points, hurting traders who rely on cross-border dealings.

“There is an urgent need for the re-opening of border posts, which are currently not allowing movement of persons. This will also see a resumption of the existing Ujirani Mwema markets in both Kenya and Tanzania and, in turn, reboot cross border trade,” he said during a meeting with the Taveta-Holili Joint Border Management Committee.

As of December 2019, official statistics showed that 27,960 people crossed the Hoili-Taveta border from either side, but that dropped to 1,620 as of June of this year. The figures further show that before the onset of the Covid-19, an average 100-150 trucks were cleared through the same border post each day. The figures have now dropped to an average of 30-50 trucks a day.

Kenya and Tanzania are key trade partners. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data shows that Kenyan imports from Tanzania between March-August 2019 stood at Sh16.35 billion while in March 2020 to August 2020 it dipped to Sh11.13 billion.

On the other hand, Kenya’s exports to Tanzania (March 2019 to August 2019) totalled Sh16.49 billion while in March 2020 to August 2020, exports stood at Sh14.68 billion.