The Kenya-Tanzania relationship seem to be getting messy with each day that passes. After auctioning cows from Kenya, the Tanzanian government is again on the bad side of Kenyans and this time for forging a trade alliance with Kenya that has been deemed as “unacceptable”
This is according to Trade Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya who has been angered and infuriated by the trade terms the Tanzanian government has been imposing on the Kenyan government.
This is following a fresh row, after Tanzania prevented some Kenyan products into their market even after meeting all the set out requirements.
CS Munya who was speaking when he announced a regional SME exhibition to be held in Eldoret next week, said that he hopes that the matter will be addressed at the East Africa Community Heads of State Summit.
In July 2017, Kenya and Tanzania agreed to remove trade restrictions on several products from either country following successful talks between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Tanzanian counterpart John Magufuli.
The then Foreign Affairs minister Ambassador Amina Mohamed and Tanzania’s Augustine Mahiga made the announcement after Kenya agreed to lift import restrictions on wheat flour and liquefied petroleum gas from Tanzania.
On the other hand, Tanzania agreed to lift trade restrictions on milk, milk products and cigarettes manufactured in Kenya.
The two neighbouring nations also agreed to lift “any other restrictions that affect products and services exchanged between the two countries.
The Kenya – Tanzania trade and border wrangles might soon explode into a major diplomatic row given the continuous breach of agreements between the two nations.
President Magufuli’s decision to skip the Blue Economy Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya has further fueled speculations that the relationship between Kenya and Tanzania is not all that rosy as it used to be during the days of Benjamin Mkapa and Jakaya Kikwete.
Many have seen the President’s decision to skip the conference as a result of the rather lukewarm diplomatic relationships between Kenya and Tanzania.
Do you think it is time Kenya reviewed it’s relationship with Tanzania?