Stand-off at the Kenya -Tanzania border over maize imports

Kajiado, Thursday, June 8, 2023

KNA by Rop Janet

Tension is brewing at the Namanga one-stop border post after hundreds of trucks ferrying maize from Tanzania into Kenya were denied clearance over lack of permits.

The over 500 trucks have been stuck at the border for two weeks now with traders counting loses resulting into millions of shillings.

The traders accused the Tanzanian authorities of frustrating them despite having paid levies and acquiring the right import permits.

They vowed to paralyze business at the border if their concerns were not addressed urgently.

According to Alex Seita, Chairman Border Clearing Agents, no maize from Tanzania is currently being cleared for entry into the country.

Seita said the Tanzanian authorities were frustrating Kenyan maize traders and urged the government to intervene immediately to avoid further losses.

“I urge the Ministry of Trade and East African Community to intervene immediately and resolve the standoff. Maize traders are incurring millions of losses daily as the trucks have been denied clearance at the border.” He said.

Seita warned that clearing agents will not clear any goods at the border if the standoff will not be addressed immediately.

Kamau Wanyeri, a trader reiterated that maize traders were incurring losses and urged the government to come to their rescue.

Wanyeri said some of the traders had hired the trucks to ferry the maize and they are forced to pay more for the extra days they are stuck at the border.

Paul Murigi, another maize trader said he has incurred heavy losses after his trucks were denied entry into the country.

Murigi said despite having the right permits the Tanzanian authorities at the Namanga border post denied them entry claiming that the permits had expired.

“We have spent millions buying maize in Tanzania but once we reached the border the Tanzanian authorities denied us entry into Kenya saying that we don’t have the right permits.” He claimed.

Samuel Mwaura, a truck driver lamented that he has been stuck at the border now for two weeks after he was denied entry at the border.

Mwaura said some of the maize was now going bad as it had not dried properly resulting in losses amounting to millions of shillings.

Courtesy ; K. N. A