By Spy Uganda
Kampala: Uganda’s Agriculture Minister Frank K Tumwebaze suggests his country could ban some Kenyan products from its market, in what seems to be the latest chapter of a trade row and cooling relations between the two East African countries.
…to Kenya its 150,000 tonnes still your sugar import demand would remain unmet. So nothing explains the restrictions on Uganda. Shld we also start a board to restrict/give permits to Kenyan margarine & plastics? Yes, we could check on their standards too! #Waugandahawafurahi
— Frank K Tumwebaze,MP : Psalms 124 : 1-8 (@FrankTumwebazek) September 1, 2021
Tumwebaze, in a series of rants via Twitter in which he tagged his Kenyan counterpart Peter Munya, indicated that Ugandans are ‘not happy’ with the way Nairobi was consistently barring Ugandan sugar from its market.
“Wauganda hawafurahii,” he wrote.
Tumwebaze emphasized that Nairobi and Kampala need an ‘honest’ conversation on trade, while even suggesting that Kenyan plastics could be the first to be barred from Kampala.
Munya is yet to directly respond to Tumwebaze via the social media platform, he’s suggested his main priority is to improve sugar production in Kenya.
Hon we need to agree people are taking advantage of our kindness and in the end start disrespecting us. Leaders in the region need to understand we need each other & personal ambitions shouldn't block regional development, that's ideological bankruptcy.#WaUgandaHawafurahi
— Ruhima Jonah (@JonahRuhima) September 1, 2021
This is the second time in less than three months that Kenya and Uganda are locking horns over business-related matters. The other time, Ugandans MPs reacted with fury after Munya first stopped the importation of Ugandan maize, and then imposed strict conditions on the cereals entering Kenya.
And separately, Uganda and Kenya have also clashed over Deputy President William Ruto’s frequent trips to Kampala to meet President Yoweri Museveni.
