A KENYAN FERRIES AN ASSORTMENT OF COOKING GAS CYLINDERS, FEBRUARY 21, 2016. FILE PHOTO | NMG
The current trade war between Tanzania
and Kenya is not helpful and certainly does not bode well for the unity
of the East African Community.
The row has seen Kenya
block cooking gas and wheat imports from Tanzania, while Dar es Salam
has blocked Kenyan milk and tyres from entering its territory.
While
each country has had some reason for taking the drastic moves, overt
protectionism is likely to end up being a lose-lose situation.
Many
citizens of EAC benefit from regional trade and there are a lot more
benefits from having open borders within the region than there would be
when individual countries restrict trade.
The spat
could lead to loss of many jobs and a source of livelihoods for many,
when markets are closed. The concerns that the two countries have such
as what Kenya has in regard to safety risks in regard to importation of
gas should be resolved diplomatically.
The relevant agencies between the two countries can quietly reach out to address the concerns and resolve the problem amicably.
Tanzania
can endeavour to do the same so that the issues are not seen as an
all-out trade or even political conflicts, which is unlikely to have any
positive effects.
Essentially, the solution is for the two countries to
come together and negotiate in good faith, for the good of their
citizens.
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