Cross-border traders irked by high Covid-19 test costs

  

Women entrepreneurs at one of their past meetings. PHOTO|FILE

By Zephania Ubwani

More by this Author

Arusha. Charges on Covid-19 tests remain high for the poor women traders along the Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) common border.

They told a team of business organisations from the region that visited the area on Monday that the fees were impacting their businesses.

‘Reduction of the test charges at the borders would enable women traders across the borders to have enough cargo to run their businesses,” said Ms Kitumaini Bagula Esperance, one of their leaders.

She said currently, the Covid-19 test is $30 per day and for each time that traders cross into Burundi, and $5 for Burundi cross border traders entering DRC.

Other challenges the traders face include physical verification of goods. According to her, this causes delays, thus increasing the cost of doing business.

The Covid-19 test charges at the Bujumbura airport are $100, and this is blamed for delays to passengers using the facility. Pleas have been made to reduce them to $50 per passenger

Ms Esperance raised the women traders’ concerns during the visit to the Katumba-Kavivira border between the two countries by officials from the East African Business Council (EABC).

Others were from the Association of Burundi Traders (ACOBU). They were there to assess the free movement of goods, services and people.

It emerged that although the Katumba-Kavivira was a vibrant route for cross border trade, it has been highly impacted by Covid-19 pandemic.

Additionally, the area has been subjected to flooding along the Rusizi river which forms the Burundi/DRC border and water rise in Lake Tanganyika.

Speaking during the visit, EABC executive director John Bosco Kalisa said Burundi has a high potential for trade and investments.

He commended efforts underway to upgrade the facilities at the Bujumbura port, saying it would increase the volume of cargo.

The EABC boss was informed of plans to construct an industrial park at the port on Lake Tanganyika which, he said, was attractive for tourism.

“Lake Tanganyika has a great potential to economically transform and interlink the East African Community (EAC) region to other regional economic communities and markets”, he said.

Besides addressing Covid-19-related challenges, EABC and ACUBO are urging the governments of Burundi and DRC to champion simplified trade regimes for women traders, and for digitalisation.