Kenyan businessmen and importers are counting losses at the Tanzania and Malawi border following a directive from the government of Tanzania to bar transit vehicles from Malawi into the country.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, January 16, truck drivers at the Malawi- Tanzania border lamented that they fear they will lose their livelihoods because of the directive.
The trucks have been stuck at the Tanzania border for more than two weeks.
Because they are not able to transport cargo through to Kenya, their bosses and importers are forced to either abandon the cargo or incur cost of maintaining the containers at the border.
Some of the cargo, added the businessmen, will not get to clients on time or at all, translating to huge losses for the investors and importers.
“The cargo that has been blocked at Nakonde at the Malawi border, should not be blocked there because we know transit law,” Kamau Wanyeri, Clearing Agent at the border stated.
Also Read: Kenya Bows to Pressure After Tanzania’s Threat to Ban Flights
Kenyan Truck Drivers Ultimatum to Tanzania
Because the authorities have failed to come up with a quick solution to the problem, the businessmen at the border and the truck drivers have vowed to block Tanzanian vehicles in Kenya.
According to the truck drivers, if their trucks are not released, they will not allow Tanzanian trucks through the Kenyan boarder.
“By tomorrow 2:00pm, if the government will not have released our vehicles, then we will not allow your vehicles to get into Tanzania.
“There is no Tanzanian vehicle that will be allowed to leave the Namanga border,” Wanyeri stated.
Also, they asked the Tanzanian and Malawian government to resolve their diplomatic matters without affecting Kenyan businesses.
Also Read: Tanzania Bans Kenya Airways Flights After Govt Decision
“The diplomatic row between Malawi and Tanzania, they should resolve it on their own. I do not see where Kenya is coming in on this diplomatic war,” Kenya International Flight Forwarding Representative in Namanga Alex Seita stated.
Diplomatic Row Between Malawi and Tanzania
The diplomatic row between Tanzania and Malawi began in December 2023, when Malawi banned the import of unmilled maize from Kenya and Tanzania.
Malawi was concerned about the spread of maize lethal necrosis disease which could wipe out the staple food, while the country was already suffering from food shortages.
Subsequently, Tanzania has decided to hit back at Malawi, stopping operations at the border and banning the transit vehicles from getting into the country.
The ministry of agriculture in Malawi noted that the disease has no treatment and can cause up to 100% yield loss, allowing the importation of maize only after it is milled, either as flour or grit.
