MPs in Dodoma, Nairobi to resolve 18 issues not addressed in Mombasa talks
Tuesday October 05 2021
Milk processing factory in Kenya. Milk export is among sources of the trade dispute between Kenya and Tanzania. PHOTO | FILE
Kenya and Tanzania will now bank on their parliaments to clear pending issues that have been triggering trade disputes.
Officials from the two countries, in a closed-door meeting in Mombasa on September 24, failed to strike a deal on 18 issues, which they said required the intervention of legislators.
In May, presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and Samia Suluhu of Tanzania agreed to remove trade barriers between the two countries through continuous bilateral engagements.
“When we met in May, we identified 64 issues and solved 30,” said Johnson Weru, Kenya’s Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprises Development.
The talks identified work permits, Customs Union levies, excise duty charged on exports and levies charged on trucks as some of the issues to be discussed.
Tanzania urged Kenya to fast track issuing of work permits to its professionals.
“The issue of the work permits is on the Kenyan side this time round. It is Kenya being accused of dragging its feet,” said Mr Weru.
The meeting was co-chaired by Mr Weru and his Tanzanian counterpart Doto M. James.
Issues that require legislators’ intervention, Mr Were said, were levies on items that are linked to national budgets.
Other issues that both parliaments will have to address by this December are work permits fees, taxes on milk, soft drinks and coffee; inspection fees for trucks from Tanzania and single Customs entry.
Customs and movement of people, the agreement on the application of sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures and maize exports were also on the agenda.
“The SPS standards is an issue that requires bringing parties responsible for public health together. Regulatory bodies have met and it is now upon us to ensure matters to do with SPS do not recur again,” said Mr Weru.
While Kenya wants its coffee allowed into Tanzania, the Tanzania Coffee Board has been charging one percent of the invoice value.
Among the issues that were presented by Tanzania and solved during the meeting were the introduction of single Customs entry which increases the cost of doing business, and increased inspection fees for trucks from Tanzania.