Trucks line up at the Busia border after Kenyans protested maize ban. PHOTO/DAVID AWORI
By David Awori
Traders and clearing agents in Busia Township, Kenya, on Tuesday blocked the border for several hours as they protested the continued ban on the importation of maize from Uganda.
The closure caused a
long queue of trucks on either side of the border, with drivers spending
hours waiting to cross into their respective destination countries.
Kenya
early this month banned the importation of maize from Uganda and
Tanzania on grounds that it contained aflatoxins and the continued
importation and consumption was putting the lives of their nationals at
risk of cancer and other illness.
Mr Elijah Okendo, one of the traders, said many traders had tonnes of their cereal blocked on the Ugandan side.
“We
have been engaging our government to allow us ferry the stock of maize
which we had bought, but close to three weeks, the ban is yet to be
lifted,” Mr Okendo said, adding that he and several of his colleagues
risked huge losses because they have invested huge amounts of money in
the business, most of which was borrowed from banks.
In addition
to the traders’ woes, clearing agents are accusing the Kenyan police of
arresting their clients and subjecting them to huge fines.
Mr Dickson
Odhiambo, one of the clearing agents at the border, said Kenyan police
officials have impounded goods cleared at the border and in the process,
arrested clearing agents and imposed hefty fines before securing their
release.
Mr John Michael Amodoi, one of the clearing agents on the
Ugandan side, said since Tuesday morning, they are yet to receive
papers ordering for transactions on imports and exports to Kenya because
of the strike.
“The Kenyan clearing agents have refused to hand over
transaction papers to us, causing a stalemate in the clearing process,”
Mr Amodoi said.
By Tuesday afternoon, the Kenyan authorities had
held two crisis meetings at the immigration boardroom at the border and
another was to be held at the county commissioner’s office to convince
the striking traders and clearing agents to end the impasse.
Mr Joseph Kipngeno, the head of the border police, together with officials from Kenya Revenue Authority, met the traders and clearing agents, and urged them to call off the strike, promising to sort out their grievances.
Credit to Daily Monitor.
