Magufuli, Kenyatta discuss border closures by phone
Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli said on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 that he has spoken to his Kenyan counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta on phone over the ongoing border closures.
Speaking when he made a stop at Singida while on his way from his Chato hometown to Dodoma, Dr Magufuli said he reached an agreement with Mr Kenyatta that the two countries’ Transport ministers and Regional Commissioners (RC) to immediately meet and iron out their differences.
In Tanzania, the meeting will involve the Works, Transport and Communications minister Isack Kamwelwe, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Planning Dotto James as well as RCs for Mwanza, Mara, Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Tanga. The five regions share borders with Tanzania.
“After speaking amicably with Honarable Kenyatta, this problem is now done. Leaders must sit down, within one week and find a lasting solution so that people can start doing business,” said President Magufuli.
He said Mr Kenyatta first phoned him the previous day while he was in Chato. The two also spoke to each other earlier on Wednesday.
“Our discussion was based on the ongoing disputes in borders. Kenyans are our relatives. We have Maasai’s in Kenya and in Tanzania. We have Jaluos in Kenya and in Tanzania. We have the Kuryas of Kenya and those of Tanzania among others. Covid-19 should not be source of misunderstandings between our two countries,” said President Magufuli.
He said there was no way that every driver could have Covid-19 whenever he crosses the border to the other country.
“These are small issues that need immediate redress so that Tanzanians and Kenyans can do business…I am told that Kenyan vehicles have been stranded at the border. Similarly, there are vehicles from Tanzania that have been stranded at the border. This is not fair,” he said.
He called upon the leaders to stop dealing with serious issues with emotions.
“Leaders should not be emotional when working on these issues. They should put Tanzania and Kenya ahead of their emotions. They should consider economies of our countries…Covid-19 did not start in Africa. It will make no sense for members of the East African Community (EAC) to get a virus that will prevent us from doing business,” he said.
He reiterated that he decided not to announce a lockdown because Tanzania’s economy was more important than any other thing.
Though the problem was not yet over, said President Magufuli, the Covid-19 cases have dropped significantly in Tanzania.
“I am told that in Singida’s three centres, there are only three patients who are all in stable conditions. They have not tested negative yet but they are all in very stable conditions,” he said, calling upon residents to continue adhering to all precautionary measures as advised by experts.
He asked for patience from drivers as leaders from the two governments work on their common challenge. “We want Kenyans to come and buy onions from Singida. We want soap from Kenya to be sold here. Your sunflower cooking oil and milk should also find a market in Kenya,” he said.
Things have been unusual in borders between Tanzania and Kenya since the latter closed its borders with Somalia and Tanzania on Saturday, May 16, 2020 because of increased cross-border infections of the coronavirus.
Since then, regional commissioners for Mara, Tanga, Kilimanjaro and Arusha have also announced some retaliatory measures against Kenyan drivers, bringing business to a standstill.
