The Ugandan government plans to restrict importation of some agricultural products from Kenya.
In a statement, Ugandan officials say they will restrict from its domestic market,
certain raw and processed agricultural products from Kenya in a reciprocal move
that follows Kenya’s continued ban on some of her farm products.
Addressing the media, Uganda’s Minister for East African affairs Rebecca Kadaga has since ordered the agriculture ministry to list down the commodities that will be affected by the ban.
“We have been too patient. In the past, we have not reciprocated, but now we are
going to. This has gone on for too long and within a short time they too will understand what we are going through,” Kadaga said.
On Monday, the Ugandan Cabinet agreed to this nearly two-year proposal, which has often been opposed by President Yoweri Museveni.
The move follows years of trade dispute between the two countries.
In December 2019, Kenya stopped importing Ugandan milk, particularly the Lato brand.
In July 2020, Kenya followed up with a ban on Ugandan sugar, against an earlier agreement to increase Uganda’s sugar exports to Kenya.
Kenya also banned importation of maize from Uganda and Tanzania, noting there had been an acute increase in chronic aflatoxin-related illnesses, some of which have resulted into death.
The ban on maize saw Uganda lose an average of $121m (Shs447b) in annual revenue, according to data from Bank of Uganda.
Uganda exports at least 90 per cent of its maize to Kenya with a cumulative average of 330,620 tonnes.
For instance, between January 2020 and January 2021, Uganda’s maize exports stood at 351,420 tonnes with a monthly average of 50,203 tonnes.
Uganda has been a victim of trade blockades, many of which border on trade barriers and protectionists tendencies.
The blockades, especially by East African member states, which are bound by EAC protocols, have created problems for Uganda’s export sector, losing billions in foreign exchange in the process.