Lawmakers of the East African Legislative Assembly on their second day guided tour of the Region’s Community Projects visited the first One Stopper Border Post at Holili Taveta between Kenya and Tanzania. “How busy are Holili and Taveta?” And during their interaction with the Customs Officials of the two partner states, it emerged that Tanzania has 15 metric tons of sugar from Kenya suspected to be coming from Brazil, Malawi, and Mozambique. “Exempted, now is being smuggled into Tanzania from Kenya. So just to give you a nice picture that within 30 days, we have intercepted more than 15 metric tons of this sugar.” Said, Geoffrey Mbibo – Regional Manager, Tanzania Revenue Authority.

Though the protocol signed among member countries of the East African Community allow free movement of goods and services, Tanzania claimed the illegal sugar from Kenya was impacting on their domestic industries. “Illegally imported sugar in Tanzania has negatively impacted our domestic industry and undermines the government’s initiative to increase production of sugar in the region.” However, some lawmakers were concerned at impounding sugar from Kenya could kill the spirit of integration and the free movement of goods and services as enshrined in the protocols of the partner states. “How did you tell that it came from Brazil and not from Kenya?” “We knew that because you know the product through the package. We intercepted some of the smuggled sugar in the warehouse where the smuggler tried to change this sugar using the bag for the company that is located here.” “It was small things that have been circulating clash between the two countries for nothing. If somebody came with 10 bags of sugar from Brazil to this border, it should not be an issue of Kenya-Tanzania.” Said, Noor Mohamed Adan – Kenya Representative. “I experienced a big problem on the Mutukula side when our brothers in Tanzania said even if you are married to a Tanzanian and you are not a Tanzanian you must leave.” Said, Mathias Kasamba – Uganda Representative. “Kenya allows other COMESA members to import sugar freely without import duty. For Tanzania, if you are not a member it’s up to them to import duty.” Said the Kenya Representative.

Kenya recently allowed importation of sugar from Brazil, Uganda among others. But it appears that the imports are smuggled out of Kenya to neighboring countries. “You find somebody has declared that he is bringing in furniture, household goods but when you go and open up the container, you find a brand new Range Rover and several Mercedes Benz.” Said, Daniel Nyambaka – Manager Customs, Kenya Revenue Authority. Kenya produces 650,000 metric tons of sugar against the demand of 860,000 metric tons leaving a deficit of 210,000 metric tons. While Uganda produces about 465,000 metric tons of sugar with a consumption of 320,000 metric tons leaving a surplus of 145,000 metric tons of sugar.