Rwanda President blames Uganda, Kenya for long cargo delays

KIGALI, Rwanda

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has said that neighbouring countries Kenya and Uganda must be blamed for the delay in imported goods.

Kagame explained that this is because of the mandatory testing of truck drivers for COVID-19

His comments are coming following the long delays for road cargo since the drivers are tested at the Kenyan and Ugandan border authorities before they are allowed passage.

President Kagame described the delay as unfair saying that “coronavirus is killing people, business and even relationships.”

Rwanda is a landlocked country and imported products either travel through a northern corridor from Kenyan port city Mombasa, or a route further south from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

However, President Kagame failed to mention how Rwanda was the first country in the sub-region to close its borders when they recorded some COVID-19 cases.

This disrupted the cargo transport to Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kagame’s comments could create tension within the East African Community. This is a time when the regional bloc needs to unite to cope with the economic impact of the pandemic.