The government of Uganda has committed to conducting free COVID 19 rapid tests at the Kenya-Uganda border points of Busia and Malabar for seven days to clear the truck traffic snarl up that has disrupted intra-East African Community trade on the Northern Transit corridor.
The development follows a joint multi multi sectoral virtual meeting of the ministers /cabinet secretaries responsible for the EAC affairs, health and transport convened by the EAC Secrétariat.
The decision also follows a truck pile up in Busia and Malabar border entry points due to the mandatory COVID 19 testing require introduced by Uganda on December 20, 2021.
Andrew Musiime, a director at the ministry of East African Community Affairs said the meeting had decided that
"all truck drivers crossing through Malaba and Busia be tested for COVID-19 Using the antigen test on the Ugandan side at the cost of the Ugandan Government for the next seven days, to clear the backlog of trucks."
The meeting also decided that there was need to revert to the existing protocols after the clearance of the backlog of trucks. Earlier on, the Ugandan Government had agreed to clear all truck drivers and their accompanying staff that show proof of PCR testing obtained in the last 72 hours form a recognized laboratory within the East African région. A January 6, 2022 letter signed by Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the director general of health services, indicates that the measures were decided on in an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja.
Drivers from the East African région have parked their vehicles at Malaba and Busia boarder points, protesting COVID-19 testing fees and repeated tests. They claim Uganda was the only country charging for the service at $30(sh.106,000). The drivers say the government of Uganda did not clarify on the major issue of testing charges. The drivers from Kenya and EAC rejected being subjected to another COVID test at the border and demanded a 14day period before they are asked to conduct another test.
The Drivers also noted that Kenya tests them upon leaving Mombasa for free and that they will not accept another test before the expiry of 14days. A statement released by the EAC Secrétariat said the meeting noted that the decision by Uganda to test drivers was a deviation from the 14days COVID-19 testing period, previously agreed at the regional level and monitored through the Regional Electronic Cargo and Drivers Tracking System(RECDTS)
