CROSS border traders and political leaders in East Africa have once again raised their voice against double payment for Covid 19 tests.
They said the trend had become a menace and urged the East African Community, (EAC) partner states to harmonize the system so that at one test is applicable in all countries.
The minister for Industries and Trade Prof. Kitila Mkumbo wondered why some sister countries in the bloc have failed to recognise Covid 19 test certificates issued by a sister country in the bloc.
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"If some body has been tested and charged in Uganda why should he or she be subjected to other Covid 19 charges," he asked as he graced the opening of the EAC fair for small and medium enterprises SMEs in Mwanza on Sunday.
The minister said he would bring up the matter during the EAC ministerial meetings that will also involve the health ministries and medical authorities, among others.
Prof Mkumbo said harmonization of the charges among the six partner states would assist in addressing the border hurdles which have perennially inhibited the free flow of trade in the region.
"We are all determined to remove the trade barriers. Yet we now have Covid 19 charges each time you cross an EAC border. These charges are unnecessary," he pointed out.
The issue of double or triple charges for the virus tests was first raised by Josephat Rweyemamu, the chairman of Confederation of Micro and Small Enterprises East Africa CMSE EA.
He said the charges should be entirely scrapped because they have become counter productive for the smooth flow of businesses in the region.
His remarks were echoed by EAC secretary general Peter Mathuki who implored on the member countries in the bloc to collaborate on the issue.
"We have time and again dealt with the matter. If one is tested in Kenya there should be no testing in Tanzania," he told hundreds of exhibitors at the Rock City grounds where the fair is taking place.
A total of 1,270 micro, small and medium enterprises from Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan are attending the ten day fair which started on December 2nd.
Tanzania, the host country, has the largest number (485) of participants being the different levels of SMEs,private companies, utilities, parastatal organisations and government agencies and departments.
It is followed by Kenya which has a total of 302 participants many of them enterprises conspicuous for their baskets and woven artiefacts on display and also being sold
Burundi has 302 enterprises, Rwanda 95 and South Sudan 31.The rest of the firms came from Uganda whose small business firms apparently occupied many exhibition pavilions in competition with Tanzania and Kenya.
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