A Ugandan minister has criticized what he called unnecessary trade restrictions by Kenya on his country’s export of sugar to its East African neighbours, APA can report from Kampala on Thursday
Minister of Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze in a tweet directed at his Kenyan counterpart, Peter Munya complained that nothing explains these restrictions on Ugandan imports of the product when Kenya’s demand for the commodity is unmet at 150, 000 tonnes.
Tumwebaze said Uganda is from from happy about the attitude of the Kenya sugar board which he described as a trade police.
“Should we also start a board to restrict/give permits to Kenyan margarine and plastics? Yes we could check on their standards too” he tweeted.
The minister made a swipe at the East African Community for not being strong enough to discourage trade restrictions that fly in the face of its drive to integrate economies in the region.
The EAC and Tumwebaze’s Kenyan counterpart have not reacted to the minister’s tweet.
Kenya last month announced it was reducing the quota of sugar imports from Uganda, citing concerns by its own local producers about the origins of the commodity.
WN/as/APA