East African Community member states will now have their truck drivers tested before they start their journey.
This part of the protocols the leaders have agreed on to ease clearance at the borders, where they must be tested for coronavirus.
“As members of the EAC, we believe that these discussions and arrangements we have within the EAC will facilitate the testing of drivers in an efficient way while at the same time not impeding the flow of trucks and cargo across the borders,” Health CAS Rashid Aman said on Thursday.
This comes shortly after Uganda and South Sudan’s decisions to deport a Tanzanian and Kenyan nationals who tested positive for Covid-19 strained relations among the EAC states.
The repatriations are against the World Health Organization’s guidelines on how to handle pandemics such as Covid-19.
Last week, five Kenyan drivers tested positive in Uganda. Three had entered the country through Malaba and two through the Busia border point.
Consequently, Uganda announced trucks coming into the country would stop at the border and be driven by Ugandan drivers to their destination or the next border point.
Kenyan truck drivers and transport companies have protested against this directive.
“A male Kenyan truck driver, aged 27, was found positive among the 372 truck drivers tested yesterday. His sample was also collected at Malaba entry point. Arrangements are being made to return him to Kenya for treatment close to his family,” Uganda’s Director General of Health Services Dr Henry Mwebesa said in a statement on April 20.
UGANDA’S U-TURN
Following public uproar from Kenyans and Tanzanians, however, Uganda denied it was planing to send back the truck drivers.
Health minister Jane Aceng on Tuesday said the country had not repatriated the 14 truck drivers who tested positive, following an online uproar from section of Kenyans and Tanzanians.
Aceng denied any knowledge of sending the drivers back but instead said that they were isolating and treating them at their health facilities.
“So far, we have 23 positive truck drivers. Out of these, one Tanzanian truck driver was officially repatriated. 13 truck drivers, both Kenyan and Tanzanian exited Uganda on their own,” she tweeted.
Indicating the situation had escalated to the highest levels, Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame had a phone conversation on the matter on Wednesday.
“I had a very long discussion with H.E Uhuru Kenyatta and H.E @PaulKagame regarding truck drivers. I also talked to H.E @MagufuliJP on a slightly different subject. However, President Kenyatta and President Kagame agreed that we can have a common plan for truck drivers,” Museveni tweeted.
I had a very long discussion with H.E Uhuru Kenyatta and H.E @PaulKagame regarding truck drivers. I also talked to H.E @MagufuliJP on a slightly different subject. However, President Kenyatta and President Kagame agreed that we can have a common plan for truck drivers. pic.twitter.com/bbZRs0wAcy
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) April 29, 2020
