Kenyan fish exporters to DR Congo want President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and recover fish worth about Sh40 million they say was confiscated in Uganda.
The over 300 tonnes of salty water fish was on transit to the DRC, its main market in East and Central Africa.
The traders, who met the deputy director in charge of fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture Titus Kilonzi on Wednesday, said there was a need for Kenyan authorities to intervene and put an end to harassment they are subjected to in Uganda as they export their product to DRC.
They said the Ugandan government has remained silent on the matter despite their efforts to recover the confiscated dry fish that originates from Lake Turkana.
As a result, the traders said fish meant for export to the Central African country is still stuck at the Busia border.
The exporters said traders now fear to transport their export consignment to DRC for fear of being harassed by Ugandan authorities.
They also said most exporters fear losing their fish exports to Ugandan authorities.
The harassment happens despite them having met all export requirements, they said.
“Last year we attended a cross-border unit meeting. At the meeting, there were representatives from over seven countries including Uganda. We were told we are free to export our fish anywhere in the world. Why are we not able to export to DRC through Uganda?” Jackline Ageno one of the affected exporters asked.
She said the Kenyan economy may lose a lot in revenue due to a decline in fish exports resulting from restrictive regulations imposed by Uganda on Kenyan exporters.
Ageno wondered why Uganda has continued to impose preventive policies on Kenyan fish exporters yet Ugandan exporters of the same product freely access Mombasa port through Busia and Malaba border posts before ferrying their fish to Europe.
She called on the President to intervene and engage his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Some of the fish the exporters claim was confiscated in Uganda has already been sold by unknown Ugandan officials.
Patricia Achieng said fish meant for export to the DRC is rotting at Busia border as traders fear to ferry the produce to the market because they feel it may be confiscated.
“If the government can avail a plane to fly the fish to DRC we will be happy because we fear passing though Uganda by road,” she said, adding that, “The President should come and help us.”
Busia County Agriculture chief executive Moses Osiya said the solution to issues of Kenyan fish exports getting confiscated in Uganda coupled with harassment of exporters is just a phone call away.
Osiya called on the government to intervene and secure more markets for Kenyan salty water fish exporters other than rely on one market.
“This business of Kenyan fish being impounded and our people getting mistreated while on their way to the market does not only require the intervention of the authorities in Busia. It also requires the intervention of the authorities in Nairobi,” Osiya said.
“This is a huge burden to our exporters. You can imagine losing goods worth Sh40 million. That is a lot of money.”
“This problem should be given the urgency it deserves and a lasting solution found,” he said.
In response, however, Kilonzi said the government is aware of the challenges Kenyan salty water fish exporters go through in Uganda.
He said the issue is being handled at a higher level.
“We expect to have a solution soon. We are having engagements between our country and Uganda to make sure that Kenyan fish exporters have a smooth journey to their markets,” Kilonzi said.
“Solving this problem is critical to the government because as a government, we would not want our business people to lose because when you lose your fish on your way to the market, you will not be able to bring money to the Kenyan economy. This has a direct negative effect on the economy of our country.”
He wondered why Ugandan fish destined for the European market passes through the border to Mombasa through Nairobi with ease yet fish from Kenyan cannot pass through Uganda to DRC without restrictions.
-Edited by SKanyara
