President Uhuru Kenyatta with his Tanzanian counterpart John Magufuli.[Photo/PSCU]
Kenya’s exports to Tanzania in the 10 months to October have plunged to a 10-year low.
The decline comes in the wake of unresolved trade spats between the two countries.
Exports to Tanzania stood at Sh23.38 billion, down from Sh28.86 billion in the same period a year earlier which translates to a 18.9 per cent drop.
This is the lowest exports since 2007 and suggests that trade between Kenya and Tanzania has not been lifted by the 2010 formation the East African Community (EAC), which was expected to boost commerce between the six-member countries.
Over the last few months, there have been simmering trade tensions and suspicions between the two countries over tariff and non-tariff barriers.
In return, it has hurt business between the countries over the years.
The coming into force of the EAC Common Market Protocol on July 1, 2010 saw export volumes to Tanzania rise to a record Sh38.23 billion in the 10-month review period in 2012.