The Council of Ministers of the East African Community (EAC) Friday said Kenya and Uganda have reached an agreement to conduct testing for Covid-19 using the same antigen test to reduce the backlog of trucks.
Seeing is believing? Sometimes no. Just drove nearly 72km from Sango, Webuye, Kenya, to Malaba border. It’s the longest truck queue in the world. Unbelievable! Cos of Covid test-induced backlog for truckers entering Uganda. Only a satellite can take a picture of this👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿
— Charles Onyango-Obbo (@cobbo3) January 14, 2022
https://twitter.com/_awori/status/1482303444274888704?s=20
The transport gridlock of hundreds of trucks stretching 45km from Malaba border in Busia has now reached Bukembe in Bungoma. Makes one wonder what the East African Community is all about. Can the leaders resolve the cause of this economic disaster @KagutaMuseveni @StateHouseKenya pic.twitter.com/mDex8x745w
— David Makali (@davidmakali1) January 8, 2022
A statement issued by the EAC following a joint multi-sectoral virtual meeting of the ministers responsible for the community’s affairs, health and transport convened by the secretariat.
The development is different from the 14 days Covid-q9 testing period that had been agreed upon at the regional level and monitored through the Regional Electronic Cargo and Drivers Tracking System (RECDTS) launched in 2020.
The RECDTS system shares truck driver’s information leveraging on that which is managed and operated by Revenue Authorities in the region, and the existing health information systems in the Partner States.
The system is supported by four (4) Command Operating Centres (COCs) located in four locations at designated national Revenue authorities in Kenya, Uganda, DRC and Rwanda, with one additional COC at the Nimule border post for the Republic of South Sudan.
“This will mitigate the impact on the movement of goods, persons, workers and services across the region,” said Adan Mohamed, Chair of the EAC Council of Ministers and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of EAC and Regional Development.
The Council of Mnisters of the East African Community have resolved that The Republic of Uganda and the Republic of Kenya will henceforth conduct testing for Covid 19 using the antigen test on both sides of the Kenya-Uganda border to reduce the backlog of trucks .
— Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga (@RebeccaKadagaUG) January 14, 2022
The meeting noted that clearing the queue required a significant increase in testing capacity if the one-week target is to be achieved.
The two countries also agreed to increase the number of health officers at Busia and Malaba borders to urgently clear the trucks backlog at the two border posts. For instance, Uganda has will increase its health officers from 50 to 100 and Kenya will deploy an additional 15.
Before Friday’s meeting, the EAC Partner States agreed to implement the EACPASS -as it is set to fast-track verification of Covid-19 test results/vaccination certificates.
EACPass, a system, integrates all EAC Partner States negative test results for Covid-19 and those vaccinated, easing turnaround time at border points.
.@jumuiya is organizing for a multi-sectoral Ministerial meeting on Monday 10th Jan 2022 to consider the adoption of EACPass; a harmonized system to facilitate cross-border mvmt and avoid the impasse’s experienced at our border points.Integration is our collective responsibility pic.twitter.com/eMQGoHGFhK
— Hon(Dr.)Peter Mutuku Mathuki (@pmathuki) January 7, 2022
In December, Uganda introduced mandatory Covid-19 testing for drivers to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. It was also charging $30 (KSh3,399) per test, leading to protest by drivers transporting cargo between Mombasa and Kampala.
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