Tanzania : We have not yet received official communication on maize ban export

Reported by
Faridah N Kulumba

The head of government communications at Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Emmanuel Buhohela revealed that his government has not yet received official communication from Kenya banning the export of maize.

This followed the directive from Kenya’s Director of Agriculture and Food Authority Kello Harsama communicating the decision to the Commissioner of Customs Pamela Ahago, suspending any exports of maize into Kenya with immediate effect from 5 March 2021.

The internal letter from Mr Kello, said that Kenya has been conducting surveillance on the safety of food imports, and that the test results for maize imported from Uganda and Tanzania have revealed high levels of mycotoxins that are consistently beyond safety limits.

“Mycotoxins particularly aflatoxins and fumonisins are known to be carcinogenic. And over the years a number of acute and chronic ablation related illnesses have been recorded in Kenya including death,” said Kello.

The moulds grow on variety of different crops and foodstuffs, including cereals, nuts, spices, dried fruits, apples and coffee beans most especially under warm and humid conditions.

Tanzania reacts to the maize ban

Tanzania has protested the import ban saying they will not allow Kenya to destroy the image of their agricultural sector.

According to the Eat African news , The Permanent Secretary in the Tanzania ministry of Agriculture Gerald Kusaya, confirmed that no official communication has been sent from Kenya, and that even if it was sent, there would be the issue of where the tests that discovered the mycotoxins took place.

However Tanzania’s Deputy Agriculture minister Hussein Bashe, defended the quality of maize from Tanzania, saying every batch had a certificate that confirms that it is fit for human consumption before it is exported.

He said that his ministry is looking into the matter with great seriousness and that they are still waiting for a formal complaint from Kenya in accordance with procedures.

Mr Bashe also went to Namanga to follow up Kenya’s decision to ban trucks ferrying maize to Kenya.

Bashe added that since Tanzania and Kenya are members of the East African Community, their differences have to be resolved through procedures governing the regional body, and that the image of Tanzania’s image and the quality of its produce should not be tarnished, The East African.

“Our Kenyan colleagues should take world-renowned measures, that if they take a sample in one consignment and find a problem that is serious, they have a responsibility to write to us,”Bashe said.

The situation of Tanzanian and Ugandan maize traders

Traders says that they are in dilemma and completely affected. They want the government of Kenya to put the procedures to measure wether the maize is poisonous or not.

The drivers of cargo trucks from Tanzania, ferrying tones of maize into Kenya, were seen awaiting to offload out side the Mombasa Maize Millers Factory.

Maize traders of Uganda have threatened to take the government of Kenya to the East African court for taking such unilateral decision without the in put of the East African community.

They also accused Kenyan traders of applying the chemicals to dry the maize, but in the end blame traders from other countries for the mess.