Thread by @rggoobi

URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Ugandan manufacturers are being crowded out of EAC market by non-tariff barriers (NTBs). From closed border with Rwanda to outright flouting of EAC CM protocol by Kenya & TZ, our manufacturers’ access to EAC market has shrunk. Thread... #SaveUGManufacturers

Kenya and TZ are blocking Ugandan exporters from accessing their markets, yet we’re in a common market. The EAC CM had started to smooth trade. When Uganda reported a trade surplus with Kenya, for the first time in 2017, Kenya resorted to NTBs. See table
#SaveUGManufacturers

The figures above (in million US$) show Kenya is playing dirty lately to stop Uganda from exporting to her market. The trade balance between the two countries, that was improving, was reversed last year using NTBs (e.g. origin, standards, permits etc.). #SaveUGManufacturers

As a result, the trade balance between the two countries that had turned positive in 2017 and 2018, has now deteriorated beyond the deficit registered in 2013! Kenya’s exports to Uganda continue to rise as ours shrink. This is unacceptable. #SaveUGManufacturers

For Tanzania, the history of her use of anti-trade habits is well known. Tanzanians do not want to trade with us. They want to export to Uganda (and EAC) but don’t want to import from us. See how our trade deficit with them has grown! That’s bad mercantilism. #SaveUGManufacturers

@GovUganda has played diplomacy for far too long. @newsUMA members are beginning to get impatient. Some (like Roofings) have started to relocate their factories to Kenya. Why? Kenya can freely access Ugandan market but Ugandans can’t freely export to Kenya. #SaveUGManufacturers

Apart from that, the continued closure of Uganda/Rwanda border is badly hurting Ugandan exporters. The table below shows trade balance Uganda and 3 other neighbours. See how our BoT has dropped from US$ 209m in 2013 to US$26m last year. #SaveUGManufacturers