simplemind
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 10, 2009
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Kenya has given Tanzania a two-week ultimatum to review the bilateral agreement that will allow the latter's tourism vans to access the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the latest spat between the two East African countries. Failure to agree, both countries will resort to the 1985 bilateral agreement that stipulates how tourism vans access each country's market.
Kenya will continue to bar the vans from accessing JKIA as stipulated in the agreement. The row has elicited mistrust, suspicion and delicate relationship between the two countries in an already sour relation between the two East African Community neighbours and trade partners. Kenya and her neighbour signed a bilateral agreement in 1985 that barred both Kenyan and Tanzanian tourist vans from accessing game parks and international airports.
While Tanzania implemented fully, Kenya partially relaxed the rules to allow Tanzanian vans to access her international airports. The agreement provides that tourist vans from Kenya drop passengers at the border posts at Lunga Lunga, Taveta, Namanga and Nyakiyakaye on the Kenyan side and Tanzanian vans drop at Horohoro, Himo, Namanga and Sirare. Further, Kenyan tourist vans are allowed to transport tourists to the regional towns of Tanga, Moshi, Arusha and Musoma while Kenya gives access to all towns. The agreement does not provide for entry into partner States' airports, game reserves and parks which has been the main bone of contention.
This inconveniences Kenyan tour operators' clients who have to switch vans if they want to cross the Mara River and view Tanzanian game animals. However, when Kenya decided to fully implement the agreement, Tanzania came out with guns blazing accusing Kenya of being the ‘bad brother'. This prompted Tanzania's Tourism Minister Lazaro Nyalandu to fly in to meet his Kenyan counterpart.
Source:StandardMedia.co.ke
Kenya will continue to bar the vans from accessing JKIA as stipulated in the agreement. The row has elicited mistrust, suspicion and delicate relationship between the two countries in an already sour relation between the two East African Community neighbours and trade partners. Kenya and her neighbour signed a bilateral agreement in 1985 that barred both Kenyan and Tanzanian tourist vans from accessing game parks and international airports.
While Tanzania implemented fully, Kenya partially relaxed the rules to allow Tanzanian vans to access her international airports. The agreement provides that tourist vans from Kenya drop passengers at the border posts at Lunga Lunga, Taveta, Namanga and Nyakiyakaye on the Kenyan side and Tanzanian vans drop at Horohoro, Himo, Namanga and Sirare. Further, Kenyan tourist vans are allowed to transport tourists to the regional towns of Tanga, Moshi, Arusha and Musoma while Kenya gives access to all towns. The agreement does not provide for entry into partner States' airports, game reserves and parks which has been the main bone of contention.
This inconveniences Kenyan tour operators' clients who have to switch vans if they want to cross the Mara River and view Tanzanian game animals. However, when Kenya decided to fully implement the agreement, Tanzania came out with guns blazing accusing Kenya of being the ‘bad brother'. This prompted Tanzania's Tourism Minister Lazaro Nyalandu to fly in to meet his Kenyan counterpart.
Source:StandardMedia.co.ke
