Sort Uganda-Kenya Milk Row, MPs Tell Gov’t

Members of Parliament have asked the government to comprehensively resolve the Uganda-Kenya impasse regarding milk exports.

Although the Kenya- Uganda milk war came to light in 2010, after Kenya blocked milk from Uganda, it reached a climax in December last year when Kenya slapped a 16% Value added tax on Ugandan milk entering the market as a means to protect their local market.

In January this year, Uganda issued a protest note to Kenya over the seizure of up to 54,000 Kilograms of powdered milk.

Uganda produces an estimated 2.6 billion litres of milk yearly with Kenya consuming 144 million of this.  

The matter was raised on Wednesday by Fred Turyamuhweza the MP Rujumbura County who says that Ugandan milk processors and factories are closing down because the Kenyan Government has continued to restrict the entry of Ugandan milk into Kenya.

While presenting a matter of national importance in Parliament, Turyamuhweza said Government needs to give a comprehensive approach on the standoff, and also assure Ugandans on what exactly is happening.

“…to the looming uneasiness that was cropping between Uganda to Kenya because of this impasse. As we talk now, the Kenyan government has restricted the number of traders getting permits by the Kenya Dairy Board. Consequently, various factories in Uganda have been massively affected, actually some of them are closing down, a case in point is Birunga Dairy. Just to remind our Parliament that the dairy industry is estimated to be feeding close to 8 million Ugandans and the Kenyan government action especially during this pandemic has a diverse effect on the lives of our people,” he said.

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga said that the actions of Kenya are against the implementation of the common market protocol which allows for free movement of goods within East Africa. She tasked the Ministry of Trade to explain to the country what they are doing to resolve this impasse.

She said: “I think the minister of trade should come and advise the country about the implementation of the Common Market protocol and in particular to explain to the country the impasse relating to the export of milk from Uganda to Kenya. We will get an answer by Thursday next week.”