KENYA ALLOWS TANZANIA VEHICLES INTO JKIA ,AFTER 26 DAYS BAN

TANZANIA Vehicles are now allowed  to enter  to  Jomo Kenyata

                               
                                    Cabinet secretary  EAC affairs ,Commerce and  Tourism Kenya  Phyllis       Kandie               Lazaro  Nyalandu  Minister  of Tourism & Natural Resources Tanzania

International Airport (JKIA) to pick and drop tourists after twenty  six days ban by Kenya government

The move was seen by  analysts as a retaliation  of  Tanzania rejection  to allow Kenyan vehicles  with tourists  to  get to its National Parks.

The ban reportedly frustrated hundreds of tourists visiting the country, a move which was seen as an act that was putting the two neighboring countries into a dispute   that was likely to jeopardize the integration of the East African Community.

The decision was reached  in Nairobi on Thursday  after  several hours talks between the Cabinet Secretary for East African Affairs, Commerce and tourism for Kenya Phyllis Kandie and Tanzanian minister of tourism and Natural Resources Lazaro Nyalandu.

In a joint press conference Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary told reporters that vehicle from Tanzania will now be allowed to enter to JKIA to pick and drop guests and the dispute will be solved within 21 days.

She said that the bilateral meeting will be held in Arusha Tanzania and it will involve Ministerial principal Secretaries and other professionals in the ministries from both countries.

Kandie said the last meeting will bring together   the ministers and later  and eventually remove confusions unfolding the tourism sector between the two neighboring countries.

Kandie insisted that the act of Kenya to prohibit vehicles from Tanzania to enter to JKIA was the implementation of a collective agreement between Kenya and Tanzania in a meeting held last year.

“Vehicle from Tanzania can now enter to the airport as usual and this problem will be sorted out once and for all in our scheduled meeting within 21 days. “She said

She went further to say that the issue on dispute was to do with Kenya domestic law on  transfer of  tourists from Nairobi  the airport and not buses from Tanzania to enter  JKIA .

"This  is a minor  issue its solution will be made within three weeks from today , we will involve the private sector at large and other players within the  tourism industry to find a lasting solution issues within the tourism sectore in the Region " said Kandie .

She noted that there is a confusion but  it was easy if  our counterparts would have followed our countries transport regulation  by acquiring licenses from the relevant authorities in Kenya or enter into partnership with a local  tour operator and do business smoothly.

On his part, the minister of tourism and natural resources of Tanzania Lazaro Nyalandu  said  the Kenyan government shouldn’t  have prohibited   vehicles entering to the airport because the countries have historical ties.

" Our neighboring Kenya have serious relationships with us , I am glad for them to accept that vehicle from my country are  to allowed  to enter the airport and  do  business as usual, I and my counterpart  will meet and hold talks to resolve all arising differences "Said Nyalandu .

On December 22 last year the government of Kenya barred vehicles with registration numbers from Tanzania to enter into JKIA and caused a lot of embarrassment to travelers and loses in transport business from Northern Tanzania Regions.