Uganda is clamping down on informal cross border trade with Tanzania and the unregulated movement of people between the countries, to prevent the spread of coronavirus, in a region where cases of infection have increased.
People living in the Rakai District of Uganda and Missenyi in Tanzania tend to ignore border regulations because they live as one community, with families having relatives on both sides.
Cross border trade and travel is centred on the town of Mutukula, but people also use unregulated roads, which makes the movement of goods and people between both countries hard to monitor.
Some 20 people have recently tested positive for Covid-19 in the region on the Uganda side, after returning from Tanzania.
Now, in order to ensure trade continues, while limiting new cases of infection, the authorities in Uganda’s Rakai district have banned cross border travel, unless it is for business.
The clamp down is being enforced by the Ugandan army, with soldiers ensuring residents in the region comply with the directive.
It could raise tensions between the two East African nations and it is not clear how Tanzania will respond.
This week it banned flights from Kenya, after the government in Nairobi deemed measures taken by its neighbour to cope with the pandemic were insufficient.
Source: BBC
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