The dark side of African Continental Free Trade Area Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | Africa’s heads of state on March 21, 2018 descended onto the hills of Kigali, Rwanda, to sign the long awaited agreement to create the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) that encompasses more than 1.2billion …
Read More »Kenya’s maize war, Uganda trade woes
Can the EAC survive? Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | On March 05 Kenya announced an abrupt ban on imports of maize grain from Uganda and Tanzania. It turned out to be an ugly fumble. According to details that emerged later, Kenya’s move was not communicated to either Uganda or …
Read More »Inside URA’s proposed customs taxes
Local consumers and businesses – not the exporting countries – will pay the price Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | The good news coming from the Nakawa-based Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is that local firms, will effective July this year, be protected from external competition as government increases taxes on …
Read More »Museveni reversing privatization after 33 years
Will government enterprises that failed under the 1990s inefficiency fare any better with current corruption? Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | When Uganda’s newly acquired two Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft arrived in the country on April 23, there was excitement. ‘Historic occasion,’ proclaimed the newspapers. Amidst the excitement, however, was some …
Read More »AGOA at risk in East African war over used clothes
USED CLOTHES: What panic in Kenya and Rwanda’s firm stand mean for Uganda? Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | Among optimists, the proposal by East African Community (EAC) member states to ban the importation of used clothes by 2019 is great because it could spark the growth of …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Lessons from Burundi’s SADC move
EAC member states must do something flying geese do very well: have a leader Burundi’s recent attempt to join the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been blocked. But it raises questions about what EAC member states should do about its cold neighbour. Burundi, which has been a member of …
Read More »Why Kenya lost fight for AU top job
And why East Africa lost more over outdated voting habits at continental body As the heads of state and government of the African Union meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, started voting on Jan. 30 for the next head of the continental body, Kenya’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amina …
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