Kenya accused of tourism sabotage as drivers who tested positive for COVID19 turn out negative in Tanzania

The Republic of Tanzania has accused their neighbors Kenya of ‘deliberately’ sabotaging the tourism industry in Arusha and the country at large by declaring Tanzania drivers positive yet the same have turned out negative on reaching home.

According to a statement from Tanzania’s regional commissioner for Arusha, 19 samples were taken from Tanzanian truck drivers who had been tested and declared positive for COVID-19 in Kenya, only to turn out negative.

“After these samples were submitted to our Main National Laboratory in Dar es Salaam, the results came back negative for all these drivers from Tanzania,” the statement said.

“Arusha is confident that is a deliberate sabotage strategy designed by Kenya against our tourism industry in Arusha and Tanzania at large,” the statement added.

As a result, the Tanzanian government has said they will collect samples for testing from all inbound truck drivers crossing into the country from Namanga which is bordering Kenya.

“We have deliberately taken this decision in order to protect our citizens against any COVID-19 infections from the neighboring country as well as making sure our general populations stand in good health as we prepare to receive tourists when the high tourism season reopens come this June 2020,” Tanzanian government claims.

According to their testing results, the Tanzania government claims that on May 14, all Kenyan truck drivers (11) who entered the country through Namanga were positive.

On May 16, 23 Kenyan drivers were tested at the border and 10 turned out positive for COVID-19.

Tanzania which has itself not released any COVID-19 updates in two weeks, now claims they will “immediately” be releasing results from 11 Kenyan truck drivers tested on Monday.

Last week, Kenya shut its borders with Tanzania following precautions aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus.

"If we do not take additional precautionary measures and get even more serious in implementing existing guidelines, the number of people who will get sick and die is going to rise sharply," said President Kenyatta.

The move, unprecedented in the history of the East African Community's 20-year existence, came as Kenya said it had blocked 78 truck drivers from Tanzania from entering the country.

 Earlier today, at least 182 people from Tanzania were denied access to Kenya after reportedly testing positive for coronavirus.

Last week, East African Community (EAC) leaders met virtually with the exception of Tanzania’s John Pombe Magufuli.

Earlier, President Museveni had stressed that he made a call to Paul Kagame and Uhuru Kenyatta on a common policy to deal with truck drivers, but also hinted he did not go through with Tanzania’s Magufuli.

Tanzania remains tightlipped on their COVID numbers, while the president is adamant on calling for a lockdown.

In one of the addresses to the nation, Magufuli claimed that Coronavirus was not real after pawpaws and other fruits were tested positive of the same