Prof Mkenda said Tanzania has demanded an explanation over the ban, which suggests that a new trade tiff is brewing.

The ban comes a few months after President John Magufuli and his Kenyan counterpart, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, intervened to get their ministers in charge of East African Community (EAC) affairs to resolve an earlier trade dispute.

Indeed, there are unresolved trade concerns between Tanzania and Kenya, and this latest only adds to the woes.

But as good, old members of the EAC, we need each other in the regional integration stakes – along with the other four EAC member states, namely Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.

So, tit-for-tat decisions should be avoided in the best interests of our peoples and economies. Indeed, such developments do not augur well for EAC cooperation and economic integration.

And, in that regard, the relevant authorities must always seek to address contentious issues promptly, amicably and conclusively.

Source The Citizen