The launch of a regional electronic cargo and driver tracking system which was scheduled to start on Wednesday, August 12, as one of the measures aimed at preventing further spread of the Coronavirus disease has been postponed. The launch was to run from August 12 to 31 at the various EAC border points, starting at the Rusumo border between Rwanda with Tanzania. After Rusumo, next would have been the Mutukula border between Tanzania and Uganda on August 14; the Malaba border between Kenya and Uganda on August 21; Namanga border between Tanzania and Kenya on August 28 and finally, Kobero border between Burundi and Tanzania on August 31. The postponement comes after a related request by the government of Tanzania which has said that the system has not been presented to relevant EAC organs including the Council of Ministers for adoption and approval before its official launch. We, therefore, propose that before its official launching, the system should be approved by Ministers so as to create a common understanding of the system, reads part of a memo sent to the EAC Secretariat by Tanzania. It is noted that new dates for the launch at Rusumo and Mutukula will be communicated at a later date.
