Traders protest at rise in transport fares

Integration:negative impact on EAC protocolsIn 2009, EAC Heads of State signed the Common Market Protocol that facilitates free movement of citizens in the five member countries. However, unstable transport prices could be undermining its realisation. Some travellers believe that if transport costs continue to increase, it might have a negative impact on the integration process. “I used to pay Rwf 6,000 from Kigali to Kampala, but now some bus companies charge as much as Rwf 10,000,” Titus Mugyema, a frequent traveller, told The New Times.Isaac Ihoza, the Country Manager of Kampala Coach, a regional transport company, said they were forced to increase the prices following the increase in fuel prices .“Today, maintaining a car is expensive; buying car tires is also expensive, therefore we had to increase the prices to avoid making loses,” he said. The other reason which he attributes to the increase in fares was the instability of the US Dollar against local currencies, saying that sometimes it forces them to hike prices.One Ugandan business lady who preferred anonymity said that she was likely to reduce the frequency of exports to Kigali due to transport costs and called on concerned authorities to intervene.“We export clothes from Kampala to Kigali; if you increase the prices of your product nobody will buy and you cannot sell at cheap prices when you’re incurring high transport costs,” she said. Theodore Murenzi, the Executive Secretary of Rwanda Long Distance Truck Drivers’ Association, mentioned that the increased fares would slow regional business and called for immediate action to avoid inconveniences.Faraja Mgwabati, a Tanzanian businessman, said there was need for political commitment by the regional leaders to ensure that people benefit from the community by removing all barriers, including the hiked transport costs.“In Tanzania, there are many factors that cause increased transport costs like poor roads, insecurity in thewestern part of Kagera region corruption and others, and this is not only affecting Tanzanians but also other regional travellers,” he said.

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Traders protest at rise in transport fares