NAIROBI, August 31, 2026- The objective of East Africa to become an integrated single market is currently impeded by the fact that countries that are supposed to eliminate trade restrictions continue to apply them as well.
According to the results of the 40th Regional Monitoring Committee of the East African Community that took place in Kampala between the 4th and the 9th of May, the contribution of Tanzania in the series of obstacles concerning the NTBs is significant. Tanzania provided 11 out of 28 unsolved cases of NTB infringement.
The emergence of this information is marked by the fact that the recent deadline has expired. The NTB issue had to be resolved by June 30, 2026, after the March 7, 2026, summit in Arusha, as stated in the reports from the community heads’ meeting. However, the deadline was missed, with numerous cases still unresolved.
Included in Tanzania’s controversial policies are a biased industrial development levy on Kenyan goods such as tractors, as well as excise taxes on Kenyan chocolates, candy, paint materials, tobacco, cigarettes, soap, and laundry detergents, and a 35 percent Common External Tariff on Zesta jam from Kenya. Beyond that, Tanzania has put a price of $100 on each time Rwandans cross its borders more than thrice in one month. It has also imposed high prices on imported Ugandan milk.
The impacts that can be attributed to the policies have affected everyone, including officials. As an illustration, in February 2026, Kenya exported goods worth only $20.04 million to Tanzania, which was the lowest level since May 2021, when the value was only $18.62 million. The amount of Kenya’s exports to Uganda also fell to $51.26 million, which was the lowest point for the country since August 2022.
This is a challenging situation. The EAC has a population of over 331 million and also has a GDP of $357 billion. However, people find it difficult to trade within its borders. On August 6, 2026, the EAC stated that there should be an increase in cooperation between individual companies and the public sector to boost trade within EAC.
Tanzania is not the only country having difficulties. The country of Kenya also has five strong NTBs, and Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have four NTBs. South Sudan has two NTBs, while both Burundi and Uganda have one NTB each.
Now the question that East African businessmen have to deal with is not whether the bloc has managed to implement free trade. The question is whether the promises will survive the implementation process at the borders.
