MAGUFULI BANS KENYA AIRWAYS FROM TANZANIA AIRSPACE

It’s simmering in our border and everyone except maybe the politicians is praying it doesn’t explode. Magufuli is breathing fire. What started with veiled arrogance towards our country has turned to petty decisions powered by inferiority complex from our neighbors.

On Friday, July 31, Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) stated that it had nullified the approval for Kenya Airways for three months, with the ban taking effect from Saturday, August 1 to October 24. Speaking of the decision, Director General Hamza Johari said the nation had come to that decision after learning that Tanzanians were not allowed to travel to Kenya.

“The authority regrets to inform you that, on a reciprocal basis, the Tanzanian Government has decided to nullify its approval for KQ flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salam/Kilimanjaro/Zanzibar until further notice. This letter also rescinds all previous arrangements that permit KQ flights into Tanzania,” Johari stated.

The decision seems to have been prompted by the list that was unveiled by Transport CS James Macharia on 30th July 2020. The CS said citizens cleared to travel to Kenya were from China, South Korea, Japan, Canada, Ethiopia, Switzerland, Rwanda, Uganda, Morroco, Namibia, UK, France and Qatar.

Tanzania under President Magufuli did not take this well. The Kenyan Government took this decision to exclude Tanzania because they have been cagey on their war against COVID-19. Magufuli has declared Tanzania to be a COVID-19 free country.