Kenya Imported More From Her Neighbors Than What She Exported

Kenya imported more than she exported from her East African neighbors for a nine-month period to September 2018 according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

Goods worth 54.83 billion shillings came into the country from the six East African Community members. This was an increase by 42.64 percent from 38.44 billion shillings in 2017.

During the period, Kenya relied more on her neighbors for foodstuffs especially grains from Uganda and Tanzania. Kenya’s imports in from her neighbors have been increasing over the years, from 24.56 billion shillings worth of goods in 2016.

Uganda was the largest source of Kenya’s imports with goods worth 41.16 billion shillings being imported. This was almost double of what was imported from Uganda in 2017, which stood at 24.56 billion shillings.

Kenya’s exports to other EAC members remained steady, only slightly dipping from 86.86 billion shillings to 86.78 billion shillings. In 2016, Kenya exported goods worth 92.01 billion shillings while in 2015, goods worth 96.83 billion shillings were exported.

Uganda bought goods worth 46.09 billion shillings from Kenya, a slight drop from 46.92 billion shillings a year earlier.

Tanzania bought goods worth 22.17 billion shillings from Kenya, a rise from 20.76 billion shillings in 2017 while Rwanda bought goods worth 13.49 billion shillings from 13.07 billion shillings recorded in 2016.

Efforts to establish free movement and pass of goods among the EAC members seem not to be working due to mistrust and doubts among members as well as inadequate infrastructure to roll out the same.

Kenya’s trade deficit with other countries has continued to widen for the last 10 months of the year 2018 with the country importing more than what she exported.

According to stats, Kenya imported goods worth nearly one trillion shillings during the 10 months period, a huge difference from the number of goods she exported.

The country imported goods worth 997.1 billion shillings and only managed to export goods worth 291 billion shillings during the same period.

In 2017, Kenya imported goods worth 989.8 billion shillings compared to exports that stood at 281.4 billion shillings.