143 Kenyan taxis and motorbikes held in Ethiopia as relations grow more frosty
Mama Asna Hussein Adan during an interview in Moyale town on October 19, 2022. She said that Moyale youth risk plunging into depression or alcoholism after the Ethiopian authorities confiscated their taxis and motorbikes.
More than 140 taxis and motorbikes belonging to Kenyan businessmen are still held in neighbouring Ethiopia, more than six months since a crackdown on visitors started, the Nation.Africa has established.
The Ethiopian federal government’s security officers have been waylaying Kenyan boda boda and taxi operators who cross into the country and impounding their vehicles.
Since the crackdown started, more than 13 taxis and 130 motorbikes have been confiscated.
The Moyale business community wants the two countries to improve their diplomatic relations.
The businesspeople told Nation.Africa that there is deep mistrust between the two countries.
Kenya Chamber of Commerce and Industry Moyale chapter chairperson Mohammed Ali said the trend was worrying.
“We have always coexisted harmoniously with our neighbours Ethiopia but we are perturbed by the current trend of their coldness against our citizens. We appeal to the Ethiopian and Kenyan authorities to iron out the issues,” Mr Ali said.
He feared that the current hostilities towards Kenyan traders from the Ethiopian side risked damaging further diplomatic and bilateral trade relations.
Mr Ali said that the two countries have often run into conflict over mistrust of Kenyan traders.
Kenya National of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Moyale chapter chairperson Mohammed Ali (centre) during an interview in Moyale town on October 19, 2022. He expressed concern over the continued growing frosty relations between Ethiopian authorities and Kenyan traders.
Moyale Taxi Association chairperson Ibrahim Rashid said his members have been subjected to harrowing ordeals at the hands of Ethiopian security officers.
Most of the taxi and boda boda operators have been rendered jobless because the Ethiopian authorities began impounding and auctioning their motorcycles and vehicles.
Some parents stopped taking their children to school for lack of fees even as some youths also sank into alcoholism due to mental challenges after losing their livelihoods.
Mama Asna Hussein Adan and Nacha Ali also expressed their worries over what would become of young people who are idle after their taxi and boda boda businesses collapsed.
Ms Hussein appealed to President William Ruto to intervene and help the suffering Moyale youths.
An irate Kenyan youth show an Ethiopian cobbler peacefully working at the heart of Moyale town undeterred on October 19, 2022. The youth complained of being harassed whenever they enter Ethiopia.
Osman Abdi, a local teacher, was concerned that the strained bilateral relations came in the wake of economic hardships and inflation, and this could push youths into antisocial behaviour.
He said the two countries should foster relations that would benefit their citizens.
He questioned why the Ethiopian administration was mistreating Kenyans when their citizens enjoyed respect and cordial treatment on the Kenyan side.
The Borana, Burji, Gabbra and Garre communities from both sides share common ancestry.
Mr Abdi said full activation of the Moyale one-stop border point would bring a much-needed financial boon from new trade and tourism opportunities for the two countries.
Moyale Deputy County Commissioner Stanley Too said a cross-border joint meeting is slated for next week and that the thorny issues would be ironed out.
He said both sides were committed to developing cooperative working relations aimed at improving harmony and connectivity and hastening economic growth.
Mr Too said envoys from both sides would hold diplomatic talks on strengthening bilateral trade, fostering regional integration, and increasing economic opportunities in Ethiopia and Kenya, among other issues.
