Egypt builds a huge dam (which allows for loss of water by evaporation) but denies dams around rivers feeding Lake Victoria.
Egypt - mainly a desert country - has a jungle infantry battalion.
Egypt has "cheap" electricity & water by denying us the right to build hydroelectric dams & power plants. Uganda is allowed a dam because the water feeds the Nile.
Using COMESA, Egypt imports then re-exports sugar to Kenya at preferential tariffs.
Using COMESA, Egypt uses subsidies to export to E.African countries.
Screw the Egyptians. Let us do what is best for us.
What's the worst?
- They stop buying Kenyan tea. There are other markets besides Egypt. As is, Kenyan tea is used for blending by India & Sri Lanka thus the Egyptians will still buy it!
- Stop KQ flying to Cairo. Well, more Kenyans visit Egypt as tourists than the other way round.
- They invade Kenya. Let them try! I have faith that Kenyans, Tanzanians & Ugandans will kick their arses back to the Red Sea.
Comesa warns Egypt on subsidies
By Brian Adero
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) secretariat has threatened legal action against Egypt over claims that it was unfairly subsidising its industries.
Secretary General, Mr Erastus Mwencha, says if accusations made by Kenyan industries are true, his office would take stern measures.
"We will act on the evidence brought," he said. "The issue of Egypt and the subsidy in today’s global talk are the core issues which need to be talked about. Comesa will take action against any member state found to be going against laid down rules. Under the World Trade Organisation, Kenya is at liberty to institute legal action in the event that there is proper evidence on the subsidies," he said.
He was responding to allegations by a director of Synresins Limited, Mr David Hutchison that Egypt was giving subsidies to a tune of $6 million a year to the energy sector to keep down costs of doing business.
Hutchison called upon the Comesa secretariat to put a tax on goods originating from Egypt.
"This issue of Egypt must be tackled by the Kenyan Government. The effect is gradually being felt by all industries in Kenya," he said.
"We have evidence to show that the Egyptian Government is subsidizing its energy and fuel sector by a factor of seven. Whilst kerosene is Sh55 per a litre in Nairobi, it is only the equivalent of Sh7 in Egypt."
