A row over customers is shimmering at the border in Busia between Ugandan traders, along the custom road and the Kenyan women brokers. Traders accuse Kenyan women brokers of sabotaging their businesses by standing at near their shops and divert customers to shops where they have been promised commission.
Recently six Kenyan women brokers were arrested and remanded to Masafu prison after several traders accused them of failing their businesses. The arrest and dentation of Kenyan brokers did not go well with the Kenyan authorities who protested against the action by Ugandan police.
The Kenyans brokers acknowledged working for commission, but only from traders where they take customers, they have lured from Kenya to buy goods across the border. They denied allegations of hijacking customers from one shop to another.
The situation nearly escalated into insecurity over the weekend when two parties almost clashed forcing the authorities from the two countries to intervene. Speaking at the harmonization meeting held at Busia social hall, Mike Okiria the resident district commissioner Busia appealed to the two parties forge proper procedures of conducting business by working in a friendly way.
Elijah Nyachae the assistant county commissioner in Busia Kenya condemned the mistreatment of Kenyan women brokers by the t in Busia Uganda. Nyachae said, if the situation continues, Kenya will ask brokers to go back and work at but Ugandan traders operating in Kenya will also be sent back to Busia Uganda. Wanume Kibedi the chairman Busia customs traders association vowed that Kenyan brokers should leave the area if they don’t accept to operate in the place identified for them.
Mary Anyango the chairperson Kenyan women brokers said, they are assaulted, abused and not given the commission they work for. She appealed to her government to come up with a program will enable them to work and earn a living and stop working as brokers.
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